Inventory Manager

Lawson Fuses is seeking an experienced Inventory Manager to lead and drive inventory optimization across sites and oversee the warehouse operation at the UK facility. The inventory manager will be accountable for the end-to-end inventory strategy, ensuring optimal stock availability at the lowest possible working capital cost. Reporting directly to the General Manager, the role plays a critical part in reducing overall stock levels, improving inventory turns, and strengthening planning discipline across the supply chain.

This role will report to the General Manager of the business and focus on the following job dimensions:

• Inventory Classification and Segmentation
• Demand Understanding and Inventory Planning
• Inventory Optimisation and Stock Reduction
• Warehouse Oversight (Enabler Role)
• Quality Control (Inventory Centric)
• Governance, Reporting and Cross Functional Working
• Team Management

Currently, the warehouse team in the UK consists of 1 team leader and 2 warehouse operatives. This role will also oversee inventory profile at our Indian site through support of the local logistics team in India. The role will closely work with the purchasing team in the UK and India to optimize the stock profile at both sites.

Key Accountabilities

• Inventory Classification and Segmentation: Design, maintain and continuously improve inventory classification frameworks (ABC, RRS, Star Products). Segment SKUs based on demand behaviour, inventory turnover, value contribution and profitability. Ensure warehouse stock is aligned to the value it brings to the business, not just historical holdings. Work with ERP (e.g., Dynamics 365) to enhance multi-dimensional item categorisation and reporting. Partner with sales and finance to ensure inventory policies reflect real demand and commercial reality.
• Demand Understanding & Inventory Planning: Translate demand signals into effective inventory strategies, recognising that understanding demand is core to inventory optimisation. Planning beyond simple historical averaging; incorporate seasonality, market trends and regional specific demand. Use demand insights to set realistic inventory coverage, safety stock and replenishment policies.
• Inventory Optimisation and Stock Reduction: Lead initiatives to reduce excess, slow moving and obsolete inventory, with clear, measurable outcomes. Own stock level control policies ensuring differentiated service levels, safety stock rules and reorder parameters by SKU category. Balance service level targets with working capital, reducing over-servicing of low demand items. Improve and monitor stock turnover ratios, ensuring fast movers are supported while low value stock is constrained. Lead regular inventory reviews with clear actions, owners and timelines.
• Warehouse Oversight (Enabler Role): Provide direct oversight of warehouse operations to ensure inventory accuracy, discipline and control. Ensure robust processes for goods receipt and system posting accuracy, put away, location control and traceability, picking, dispatch and cycle counting. Define and track clear warehouse inventory KPIs (stock accuracy, adjustments and ageing stock). Support warehouse layout optimisation and stock positioning aligned to demand patterns.
• Quality Control (Inventory Centric): Oversee incoming goods inspection and quality related stock controls. Ensure quarantine, non-conformance and traceability processes are effective and auditable. Work with suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve quality issues impacting stock availability and accuracy. Support internal and external audits from an inventory perspective where required.
• Governance, Reporting & Cross-Functional Working: Clearly define and operate within agreed RACI frameworks across demand forecasting, warehouse classification, replacement and safety stock policies. Produce regular reports to senior team highlighting inventory value and trends, stock reduction progress, risk to availability or cost. Act as a central point of accountability for inventory discipline across sales, purchasing, warehouse and finance.
• Team Management: Provide day-to-day support and management for warehouse operatives, ensuring clear priorities, safe working practices and high standards of stock discipline. Management workload allocation, training and development of warehouse team in line with inventory objectives. Work closely with purchasing, providing clear inventory-driven guidance on order quantities, timing and supplier performance.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

• Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in supply chain, Operations, Logistics, Engineering, Business, or a related discipline (or equivalent professional experience). Professional certifications such as APICS (CPIM/CSCP), CIPS, or Lean / Continuous Improvement are desirable.
• Experience Level: Typically, 5-8 years' experience in inventory, materials or supply chain management roles. Demonstrated experience in inventory optimisation, stock reduction and working capital improvement. 2-3 years' experience leading small operational teams and influencing cross-functional stakeholders (warehouse and purchasing). Proven experience in inventory management and stock optimisation within a UK business environment. Strong understanding of inventory classification, replenishment logic and working capital management. Strong capability in ERP/MRP systems (Dynamics 365 preferred) and advanced data analysis tools. Ability to translate data into clear, commercial decisions. Experience working cross-functionally with sales, finance, procurement and operations. Experience overseeing warehouse operations. Exposure to quality control processes and supplier non-conformance handling. Background in manufacturing, utilities, engineering or technical distribution. Continuous improvement mindset (lean, KPIs, structured reviews).
• Personal Attributes: Commercially astute and outcome driven. Confident influencing senior stakeholders. Analytical, structured and detail oriented. Pragmatic, disciplined and improvement focused.

Job Info

• Job Identification: 26065
• Job Category: Logistics/Supply Chain
• Posting Date: 05/22/2026, 07:09 AM
• Job Schedule: Full time
• Locations: Meadowfield, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE20 9SW, GB (On site)