How to hire an inventory supervisor

How to hire an inventory supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step inventory supervisor 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 supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new inventory supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an inventory supervisor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the inventory supervisor you need to hire. Certain inventory supervisor 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?

   Yes

   No

   An inventory supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, inventory supervisors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of inventory supervisors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Inventory Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Inventory Supervisor		$16-33
   Inventory Control Lead	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... Show more	$13-34
   Inventory Control Manager	An inventory control manager is a professional who is responsible for directing all tasks related to inventory management of a company. They manage the allocation of materials, supplies, and finished goods as well as design strategies to minimize the cost or time to move goods... Show more	$19-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Business Relationships
   • Work Ethic
   • WIS
   • Inventory Control
   • Store Management
   • Logistics
   • Cycle Counts
   • Safety Standards
   • WMS
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Inventory Counts
   • Inventory Associates
   • Sales Floor

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Focuse on achieving continuous improvement through successful adoption of world-class global logistics methodologies and solutions.
   • Enter POs and assist with picking when necessary.
   • Provide customers with accurate inventory information using RF units and physical, manual counts.
   • Play key role in the implementation of radio frequency (RF) scanners to record production.
   • Assist with start-up of the buffer warehouse, creating bin locations, assigning materials, and WMS troubleshooting/training.
   • Entrust in teaching the art of sales, POS training, building the optimal showroom and company culture.

   More inventory supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the inventory supervisor job description is a good way to get more applicants. An inventory supervisor salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an inventory supervisor in Wyoming may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level inventory supervisor. Additionally, an inventory supervisor with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average inventory supervisor salary

   $48,890yearly

   $23.50 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level inventory supervisor salary

   $34,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average inventory supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$54,129	$26
   2	New York	$53,879	$26
   3	Rhode Island	$52,930	$25
   4	Massachusetts	$51,747	$25
   5	New Hampshire	$51,341	$25
   6	Connecticut	$50,698	$24
   7	Illinois	$49,486	$24
   8	Maryland	$49,329	$24
   9	Minnesota	$48,709	$23
   10	Wisconsin	$48,225	$23
   11	Michigan	$48,096	$23
   12	South Dakota	$47,802	$23
   13	Colorado	$47,633	$23
   14	North Dakota	$47,247	$23
   15	Pennsylvania	$47,027	$23
   16	Ohio	$46,739	$22
   17	Missouri	$46,693	$22
   18	Utah	$46,444	$22
   19	Oregon	$46,041	$22
   20	Indiana	$45,466	$22

   Average inventory supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$70,393	$33.84	1
   2	Rockwell Automation	$68,385	$32.88	1
   3	Build-A-Bear Workshop	$65,188	$31.34
   4	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$64,360	$30.94	35
   5	Asbury Automotive Group	$62,713	$30.15	4
   6	University of Maryland Medical System	$60,566	$29.12
   7	Fresh Express	$59,757	$28.73	5
   8	Doctors Hospital at Renaissance Health System	$58,618	$28.18
   9	Arizona State University	$57,426	$27.61	2
   10	Barrister Global Services Network	$56,811	$27.31
   11	Ryder System	$56,688	$27.25	196
   12	Mondelēz International	$55,345	$26.61	2
   13	Rich Products	$54,704	$26.30
   14	Keurig Dr Pepper	$53,363	$25.66	43
   15	Schumacher Auto Group	$51,258	$24.64
   16	Breakthru Beverage Group	$50,847	$24.45	2
   17	The Home Depot	$50,813	$24.43	6
   18	Green Mountain Coffee Roasters	$50,401	$24.23
   19	Montage Hotels & Resorts	$50,229	$24.15	6
   20	Kari-Out	$49,986	$24.03

4. Writing an inventory supervisor job description

   An inventory supervisor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an inventory supervisor job description:

   Inventory supervisor job description example

   Omaha, NE
   5 Months
   
   Note: COVID Vaccine Preferred / Forklift Certified
   
   We are seeking an individual w/Supervisory / Management experience to work in our warehouse as an interim supervisor. The right candidate will have 5 yrs of warehousing experience and the Strong organizational skills, positive attitude, excellent follow-through, and an ability to learn quickly in a logistics and distribution setting. This is a possible temp to hire role. Steel toe boots and PPE are required. Dress code will be business casual. Must be able to lift 50 lbs at all times. Certified forklift Operator. Experience in warehouse safety standards and OSHA 10 certified. Must have high school diploma or GED. Valid driver's license with good driving record. . 3 Year of related warehouse and/or inventory experience. Excellent Time management skills. Availability to work overtime on occasion. Experience with UPS, FedEx and small package shipments. Good written and oral communication skills. Excellent computer and mathematical skills. Excellent communication and teamwork with technicians, office staff, and centralized dispatchers required. Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, Outlook, Word and Excel. Experience with various inventory control software. Ability to multi-task and work in a fast paced environment. Previous experience in a fire alarm/electrical environment a plus.
   
   1. Receives and processes internal customer requests for parts, confirms delivery, provides tracking information for customers and expedites emergency orders.
   2. Processes shipping and receiving transactions for the district
   3. Maintains all shipping and receipt logs.
   4. Tracks and process all repairs/return inventory
   5. Insures product integrity, accuracy and completeness of shipment orders prior to product delivery or pickup by customer.
   6. Maintain an accurate chain of custody and records for material including timely/accurate processing of all required PO paperwork
   7. Coordination of all warehouse functions- palletized truck loading/unloading, receiving, put away and transfers. Safety policies, paperwork, records.
   8. Perform quarterly cycle counts of all inventories
   9. Maintain accurate perpetual inventory balances
   10.Process daily inventory requests from the cage and properly record the transaction.
   11. Reconcile weekly inventory reports and properly correct all trunk negative balances
   12. Ensure cleanliness of the warehouse and inventory cage at all times.
   13. Ensure all inventory is stored and handled in a safe manner.
   14. Perform other duties as directed by your supervisor.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find inventory supervisors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your inventory supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit inventory supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit inventory supervisors, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 supervisor

   Once you've decided on a perfect inventory supervisor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new inventory supervisor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 supervisor?