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How to hire an inventory lead

Inventory lead hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring inventory leads in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire an inventory lead is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per inventory lead on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 58,312 inventory leads in the US, and there are currently 19,766 job openings in this field.
  • Atlanta, GA, has the highest demand for inventory leads, with 4 job openings.

How to hire an inventory lead, step by step

To hire an inventory lead, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire an inventory lead:

Here's a step-by-step inventory lead hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an inventory lead job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new inventory lead
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an inventory lead do?

The inventory lead acts as an inventory manager who oversees the inventory level of a business and leads inventory or warehouse employees in record-tracking of new stocks delivered and shipped out. The inventory manager is responsible for recording daily deliveries, assessing new shipments, and analyzing various suppliers. To optimize operations, he/she manages employee's schedules, shipments, and deliveries and develops interpersonal ability and leadership skills while working with marketing, sales, and purchasing managers.

Learn more about the specifics of what an inventory lead does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the inventory lead you need to hire. Certain inventory lead roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an inventory lead to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an inventory lead that fits the bill.

    This list shows salaries for various types of inventory leads.

    Type of Inventory LeadDescriptionHourly rate
    Inventory LeadMaterial recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.$14-28
    Material CoordinatorA material coordinator is in charge of processing requisitions and ensuring that all departments receive necessary goods and materials within a company. Aside from this, they must maintain positive engagements with vendors, suppliers, and business partners, negotiate contracts, manage schedules of deliveries, and prioritize cost-efficient goods... Show more$14-25
    ExpeditorThe role of expeditors is to ensure the timely and efficient preparation and delivery of food. To accomplish this task, they also perform other duties, including managing inventory levels, managing supply requisition, and coordinating with subcontractors... Show more$13-25
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • PET
    • Direct Reports
    • Customer Service
    • Highlighted
    • Shipping Receiving
    • Logistics
    • Inventory Control
    • Sales Floor
    • Safety Procedures
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Computer System
    • Management System
    • Physical Inventory
    • Process Improvement
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Nominate as ISO lead for procurement and achieve ISO 9001certification.
    • Manage inventory and production reports through WMS for efficiency improvement opportunities.
    • Set up all new items into AS400 system.
    • Update inventory by making adjustments in AS400 and AS9000.
    • Teach new hires how to perform warehouse functions properly using RF scanners.
    • Receive and count stock items, and record data manually into ERP system.
    More inventory lead duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your inventory lead job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An inventory lead can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, inventory leads' average salary in wyoming is 50% less than in new jersey.
    • Seniority. Entry-level inventory leads 50% less than senior-level inventory leads.
    • Certifications. An inventory lead with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an inventory lead's salary.

    Average inventory lead salary

    $42,812yearly

    $20.58 hourly rate

    Entry-level inventory lead salary
    $30,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025

    Average inventory lead salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New Jersey$53,314$26
    2Washington$47,824$23
    3Massachusetts$46,895$23
    4New York$46,710$22
    5Michigan$45,489$22
    6Virginia$44,981$22
    7Oregon$44,496$21
    8Ohio$42,485$20
    9California$42,240$20
    10Alabama$40,708$20
    11Texas$40,382$19
    12Georgia$40,060$19
    13Wisconsin$39,885$19
    14Colorado$39,679$19
    15Illinois$38,920$19
    16Arizona$38,690$19
    17Florida$38,494$19
    18Tennessee$38,467$18
    19North Carolina$36,425$18
    20Nevada$33,199$16

    Average inventory lead salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Accenture$62,281$29.941
    2Sensata$61,198$29.42
    3Cummins$56,776$27.30
    4AMETEK$55,924$26.891
    5Huntsville Hospital$52,852$25.411
    6Intel$51,696$24.854
    7Syngenta$49,674$23.883
    8Penske Truck Leasing$49,501$23.802
    9Hillrom$47,493$22.832
    10Ginkgo Bioworks$47,447$22.81
    11Mythics$46,771$22.49
    12Cardinal Health$46,589$22.4065
    13Parker Global Strategies$46,493$22.358
    14Vacasa$46,365$22.29
    15Americold$46,184$22.205
    16SEKO Logistics$46,120$22.17
    17SunBasket$45,910$22.07
    18Kion Group$45,905$22.07
    19Misfits Market$45,905$22.072
    20Hazel Technologies$45,905$22.07
  4. Writing an inventory lead job description

    A good inventory lead job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an inventory lead job description:

    Inventory lead job description example

    DTG2Go, LLC is a fast paced and exciting environment, helping create custom apparel. We are emerging as an industry leader and our teams of highly skilled and motivated employees make it all possible. We have local and national opportunities for employment and advancement.

    Job description

    We are looking for a quality inventory control Lead with a strong sense of detail and efficiency. This position requires PC proficiency and Microsoft Office, especially Excel. Must be extremely detail minded with a strong understanding of warehouse operations and processes have a strong grasp of cycle count planning and control, be highly dependable and flexible to work when needed.

    Schedule: 4 days on / 3 days off!

    1st Shift Thursday through Saturday + Additional day from 7 AM-5:30 PM (10 hour shift)


    We offer complete insurance coverage that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Wellness Program, and 401K with company match, paid holidays PTO and sick time.

    Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

    • Check in bulk shipments and receive in the portal.
    • Ensure prompt put away of inventory.
    • Maintain full bins from overstock locations.
    • Keep bins neat and organized.
    • Key inventory moves in the portal.
    • Knowledge of acceptable substitutions and key substitutions into the portal.
    • Report any stock level issues to inventory Controller.
    • Work with Barcode Pick Batch Controller to organize the picking of product.
    • Assist inventory lead as needed.
    • Report employee incidents and safety incidents or hazard to Management team.

    Required Experience:

    • Minimum of one years of experience in working in manufacturing/production is a plus.
    • Minimum of one years of leadership experience.
    • Knowledge in Microsoft office required.
    • Strong Inventory control skills.
    • Strong analytical/critical thinking.

    Desired Qualities:

    • Must be self-motivated, able to function autonomously, well organized, detail oriented and efficient under pressure.
    • Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal, team building and problem solving skills;
    • Ability to multi-task, prioritize and effectively manage workload.
    • Must be flexible in work schedule.

    Work Environment:

    • Required to stand on your feet for extended periods of time with walking, lifting, pushing, pulling, squatting, stooping, crouching, bending, reaching above the shoulders, twisting, crawling, and kneeling as needed.
    • Physical environment includes noise, heat, cold, and lint dust.
    • Must be capable of lifting a maximum of 45 LBS.

    Education:

    High School Graduate or equivalent.

  5. Post your job

    To find inventory leads for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any inventory leads they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level inventory leads with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your inventory lead job on Zippia to find and recruit inventory lead candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit inventory leads, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new inventory lead

    Once you've selected the best inventory lead candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new inventory lead. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an inventory lead?

There are different types of costs for hiring inventory leads. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new inventory lead employee.

The median annual salary for inventory leads is $42,812 in the US. However, the cost of inventory lead hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring an inventory lead for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $14 and $28 an hour.

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