Job Summary:

The Inventory Control Clerk is tasked with maintaining optimal inventory levels in the kitchen & supermarket ensuring product availability, minimizing losses, and contributing to the efficient operations of the business and maximizing profits, by collaborating with various departments like procurement, sales, and warehouse.

The role requires a proactive approach to inventory management, including the implementation of strategies to minimize shrinkage, wastage, theft, expiration or damages and optimize stock levels. It is imperative to ensure that goods close to expiry be utilised in the kitchen to prepare food, so we are able to salvage products as much as possible and prevent losses.

Furthermore, the SMS system of recording must be monitored for accuracy at all times, by properly recording stock movements, in terms of quantities and by extension costing needs to be done and reported to the finance department.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Monitor and manage inventory levels to prevent over stocking , out-of-stock, pilferage and wastage.

Adhere to protocols (such as signing and authorisation of all documents) and ensuring transactions for stock movements are mirrored on the SMS system.

Establish a proper stock valuation (both quantity & cost), at all times and to be able to calculate our profits in the most accurate way possible, for each department.

Ability to resolve any discrepancies at any given time and work with staff to rectify the problem.

1. Establishing and or maintaining proper internal controls:

Purchases orders must be created, signed and approved as being dispatched and received and authorized by relevant manager.

Goods received directly at the Warehouse or kitchen, should be signed off for receiving and a copy retained (if possible) and sent to Accounts Department promptly.

Proper security checks made for goods leaving any compound and signed off on, by authorised personnel.

Goods taken from the supermarket, must be checked by a supervisor and at any given time no personnel from the kitchen is entitled to cash out their own items.

Attempting to minimise paperwork from stock movements, by making relevant checks at the kitchen before taking items from the supermarket.

Meats from warehouse, taken for daily use, needs to be weighed (if required) and recorded in detail as to usage and passed to the finance department.

2. Verification of items on SMS – stock movements, sales of items and goods received. Quantities must be updated daily and reconciled.

3. Regular cycle counts & annual inventory –

Random stock counts on higher valued items in particular and perishables (meats, alcohol & vegetables) must be done regularly. Rough physical stock counts must be done at least weekly and monthly. The aim is to be able to pull reliable stock reports for regular review at any given time.

4. Regular communication & follow up with staff, suppliers & management.

Work closely with department heads to plan and forecast inventory needs based on seasonal trends and promotions.

Loss Prevention Develop and implement strategies to reduce shrinkage due to theft, spoilage, or damage. Collaborate with the security and store management team to monitor and prevent potential losses. Implement measures to ensure the safe storage and handling of perishable products to minimize spoilage. Vendor Management Build and maintain relationships with suppliers and vendors.

Meats and perishables must be of utmost importance in preserving the shelf life and items close to expiry should be used at the kitchen to use in preparing meals.

Collaborate with vendors to ensure timely delivery of products and resolve any supply chain issues. Negotiate pricing and terms with vendors to optimize costs.

Reporting and Analysis Generate and analyze inventory reports to identify trends and potential issues.

Collaborate with the finance department to monitor and manage inventory costs.

Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of inventory management strategies.

Providing training and guidance as needed.

Foster a collaborative environment to ensure smooth communication and coordination between various departments.

5. Costing of items:

To determine the cost of items on a daily basis being allocated for sale of food items.

Proper documentation, with proper details of the items on a daily basis needs to be done. We need to implement a worksheet, for recipe costing and use this to cost the items being sold, bearing in mind prices change from time to time, so costing inputted needs to be monitored regularly.