Inventory Controller - Retail Finance (1-Year Contract)

About the role

A detail-oriented, commercially minded Retail Finance Analyst - Inventory & Stock Control is sought for a 1-year contract within the Finance team. The role suits someone with strong inventory accounting knowledge who works closely with Finance, Supply Chain, Buying, Warehouse and Store Operations. It covers inventory control, stock reconciliation, physical stock verification and financial reporting on merchandise inventory.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor and control inventory movements across warehouses, stores and distribution channels, and ensure inventory balances are accurate in financial and inventory systems
• Review and reconcile inventory accounts, stock adjustments and inventory-related postings, and support month-end and year-end inventory close
• Investigate discrepancies, reconcile physical stock counts against system records, and analyse variances, shrinkage, damages and stock losses
• Coordinate cycle counts and annual stock-taking, review results and recommend improvements to inventory accuracy
• Prepare inventory, stock aging, shrinkage and variance reports, build dashboards in Excel and Power BI, and turn data into actionable insights
• Support internal and external audits, maintain audit trails and ensure compliance with financial controls and accounting standards

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Commerce (B.Com), Business Administration or a related discipline
• 3-5 years of experience in Inventory Accounting, Retail Finance, Cost Accounting, Inventory Control or Financial Analysis
• Retail, fashion, lifestyle, FMCG, consumer goods, warehousing or supply chain experience is highly preferred
• Experience in a fast-paced, multi-site retail environment
• CMA, CPA, CIMA or equivalent qualification is advantageous

Required skills

• Advanced Excel (Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, INDEX/MATCH)
• ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Dynamics or JDE; Power BI is highly desirable
• Knowledge of COGS, inventory valuation, landed cost calculation and gross margin analysis