Inventory Control Manager

Kennedy Valve, a member of the McWane family of companies, is a gray and ductile iron foundry and computerized machining and assembly company. We have been an active community partner in Elmira, New York, for over 118 years.

People providing peace of mind water solutions.

To save lives, resources, and property by supplying the best waterworks and fire protection products in the world.

Our culture is important to us and forms the foundation for everything we do. Successful Team Members will embrace and perform in accordance with our following core values:

Safety: People First - Step Up

Environment: Protect Our Communities - Keep It Clean

Leadership: I am Always On Stage - First Manage My Own Words & Behaviors

Accountability: Lead Myself Well - Own It, Correct It, Learn From It, Move On

Excellence: Always Working To Be Better - Value & Add Value

Trust: The Speed Of Trust - Build, Don't Break

Teamwork: Help Each Other Be Great - Win Together

Communication: Clear, Candid, & Constructive - Right Words, Right Time, Right Way

WHY KENNEDY VALVE?

Kennedy Valve offers great wages and robust benefits packages, as well as stability and a sense of team!

• Highly Competitive Salary
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays and Paid Sick Leave
• Retirement: 401(k) & Roth IRA options with company match
• Educational Reimbursement after one year
• Employer-paid life insurance with the option to supplement
• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental plan options

SUMMARY:

Salary:$107,067 to $132,260

The Inventory Control Manager plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity, accuracy, and availability of all inventory assets within a high-volume, heavy manufacturing environment. Reporting to the Supply Chain Manager, this individual is responsible for leading the inventory control function across raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods, ensuring alignment with production demands, customer orders, and corporate financial goals.

This role requires a hands-on leader who can combine data-driven decision-making with shop-floor engagement to drive continuous improvement in inventory accuracy, traceability, and warehouse efficiency. The Inventory Control Manager will own all inventory-related policies and systems, and will lead efforts to optimize inventory turns, minimize obsolescence, reduce stock-outs, and maintain appropriate safety stock levels.

A successful candidate will demonstrate deep knowledge of inventory best practices, ERP/MRP systems, and cross-functional collaboration, working closely with Purchasing, Production, Quality, Engineering, and Shipping to ensure seamless material flow across the supply chain. The role also supports audit readiness, compliance, and strategic planning initiatives, helping the organization meet performance targets and operational excellence.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop, implement, and maintain inventory control procedures and best practices.
• Monitor and analyze inventory levels of raw materials, WIP (work in progress), and finished goods to ensure alignment with production schedules and customer demand.
• Coordinate and lead periodic cycle counts and annual physical inventory, reconciling discrepancies and driving root cause analyses.
• Analyze and predict inventory needs based on budget/forecasts, historical data, and production plans.
• Partner with Finance, Purchasing, Production, Shipping/Receiving, and Quality teams to identify and resolve inventory-related issues and inefficiencies.
• Optimize inventory levels to reduce carrying costs while maintaining service levels and production continuity.
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards) to manage inventory transactions and reporting; ensure system accuracy and data integrity.
• Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) related to inventory accuracy, turns, shrinkage, and obsolescence.
• Investigate and implement improvements in inventory storage, handling, and traceability.
• Support internal and external audits related to inventory processes and controls.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree: Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, or other related field (or equivalent experience).
• ASCM (APICA) - Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in inventory control or materials management, preferably in a heavy manufacturing or industrial setting.
• 2+ years of supervisory or management experience.
• Proficient in ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, etc.).
• Strong understanding of inventory management principles (FIFO, LIFO, Kanban, Just-in-Time, ABC analysis).
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and drive process improvements.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to sway others' opinions.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Standing for long periods of time, walking throughout the facility
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working with a computer

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Exposed to elements, such as cold, heat, noise, dust, odors, fumes, etc.

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

Kennedy Valve Co. is an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and reserve the right to perform substance abuse testing. McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex), ancestry, protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA - gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA- gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.