Inventory Control Manager

Overview

Olson Superior Plumbing & HVAC serves Orange County, California, and is part of the Olson Superior Holdings family of companies. We specialize in plumbing, HVAC, and major systems work, and we do it on a simple conviction: People Over Everything. We live by four values: Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.

If you want to work somewhere that expects excellence, lives its values, and has each other's backs, you'll fit right in.

We are seeking a highly analytical, detail-oriented, and experienced Inventory Control Manager to lead inventory management, inventory accuracy, forecasting, and materials control for our growing plumbing services company.

This position requires a strong combination of industry knowledge, operational expertise, and advanced analytical capabilities. The Inventory Control Manager will be responsible for establishing and maintaining accurate inventory controls, developing inventory forecasting models, executing comprehensive cycle count programs, and leveraging data to optimize inventory levels, purchasing decisions, and overall operational efficiency.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in inventory management within the plumbing industry or an adjacent trade, such as HVAC, mechanical contracting, or construction supply. They must be equally comfortable analyzing complex inventory data, building forecasting models, investigating discrepancies, and working directly with warehouse personnel and field technicians to ensure inventory integrity across the organization.

This is a hands-on, highly visible position reporting directly to the Vice President of Operations, with significant responsibility for improving inventory accuracy, reducing costs, and establishing scalable inventory management practices.

Key ResponsibilitiesInventory Control & Accuracy

• Own and manage inventory accuracy across warehouse locations, service vehicles, and other designated inventory storage areas.
• Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive cycle count program, including ABC classifications, count frequencies, variance thresholds, and reconciliation procedures.
• Conduct regular cycle counts, physical inventories, and detailed inventory reconciliations.
• Investigate inventory discrepancies, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Establish and maintain inventory control standards, procedures, and accountability measures.
• Monitor inventory adjustments, material transfers, returns, and consumption to ensure accurate transaction records.
• Partner with Operations and Finance to maintain accurate inventory valuation and reporting.

Inventory Analytics, Forecasting & Modeling

• Develop and maintain analytical models to forecast inventory demand, optimize stock levels, and anticipate material requirements.
• Analyze historical consumption, service demand, purchasing trends, seasonality, and operational activity to support inventory planning.
• Establish data-driven minimum and maximum inventory levels, reorder points, safety stock, and replenishment strategies.
• Perform inventory turnover, aging, usage, and carrying-cost analyses to identify opportunities for improved working capital efficiency.
• Develop dashboards, reports, and key performance indicators to monitor inventory accuracy, stockouts, shrinkage, purchasing trends, and operational performance.
• Conduct variance analysis to identify discrepancies between expected and actual inventory consumption.
• Use advanced Excel functionality and inventory management systems to analyze large datasets, identify trends, and support operational decision-making.
• Present analytical findings, recommendations, and performance metrics to the Vice President of Operations.

Purchasing & Materials Planning

• Analyze inventory requirements and coordinate purchasing and replenishment activities to maintain appropriate stock availability.
• Partner with vendors and distributors to monitor material pricing, lead times, product availability, and purchasing efficiency.
• Evaluate purchasing patterns and recommend strategies to reduce excess inventory, unnecessary spending, and material shortages.
• Monitor slow-moving, obsolete, and excess inventory and develop plans to improve inventory utilization.
• Support vendor performance evaluations and purchasing cost analysis.
• Coordinate with field operations to forecast material needs based on scheduled work, service demand, and business growth.

Warehouse & Service Vehicle Inventory

• Establish and maintain standardized inventory control procedures across warehouse operations and technician service vehicles.
• Develop and manage service vehicle inventory programs, including standard truck stock, replenishment, periodic audits, and material accountability.
• Monitor inventory movement between warehouse locations, vehicles, and jobsites.
• Collaborate with field technicians, dispatch, and operational leadership to ensure accurate material allocation and timely replenishment.
• Improve inventory organization, labeling, storage practices, and transaction documentation.
• Identify process gaps contributing to inventory discrepancies, material loss, or operational inefficiencies.

Systems, Reporting & Process Improvement

• Maintain the accuracy and integrity of inventory data within company systems.
• Develop standardized reporting tools, analytical dashboards, and inventory performance scorecards.
• Identify opportunities to automate reporting, improve inventory visibility, and reduce manual processes.
• Evaluate existing inventory workflows and implement process improvements supported by data and measurable results.
• Establish internal controls governing inventory transactions, adjustments, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, Finance, Purchasing, and field leadership to improve inventory-related processes.

QualificationsRequired

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in inventory control, inventory management, materials planning, supply chain analytics, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience within the plumbing industry or an adjacent trade, including HVAC, mechanical contracting, building materials, or construction supply.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing, executing, and managing cycle count programs, inventory reconciliations, and discrepancy investigations.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including experience developing inventory forecasting models, demand projections, and inventory optimization analyses.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP, complex formulas, data analysis, and financial or operational modeling.
• Experience working with inventory management systems, ERP platforms, or other computerized inventory tracking solutions.
• Strong understanding of inventory valuation, inventory turnover, reorder points, safety stock, ABC analysis, and inventory control methodologies.
• Proven ability to analyze large datasets, identify operational trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Experience developing and monitoring inventory KPIs, management reports, and performance dashboards.
• Strong problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to investigate inventory discrepancies and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to balance strategic analysis with hands-on operational execution.

Preferred

• Direct experience with a residential or commercial plumbing contractor, plumbing supply distributor, or HVAC service organization.
• Experience managing inventory across multiple locations, warehouses, and technician service vehicles.
• Experience with Power BI, Power Query, SQL, or other business intelligence and analytical tools.
• Familiarity with field service management platforms and their inventory functionality.
• Experience implementing inventory control systems, improving inventory accuracy, or establishing new inventory processes.
• Previous experience supervising warehouse or inventory personnel.

Key Performance Indicators

Performance will be evaluated through measurable improvements in:

• Inventory Accuracy: Accuracy of recorded inventory quantities compared with physical inventory.
• Cycle Count Compliance: Timely execution and completion of scheduled cycle counts.
• Inventory Variance: Reduction in unexplained inventory discrepancies and adjustments.
• Forecast Accuracy: Reliability of inventory demand projections and replenishment models.
• Inventory Turnover: Optimization of stock levels and reduction of slow-moving or obsolete materials.
• Stock Availability: Reduction in material shortages that disrupt technician productivity or customer service.
• Inventory Costs: Improvements in purchasing efficiency, carrying costs, and inventory utilization.
• Process Compliance: Consistent adherence to inventory controls, documentation standards, and established procedures.

Physical & Work Requirements

• Full-time, on-site position based in Lake Forest, California.
• Regular interaction with warehouse operations, field technicians, and operational leadership.
• Ability to conduct physical inventory counts and work in warehouse environments.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and lift materials up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Pay: $70,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Inventory control: 5 years (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Lake Forest, CA 92630 (Required)

Work Location: In person