Inventory Manager

IPEX is one of the North American leading providers of advanced plastic piping systems. Our mission is to shape a better tomorrow by connecting people with water and energy.

We currently have an exciting opportunity as an Inventory Manager! This role is based at our facility in Pineville, NC.

Do not miss the opportunity to join a diverse group of people-centric professionals, thought leaders and rapid thinkers, entrepreneurs in spirit and status quo-fighters!

The Inventory Manager plays a critical role in ensuring the efficient flow of materials, products, and information across the plant. This position oversees shipping, receiving, inventory control, and retail assembly operations, with a strong focus on team leadership to meet production goals and customer delivery timelines. The role also champions the department's process improvement, employee development, and adherence to safety and environmental standards to drive operational excellence and support the plant's overall performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations for inventory control, shipping, receiving, and retail assembly to ensure efficient material flow and on-time delivery of finished goods.
• Plan, prioritize, and assign work across multiple teams (Shipping, Receiving, Inventory, Kanban, and Assembly) to meet production and customer deadlines.
• Oversee inventory accuracy by managing physical counts, reconciling variances, and maintaining proper documentation and reporting.
• Report monthly inventory variances and performance metrics to the Plant Manager, providing insights and corrective action plans as needed.
• Ensure timely and accurate order fulfillment by monitoring the MRP Shipping Workbench and addressing any past-due shipments or production orders.
• Maintain organized and compliant work areas, including WIP racks, component storage, and shipping zones, by enforcing 5S and accountability standards.
• Manage team performance through regular coaching, performance reviews, and development plans to build capability and engagement.
• Participate in recruitment and onboarding of new team members, ensuring proper training and integration into plant operations.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to streamline workflows, reduce waste, and enhance productivity within inventory and assembly functions.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations, promoting a culture of safety and accountability across all teams.
• Respond to service complaints and quality issues, investigating root causes and implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Maintain accurate system data in MRP, inventory tracking tools, and other plant systems to support planning, reporting, and audits.
• Coordinate with the Plant Scheduler to align material availability with production schedules and act as a backup when needed.
• Support scrap management processes by clearing scrap bins and updating records based on NCR comments.
• Assist with modular lift inventory management in collaboration with the Purchasing team.

Job Requirements

Education & Certificates:

• Completion of High School or equivalent management/supervisory experience required
• College diploma/University degree in Logistics or Supply Chain Management an asset
• Six Sigma Green Belt, ISO 9001, and Lean Manufacturing considered an asset

Technical Skills & Experience:

• At least 5 years experience in plastic manufacturing & supply chain management
• Coaching or supervisory experience required
• Experience and familiarity of ISO 9001 requirements and manufacturing processes an asset

Competencies

Leadership - Ability to lead and motivate team members to drive shared success and effectively delegate work as needed to ensure team objectives are met. Effectively delegate work as needed to ensure team objectives are met INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Problem Solving - Ability to evaluate situations independently using multiple sources of information. In-depth understanding of procedures and concepts and general knowledge of other disciplines. HIGH LEVEL

Drive Accountability and Results - Accomplish goals to the highest of standards, drive accountability in self and others, and support continuous improvement and process improvement efforts. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Planning - Ensure overall department results are achieved. Ensure the team's work is completed in a timely manner with high level of quality, effective workforce planning, and resource management. HIGH LEVEL

Communication - Possess exceptional interpersonal skills. Ability to collaborate with other departments using advanced communication and diplomacy skills. HIGH LEVEL

Key Relationships

Plant Manager (Internal) - Regularly communicates to report inventory variances, operational performance, and escalate issues. Collaborates on strategic planning and departmental alignment.

Department Employees (Internal) - Provides leadership, direction, and support to ensure daily operations run smoothly. Maintains open communication to monitor progress, address challenges, and foster team development.

Production Manager (Internal) - Regularly communicates to meet production deadlines and schedules.

Production Scheduler (Internal) - Frequently coordinates material availability and production timelines.

Purchasing Department (Internal) - Frequently collaborates to manage modular lift inventory and ensure timely procurement of components and supplies.

Quality Assurance Department (Internal) - Frequently works together to resolve service complaints, address quality issues, and implement corrective actions.

Working Conditions

• Employee may be exposed to a minimal level of hazards in the work environment, such as chemicals, commercial products, exposure to potential toxins, moving machinery, repetitive motion, excessive noise, powered industrial vehicle fork/reach/ bucket lift/other.
• May on occasion be exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels.
• Employee will be required to wear protective eyewear, hearing protection, safety shoes, and/or other.
• Employee may experience progressive degrees of changing factors in the work process (changing work priorities, deadlines, accuracy, quotas, conflicting demands).

There may be minimal travel to other IPEX locations for training opportunities, or information sharing

Pay Range: $99,000 to $124,000

IPEX is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities throughout the recruitment process and, upon request, will work with qualified job applicants to provide suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant's accessibility needs due to disability. Accommodation requests are available to candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process for IPEX jobs. To request an accommodation, please contact HR at HR@ipexna.com