Inventory Control Assistant Jobs in Evanston, IL

Position Summary

The Inventory Control Supervisor is a newly created position within the Warehouse & Logistics team and will play a critical role in building and developing the company's inventory control function.

Reporting directly to the Warehouse & Logistics Manager, this individual will be responsible for establishing the structure, processes, standards, and team needed to support accurate and scalable inventory management as the warehouse and logistics operation continues to grow.

The Inventory Control Supervisor will take ownership of inventory accuracy across the warehouse and supporting locations while developing a formal inventory control program. This includes building and managing cycle count programs, conducting spot checks and physical inventories, investigating discrepancies, improving location accuracy, developing reporting, and implementing processes designed to prevent inventory issues before they occur.

This role will also be responsible for helping build out the Inventory Control team. The successful candidate will help identify staffing needs, define responsibilities and workflows, train and develop future team members, and establish clear expectations and accountability within the department.

This is a hands-on leadership position that requires a strong balance of warehouse experience, analytical ability, process development, and people management. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working on the warehouse floor, analyzing inventory data, solving operational problems, and creating scalable processes that can grow with the business.

Key Responsibilities

Building the Inventory Control Function

• Help build and establish the Inventory Control function within the Warehouse & Logistics organization.
• Develop the structure, workflows, procedures, and standards for the Inventory Control team.
• Partner with the Warehouse & Logistics Manager to determine staffing needs and help build the Inventory Control team as the operation grows.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, training, and development of future Inventory Control team members.
• Define clear roles, responsibilities, expectations, and performance standards for the Inventory Control team.
• Develop standard operating procedures for inventory counting, adjustments, investigations, location control, and inventory movement.
• Create scalable processes that can support continued warehouse growth and additional locations.
• Establish a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement around inventory accuracy.

Inventory Accuracy & Control

• Maintain accurate inventory records across all warehouse locations and systems.
• Develop, manage, and continuously improve cycle count programs.
• Perform and oversee scheduled cycle counts, spot checks, and physical inventory counts.
• Investigate inventory discrepancies and determine root causes.
• Work with warehouse leadership to implement corrective actions and prevent recurring inventory issues.
• Monitor inventory adjustments and ensure all adjustments are properly documented, approved, and investigated.
• Maintain accurate product, pallet, and warehouse location information.
• Ensure inventory is stored in the correct locations and that physical inventory matches system inventory.
• Identify obsolete, damaged, aging, or slow-moving inventory and communicate findings to leadership.

Warehouse Operations Support

• Partner with Receiving, Shipping, and Warehouse Operations to ensure inventory is accurately received, put away, moved, picked, and shipped.
• Audit receiving and shipping transactions for accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
• Conduct routine warehouse audits, including location audits, pallet verification, and inventory spot checks.
• Identify process breakdowns that may negatively impact inventory accuracy.
• Help establish and maintain standard operating procedures for inventory movement and control.
• Support improvements to warehouse layout, slotting, pallet locations, and inventory flow.
• Work with warehouse supervisors to improve accountability for inventory handling.

Leadership & Team Development

• Initially take ownership of the Inventory Control function and help build the team as the department grows.
• Supervise, train, and develop Inventory Control team members.
• Establish daily, weekly, and monthly priorities for the Inventory Control team.
• Create training programs and procedures for inventory-related responsibilities.
• Hold team members accountable for accuracy, productivity, and adherence to established processes.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, performance management, and development of Inventory Control staff.
• Identify opportunities to expand the team and recommend staffing or structural changes as operational needs grow.
• Build a collaborative working relationship with Warehouse Supervisors and other departments to ensure inventory control is integrated into daily operations.

Reporting & Analysis

• Monitor and report key inventory performance metrics to the Warehouse & Logistics Manager.
• Track inventory accuracy, cycle count completion, adjustment activity, discrepancies, and recurring issues.
• Analyze inventory trends and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Prepare regular reports and recommendations for warehouse leadership.
• Use data to identify root causes of inventory errors and operational inefficiencies.
• Assist with planning and execution of annual or periodic physical inventories.

Key Performance Indicators

The Inventory Control Supervisor may be measured on:

• Overall inventory accuracy.
• Cycle count completion and accuracy.
• Reduction in inventory discrepancies and adjustments.
• Location accuracy.
• Timely investigation and resolution of inventory issues.
• Physical inventory results.
• Compliance with inventory control procedures.
• Reduction in recurring receiving, put-away, picking, and shipping errors.
• Successful development and growth of the Inventory Control team.
• Implementation and adoption of scalable inventory control processes.
• Team productivity, accountability, and performance.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of experience in inventory control, warehouse operations, logistics, or a related field.

• Previous supervisory or leadership experience preferred.

• Experience building, improving, or managing inventory control processes strongly preferred.

• Strong understanding of cycle counting, physical inventory, inventory reconciliation, and root cause analysis.

• Experience working in a high-volume warehouse environment.

• Experience with warehouse management systems (WMS), ERP systems, and inventory management software.

• Strong Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills.

• Ability to investigate problems, identify trends, and implement practical solutions.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to build, train, and develop a team.

• Ability to communicate effectively with employees at all levels of the organization.

• Forklift certification or the ability to become certified.

• Ability to work both in an office environment and actively on the warehouse floor.

• Ability to lift and move materials as required in a warehouse environment.

Leadership Expectations

This role is designed for someone who is comfortable building something rather than simply maintaining an existing department. The Inventory Control Supervisor will be expected to take ownership of inventory accuracy and help create the processes, structure, and team necessary to support a growing warehouse and logistics operation.

The successful candidate will not simply identify discrepancies but will work to understand why they occurred, develop sustainable solutions, and partner with operations to prevent them from happening again.

As this is a new position, the Inventory Control Supervisor will have the opportunity to shape how the department operates. They will work closely with the Warehouse & Logistics Manager to establish priorities, identify staffing needs, develop team members, and create a strong foundation for the future Inventory Control organization.

Compensation

Salary Range: $80,000–$100,000 annually

Compensation will be based on experience, qualifications, leadership capability, and demonstrated knowledge of inventory control and warehouse operations.

Career Growth

This position is intended to be a key leadership role within the Warehouse & Logistics organization. As the operation continues to grow, the Inventory Control Supervisor will be responsible for helping build and expand the Inventory Control team, developing future leaders, implementing new processes and systems, and taking on increased responsibility.

The individual in this role will have a unique opportunity to establish the foundation of a new department and directly influence the future structure, performance, and success of inventory control across the organization.