Summary
JOB DESCRIPTION
The
Inventory Analyst is a head office role that supports effective inventory governance and financial control across a large retail site network. The role reviews physical inventory audit results, performs reconciliations, investigates inventory and invoice exceptions, troubleshoots system and data issues, and communicates clear findings to business and technical stakeholders. The analyst also identifies trends, control gaps, and opportunities to improve processes, reporting, and automation.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Inventory Audit and Analysis
- Review physical inventory audit results, assess findings, and complete accurate and timely reconciliations.
- Analyze inventory, invoice, and operational data to identify discrepancies, exceptions, trends, and material areas of concern.
- Investigate root causes across transactions, processes, master data, system interfaces, and site operations; coordinate corrective action through resolution.
- Process, validate, and reconcile inventory-related invoices and adjustments in accordance with company policies, financial controls, and Accounts Payable standards.
- Monitor and troubleshoot EDI transmissions, inventory system issues, and invoice workflow exceptions; escalate or redirect issues when specialist support is required.
Documentation and Reporting
Develop a detailed understanding of inventory and back-office systems, including their financial components, and use that knowledge to support decisions and resolve user issues.
Maintain accurate documentation and audit-ready records for reconciliations, decisions, issue management, and control activities.
Track recurring issues and prepare reporting, guidance, and proactive communications that help users prevent repeat problems.
Communication
Communicate findings, financial impacts, recommended actions, and resolutions clearly to both financial and non-financial stakeholders.
Partner with sites, vendors, IT, Accounts Payable, and other internal teams to resolve technical and operational issues.
Gap Analysis
Identify control gaps and opportunities for process improvement, standardization, reporting enhancement, and automation.
Other
Manage priorities and deliver high-quality work during peak periods in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
Knowledge & Skills
- Experience in inventory management, financial operations, audit, reconciliation, invoice processing, Accounts Payable, or a related analytical role.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify exceptions, interpret results, and conduct root-cause analysis.
- Understanding of financial controls and the importance of accurate, complete, and timely records.
- Experience working with ERP, inventory, back-office, invoice management, or similar business systems.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, lookup functions, and data analysis techniques.
- Strong attention to detail and a consistent commitment to accuracy and quality.
- Ability to learn new systems and financial processes quickly and apply that knowledge to complex issues.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical or financial findings to non-technical audiences.
- Strong customer service and stakeholder management skills, including listening, empathy, patience, and sound judgment.
- Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively across teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Three to five years of relevant experience in financial operations, inventory control, retail operations, audit, reconciliation, or shared services.
- Knowledge of audit and assurance processes, data quality, exception management, and data validation.
- Experience with EDI, SAP or another ERP platform, and retail or convenience retail operations.
- Experience using Power BI or other reporting and analytics tools.
- Experience with vendors, dispute resolution, process improvement, continuous improvement, or automation initiatives.
Licenses and/or Professional Accreditation
