Warehouse and inventory Manager

Location Ireland
Discipline: Other
Job type: Permanent
Salary: £Competitive
Contact name: Arlene Rice

Contact email: arlene@elkrecruitment.com
Job ref: BH-5614
Published: about 19 hours ago
Startdate: 2025-12-11
Job Title: Warehouse and inventory Manager
Location: Dublin 24
Salary: DOE
 
Role Purpose
The Warehouse and Inventory Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient, and accurate running of the warehouse and distribution operations. This role leads the day-to-day warehouse team, ensures best-in-class inventory and stock control, and manages purchasing activities to maintain optimal stock availability, cost control, and service levels. The Warehouse Manager will drive continuous improvement across warehousing, goods in/out, inventory accuracy, and supplier performance in a fast-moving distribution environment.
Key Responsibilities
Warehouse & Distribution Operations
  • Manage all warehouse activities including receiving, put-away, storage, picking, packing, dispatch, and returns.
  • Plan labour and space to meet daily/weekly operational demands and seasonal peaks.
  • Ensure orders are fulfilled to required accuracy, quality, and turnaround times.
  • Maintain warehouse layout and slotting to maximise productivity and minimise picking errors.
  • Oversee transport coordination where relevant (inbound/outbound), ensuring delivery targets are met.
  • Implement and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for consistent performance.
Inventory, Stock Control & Purchasing
  • Control and manage stock purchasing to align with sales forecast and demand planning.
  • Monitor and analyse weekly sales rates to adjust inventory levels and reorder points.
  • Identify, manage, and develop strategies to reduce slow-moving and obsolete stock to maximise inventory efficiency and minimise costs.
  • Maintain accurate stock records, conduct regular stock counts, and reconcile discrepancies.
  • Coordinate with suppliers to ensure timely delivery and resolve supply chain issues.
  • Implement and oversee stock control policies and procedures to support operational goals.
  • Collaborate with sales, warehouse, and finance teams to optimize stock flow and reporting.
  • Prepare regular reports on inventory status, stock movements, and performance metrics for management review.
People Leadership & Development
  • Lead, coach, and develop warehouse staff including supervisors, operatives, and admin support.
  • Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and conduct regular reviews.
  • Organise training for safe equipment use, processes, and system competencies.
  • Manage team scheduling, absence, overtime, and disciplinary processes when needed.
  • Foster a positive, accountable, and continuous-improvement culture.
Health, Safety, Quality & Compliance
  • Ensure full compliance with health & safety legislation and company standards.
  • Champion a “safety-first” environment, including risk assessments and incident reporting.
  • Ensure safe operation of MHE (forklifts, reach trucks, pallet trucks) and warehouse equipment.
  • Maintain housekeeping standards (5S) to support safe and efficient working conditions.
  • Support audits and compliance requirements (e.g., ISO, HACCP, customs, ADR, etc. if relevant).
Systems & Continuous Improvement
  • Act as super-user/owner of the WMS/ERP inventory modules.
  • Ensure master data integrity (SKUs, UoM, bin locations, lead times, reorder points).
  • Identify and implement lean/CI initiatives to reduce waste and improve throughput.
  • Use data to drive decisions, measure performance, and improve service levels.
  • Support new product introductions and changes in packaging, labelling, or handling.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
  • Inventory accuracy (%) and shrinkage levels
  • Order pick accuracy and on-time dispatch
  • Stock availability / service level
  • Stock turns and reduction of obsolete stock
  • Supplier OTIF performance and lead time adherence
  • Warehouse productivity (lines/hour, cost per order, etc.)
  • Health & safety metrics (near misses, incidents, audit scores)
  • Warehouse and distribution Budget
Required Experience & Qualifications
Essential
  • 3–5+ years’ warehouse management experience within a distribution or wholesale business.
  • Proven track record in inventory management, stock control, and purchasing.
  • Strong understanding of warehouse processes, picking methodologies, replenishment, and dispatch.
  • Experience with WMS/ERP systems and advanced Excel/reporting.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead teams in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong working knowledge of health & safety requirements in warehousing.
Desirable
  • Relevant qualification in supply chain, logistics, warehousing, or business.
  • Forklift/MHE certification and/or experience managing MHE training programmes.
  • Experience implementing CI/Lean/5S in a warehouse environment.
  • Experience with demand forecasting, S&OP, or cross-functional planning.
Skills & Competencies
  • Inventory & purchasing expertise: strong analytical and commercial judgement.
  • Operational leadership: calm under pressure, organised, hands-on when needed.
  • Process discipline: understands controls, SOPs, and root-cause correction.
  • Data-driven mindset: comfortable using KPIs to manage performance.
  • People development: motivates teams and builds capability.
  • Communication: clear, direct, and collaborative across departments.
  • Problem solving: proactively identifies and fixes issues before they impact customers.