Senior Specialist DC Operations Inventory and Inbound - EM South

Purpose and overall relevance for the organisation

Responsible and accountable for end-to-end inventory control, inbound operations governance, and B2B returns management within the South Africa Distribution Centre. The role ensures inventory accuracy, system integrity, stock visibility, control compliance, and operational efficiency across warehouse activities.

The incumbent acts as the custodian of inventory accuracy and operational controls, ensuring alignment between physical inventory, the 3PL WMS, and SAP S/4HANA systems. The role drives inventory governance through inventory controls, system integration monitoring, reconciliation activities, audits, compliance reporting, stakeholder alignment, and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Inventory management and control: Own overall inventory accuracy, maintain physical-to-system accuracy above 99%, monitor integrations between the 3PL WMS and SAP S/4HANA, lead reconciliations, investigate variances, and drive corrective actions.
• Inventory governance, controls, and compliance: Maintain compliant inventory control processes, provide monthly reporting, lead control reviews, and close control gaps, audit findings, and process deviations.
• Inventory audits: Coordinate inventory-related audits, prepare evidence, maintain audit readiness, and implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Stakeholder management: Chair inventory, discrepancy, control, and system alignment meetings with Finance, Internal Controls, Customer Service, Planning, IT, 3PL, and operations teams.
• Reporting and analytics: Produce daily, weekly, and monthly reports covering accuracy, reconciliations, controls, variances, ageing, blocked stock, and audit status.
• Inbound operations governance: Manage receiving capacity, labour planning, dock capacity, resource requirements, costs, productivity, and service levels. Ensure inbound stock is physically received and system processed within 24 hours.
• Inbound queries and exceptions: Investigate discrepancies and exceptions, conduct floor walks, maintain issue records, and resolve integration failures affecting stock visibility.
• B2B returns management: Manage the end-to-end returns process and ensure returns are received, processed, and updated in systems within 48 hours.
• Continuous improvement: Improve efficiency, reduce recurring defects, strengthen controls, improve productivity, and support strategic distribution centre initiatives.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Strong analytical capability, attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and stakeholder communication.
• Experience in logistics, supply chain management, warehouse operations, inventory control, and project management.
• Financial acumen and understanding of budgets, cost drivers, resource utilisation, and operational efficiency.
• High IT affinity, including MS Office and Teams; SAP S/4HANA and WMS knowledge are advantageous.
• Experience with inventory platforms, integration monitoring tools, reporting dashboards, and advanced MS Excel is preferred.

Minimum qualifications and experience

• 5–7 years of relevant experience in supply chain, logistics, distribution centre operations, inventory management, warehouse operations, or a related environment.
• Experience in inventory control, stock reconciliation, cycle counts, variance investigation, root cause analysis, audit readiness, and operational control compliance.
• Experience working with 3PL warehouse operations and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Inventory Management, Business Management, or a similar discipline.
• SAP S/4HANA, WMS, inventory management systems, and advanced MS Excel experience are highly advantageous.

Company culture

Adidas promotes a winning culture built around courage, ownership, innovation, teamplay, integrity, and respect, with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.