Assistant Manager - Stores & Inventory Excellence

About the Role

This position is for an experienced stores and inventory professional who can take charge of warehouse operations, inventory governance, and material availability in a large industrial manufacturing setup. The role is focused on maintaining the right inventory balance, ensuring stock records are accurate, strengthening reconciliation practices, and applying efficient warehouse management methods.

The selected person will work closely with Procurement, Maintenance, Operations, Sales, Finance, and Administration teams to keep plant material flow uninterrupted while also reducing the amount of working capital locked in inventory. This is a leadership position with responsibility for operational discipline, inventory optimization, and ongoing process improvement across the stores function. Location: Delhi NCR / Rohtak. Shift-based work may be required. Reporting to: Head - Central Planning & Business Support.

Stores and Warehouse Operations

• Take ownership of the daily functioning of Central Stores.
• Ensure materials are received, stored, preserved, and issued in a timely manner.
• Maintain proper identification, codification, and traceability of all inventory items.
• Apply effective warehouse layout, storage, and material handling practices.
• Follow FIFO, FEFO, and suitable preservation standards.
• Promote 5S, visual control, and housekeeping discipline in the stores area.
• Ensure materials are handled and stored safely at all times.

Inventory Control and Reconciliation

• Keep inventory accuracy high through structured reconciliation controls.
• Carry out cycle counts, regular stock checks, and annual physical verification.
• Track slow-moving, non-moving, and obsolete stock and act to reduce it.
• Analyze inventory ageing and implement corrective measures.
• Balance inventory levels to support plant reliability without excess stock buildup.
• Close inventory mismatches quickly and completely.
• Maintain clear audit records and full documentation trails.

SAP and Digital Inventory Management

• Process accurate SAP entries for goods receipt, material issue, material transfer, reservations, and inventory adjustments.
• Maintain correct and up-to-date material master data.
• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly MIS reports.
• Build inventory dashboards using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Assist with digital inventory initiatives such as barcode systems, QR codes, RFID, and warehouse automation where relevant.

Audit and Compliance

• Lead internal and external audits related to stores and inventory.
• Ensure adherence to company policies and inventory control procedures.
• Keep the stores function audit-ready at all times.
• Maintain documentation in line with statutory and organizational requirements.

Cross-Functional Coordination

Work in close coordination with Procurement, Operations, Maintenance, Sales, Finance, and Administration to support smooth material availability, better inventory control, and efficient business operations.

Material Knowledge

Working knowledge of the following items is important:

• Mechanical spare parts
• Electrical spare parts
• Bearings
• Gearboxes
• Motors
• Pumps
• Hydraulic and pneumatic components
• Conveyor equipment
• Industrial consumables
• Fasteners
• Lubricants
• Welding consumables
• Safety items
• Tools and tackle

Understanding how these industrial spares are used and how critical they are to operations will be an added advantage.

Commercial Knowledge

The role requires a solid understanding of:

• Purchase orders
• Goods receipt notes (GRN)
• Material issue processes
• Vendor documentation
• Invoice verification
• Basic GST considerations
• Commercial terms linked to procurement and sales
• Inventory valuation concepts

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop the stores team.
• Manage a team of at least five direct reports.
• Assign tasks, review performance, and strengthen team capability.
• Build a work culture centered on discipline, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Qualification and Experience

A graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university is required. Additional training or certification in Materials Management, Supply Chain Management, Warehouse Management, or Inventory Management will be an advantage.

The role calls for at least 10 years of total industrial experience, including a minimum of 3 years in a Stores Incharge, Stores Lead, or Warehouse Lead position. Experience handling annual spare parts and consumables issuance of 10 crore or more, managing at least five direct reports, and working with MRO spare inventories in a manufacturing environment is needed. Hands-on experience with SAP-based inventory systems is required, and exposure to 24/7 manufacturing operations will be preferred.

Technical Competencies

• Warehouse management
• Inventory control
• Inventory reconciliation
• Cycle counting
• Physical verification
• Inventory ageing analysis
• ABC, VED, FSN, and XYZ analysis
• Min-max inventory planning
• Safety stock management
• MRO inventory management
• Material codification
• Preservation methods
• Warehouse layout optimization
• SAP MM
• Advanced Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• MIS reporting
• Data analysis

Behavioural Competencies

• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Good analytical and problem-solving ability
• High attention to detail
• Strong process discipline

Additional Information

Employment type: full-time. Work location: Rohtak, India, with Delhi NCR / Rohtak mentioned for the position. Shift working may be required. Salary offered: INR 2,00,000 to INR 5,00,000 per year.