Inventory Controller

Inventory ControllerLocation: Harlow Package: Basic salary £25-30k (dependent on experience) bonus & flexible benefits package including up to 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays & additional annual leave purchasing scheme)Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Monday-Friday)Sector: Packaging distribution    Protecting what matters, together We’re dedicated to protecting what matters most - our people, our customers, our communities and the environment. At Macfarlane Packaging, our commitment to customer satisfaction, sustainability and continual improvement creates a highly collaborative, supportive and friendly workplace where you can unpack a career that grows.   With history stretching back over 75 years, we offer stability whilst always striving for continual growth. Our fast-paced, results-driven approach will challenge and often stretch you, but it will also give you opportunities for personal and professional development. Every colleague has the chance to directly influence our success, leading to real job satisfaction and achievement, at all stages of your career.   We provide competitive pay and personalised incentives, alongside adaptable benefits to make your rewards package go further. And additionally, the way we work prioritises work-life balance and flexibility, empowering our colleagues to manage what is most important to them. Our business values commitment, diligence, teamwork, adaptability and a thirst for learning… so if this sounds like you, come and join us to help drive change that enables businesses to plan for a better future.  The Inventory Controller Role As our Inventory Controller, you will help to manage stock effectively, optimising availability to meet customer needs while adhering to working capital targets and maximising space and margin utilisation. Your responsibilities will include implementing efficient inventory practices, accurate forecasting, and replenishment, whilst monitoring levels to prevent stockouts. You will engage with our stakeholders to align customer forecasts with inventory planning and procurement. Additionally, you’ll need to maintain data integrity, ensuring accurate inventory records. By supporting site activities, your efforts will contribute to overall sales and profit targets, enhancing operational efficiency and profitability.  Inventory Controller Key Duties  
Uphold and maintain high level of inventory management & coordination
Accurately forecast and report inventory requirements to ensure optimal stock availability.
Take responsibility for stock at allocated sites, including managing stock availability for customer service, working capital optimisation, and space utilisation.
Manage aged stock and invoiced stock effectively, identifying opportunities to improve margin and reduce order quantities.
Ensure that all purchasing transactions are conducted efficiently and cost-effectively.
Maintain a thorough understanding of purchased products, including pallet configurations and volume.
Purchase standard and non-standard stock items, maintaining cost-effective stock levels appropriate to expected customer service levels.
Expedite purchase orders and resolve cost-related issues to avoid unnecessary expenses.
Manage the stock database of aged and invoiced stock in line with customer agreements, identifying areas for improvement and implementing necessary changes.
Manage Goods In delivery schedule and confirm Goods Received Notes (GRNs).
Manage Stock Holding Agreements and ensure purchase order accuracy.
Ensure effective cross functional/department collaboration
Develop strong relationships and communicate effectively with management, procurement, logistics, and sales teams to manage working capital, optimise space, improve margins, and meet customer needs.
Promote cooperation between our departments and Regional Distribution Centres (RDCs) across the group to enhance operational efficiency.
Use controls & measures to ensure optimal performance & improvements
Manage and achieve stock Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), continually identifying areas for improvement.
Identify areas for margin improvement or inventory optimisation and liaise with management to take appropriate action.
Administer purchase orders and all associated administration, ensuring compliance with company policies and standards. 

What you will bring The successful applicant will ideally meet with the below criteria…   Essential:
Comfortable working within a fast-paced environment with the ability to prioritise tasks
Effective time management and organisation skills.
The ability to learn and absorb new information quickly within a dynamic working environment
Able to work comfortably with a large number of product skus across multi-sites
At ease when working with a variety of product groups – varied value, volume, density, supply chains
Effective communication skills both verbal and written with variety of colleagues, supply base and occasionally customers
Strong numerical & data interpretation skills 
Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail
Strong computing/systems-based skills including MS Office and a solid foundation of Excel spreadsheet familiarity/competency.
Skilled at problem solving and handling challenging discussions
Ability to work on own initiative
Proactive approach to role
Comfortable in undertaking close inter-department working (i.e. with sales/logistics) 

Desirable:
Good understanding of inventory management principles 
Minimum 12 months procurement experience within a commercial environment 
CIPs accredited & part or full qualified 

What you will get We provide a competitive basic starting salary and operate a range of rewarding bonus/incentive schemes. Our flexible employee benefits can include: - 
25 days annual leave (rising to 27 days with service) plus all public/bank holidays
Contributory pension scheme
Free parking at many of our site locations
Range of company cars or cash allowance (including electric) for qualifying roles
Employee assistance program to support & advise with well-being & any issues
Extensive range of training/development & potential progression opportunities
Employee discount scheme (discounts on several major retail/leisure brands)
Annual paid Volunteering Day
Simply Health/Dental Cover option or BUPA cover for qualifying roles
Tax free childcare (TFC) scheme
Enhanced maternity & paternity pay
Long service awards (5-40 years)
Charitable giving options
Financial support with eye-tests/purchasing glasses (DSE users only)
O2 Mobile discount scheme (up to 25% off) 

Your future with us Working at Macfarlane Packaging, you truly have the potential to shape your own future and set your own ambitions. We are a large group company where internal promotion and mobility is a key feature of our success. Through tailored career plans, we provide a wide range of structure training & development pathways, utilizing both in-house expertise to share knowledge and the best-in-class external training partners. There is potential access to management & leadership development, and we work closely with recognized, accredited bodies including the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) & the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS); so there really are no limits to where your journey within our business may take you long term.   Next Steps/How to Apply We are working swiftly to find the best applicants and hope to hold local interviews ASAP. Please click ‘apply’ to submit your up-to-date CV. All applications will be acknowledged. If you haven’t heard from us within 2-3 weeks, please assume your application was unsuccessful.   We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds irrespective of your age, gender, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, gender expression, religion, or sexual orientation. Should you require any specific support or adjustments during the recruitment process, please email our recruitment team directly