Warehouse Engineer and Inventory Manager

SUMMARY:
The Industrial Engineer - Supply Chain is responsible for designing, optimising and continuously improving supply chain processes across distribution centres, transport and store replenishment within a DIY retail environment.

POSITION INFO:

Job Role

The Industrial Engineer - Supply Chain is responsible for designing, optimising and continuously improving supply chain processes across distribution centres, transport and store replenishment within a DIY retail environment.

In addition, the role has direct responsibility for managing the Warehouse Inventory Control Team to ensure high levels of stock accuracy, governance, and inventory integrity across all flows.

The position ensures cost-efficient operations, optimal service levels, strong stock governance, and scalable processes that support business growth and increasing SKU complexity

Key Responsibilities

Process Design & Optimisation

• Analyse and redesign end-to-end supply chain flows (inbound, storage, picking, outbound and store replenishment).
• Develop and maintain SOPs for warehouse and inventory processes.
• Design end-to-end warehouse layouts for new facilities, expansions, and retrofits, supporting high-throughput fulfillment operations.
• Design efficient handling methods for bulky and seasonal DIY products
• Engineer material flows from inbound receiving through outbound shipping, ensuring efficient, safe, and ergonomic processes.
• Develop and maintain layout drawings, design assumptions, and engineering narratives for leadership, finance, and vendor review.

Team Leadership

• Directly manage the Inventory Controllers and Cycle Counting team.
• Set clear performance standards and productivity targets.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and coaching sessions.
• Develop succession and capability within the inventory function.

Inventory Governance & Control

• Implement and manage structured cycle count programmes (ABC classification).
• Oversee root cause analysis for stock variances.
• Ensure adherence to receiving, put-away and dispatch control procedures.
• Monitor quarantine, damage and return stock processes.
• Maintain strong governance around system adjustments and stock write-offs.

Stock Integrity & Accuracy

• Drive improvement in stock accuracy across all SKU categories.
• Ensure alignment between physical stock and WMS/ERP system balances.
• Lead investigations into shrinkage and stock losses.
• Establish control frameworks for high-value and imported stock.

Productivity & Performance Improvement

• Conduct time and motion studies within warehouse and inventory processes.
• Define labour standards for inventory control activities.
• Reduce non-value-added stock handling and double touches.
• Improve inventory flow efficiency and space utilisation.
• Develop functional specifications, throughput targets, and redundancy strategies for automation systems.

Systems & Data Management

• Analyse variance reports and stock adjustment trends.
• Develop dashboards to monitor inventory health indicators.
• Support WMS optimization to improve traceability and control.
• Implement scanning discipline and system compliance checks.
• Partner with integrators and vendors through RFPs, design reviews, FAT/SAT, commissioning, and go-live support.

Network & Capacity Support

• Support inventory positioning strategy (DC vs store vs supplier).
• Ensure adequate stock build for peak and promotional periods.
• Monitor slow-moving and obsolete stock trends.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience in large-scale e-commerce, retail, or 3PL fulfillment networks.
• Familiarity with WMS concepts and system integration dependencies.
• Greenfield warehouse launch experience.
• Experience working directly with automation integrators or MHE vendors
• Strong analytical and statistical capability
• Advanced Excel / BI tools
• Knowledge of Lean and inventory control methodologies.

SKILLS

• Strong people management capability
• Structured and disciplined governance mindset
• Root cause analysis expertise
• Ability to balance control with operational flow
• Strong systems thinker with the ability to design for scale, peak, and failure scenarios
• Data-driven decision maker who can clearly communicate technical trade-offs to non-technical
• Practical, operations-aware engineer who values simplicity, maintainability, and standardization
• Builder mindset with a desire to create mechanisms, s