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The differences between inventory managers and inventory control leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an inventory manager, becoming an inventory control lead takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an inventory manager has an average salary of $62,768, which is higher than the $45,155 average annual salary of an inventory control lead.
The top three skills for an inventory manager include PET, direct reports and customer service. The most important skills for an inventory control lead are logistics, inventory adjustments, and physical inventory.
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Control Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $62,768 | $45,155 |
| Hourly rate | $30.18 | $21.71 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -3% |
| Number of jobs | 30,717 | 50,694 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 47 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
An inventory manager is responsible for supervising the overall inventory operations, monitoring supplies and materials, and checking the accuracy of data reports from the inventory associates. Inventory managers' duties include validating stock levels using record software tools, determining the availability of stocks for purchase orders, inspecting the incoming and outgoing shipments, and addressing product concerns by communicating with suppliers and third-party vendors. An inventory manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the staff's performance and manage customers' inquiries and complaints.
An Inventory Control Lead oversees supplies in an organization, aiming to meet market demands and avoid oversupply. They perform regular inspections and assessments, review invoices and other documentation, monitor product distribution operations, and produce regular progress reports. It is their responsibility to address issues and concerns, resolve them promptly, and efficiently maintain smooth workflow operations. Moreover, an Inventory Control Lead manages different teams, encouraging them to reach goals while implementing company policies and guidelines.
Inventory managers and inventory control leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Control Lead | |
| Average salary | $62,768 | $45,155 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $91,000 | Between $28,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Romeoville, IL |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Energy |
There are a few differences between an inventory manager and an inventory control lead in terms of educational background:
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Control Lead | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between inventory managers' and inventory control leads' demographics:
| Inventory Manager | Inventory Control Lead | |
| Average age | 47 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 67.9% Female, 32.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 8.5% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |