Inventory Optimisation Lead in Mentone, Australia

The Business

Patties Food Group is a values-led organisation with a rich Australian history, home to iconic brands including Four’N Twenty, Patties, Herbert Adams, Nanna’s and Lean Cuisine.

Our values of Trust, Ownership, Courage and Integrity guide how we work together. We’re passionate about our products and our people, and we’re looking for an Inventory Optimisation Lead to help drive continuous improvement across our supply chain.

The Role

Based in Mentone and reporting to the Head of IBP, you will lead inventory optimisation across raw and packaging materials and finished goods, balancing customer service, working capital, warehousing costs and waste.

Working closely with teams across the business, you will turn data and insights into practical recommendations, establish consistent inventory controls and drive actions that deliver measurable results. Your key responsibilities will include but not be limited to;

• Drive inventory reduction in line with business targets, improving working capital and reducing warehousing costs.
• Establish inventory policies and safety stock levels, with regular reviews, clear approval processes and ongoing compliance monitoring.
• Partner with sites, Procurement and suppliers to review minimum order quantities and improve inventory efficiency.
• Monitor slow-moving, excess and at-risk stock, coordinating mitigation plans with clear owners and timelines.
• Manage finished goods ageing reporting and stock at risk of minimum shelf-life requirements through the non-performing inventory process.
• Proactively manage inventory associated with new product introductions to minimise waste and write-offs.
• Deliver weekly and monthly inventory reporting, month-end reporting and inventory forecasts.
• Use root cause analysis and continuous improvement methods to strengthen inventory performance through the Integrated Business Planning process.
• With Continuous Improvement in mind leverage existing reporting and AI tools to support the broader IBP team developing Supply, Demand and Inventory/SLOB Dashboards.

The Person

You are analytical, proactive and comfortable working across functions to achieve shared outcomes. You can confidently challenge assumptions, communicate insights and influence decisions while balancing commercial and operational priorities. You will bring:

• Demonstrated experience in inventory management, supply chain planning and/or continuous improvement, preferably within food based FMCG environments.
• Relevant qualifications in Supply Chain, Logistics or a related discipline.
• A sound understanding of Integrated Business Planning and how inventory decisions affect service, cost and working capital.
• Strong Excel and business systems skills, with an interest in using AI to improve analysis and ways of working.
• The ability to interpret complex data, identify root causes and recommend practical solutions.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to partner across Planning, Operations, Procurement, Warehousing, Logistics, Quality, Finance, Sales and IT.
• A continuous improvement mindset and the ownership to follow agreed actions through to completion.

What We Offer You

At Patties Food Group, we are passionate about our people, brands and culture. We are an Equal Opportunity employer committed to providing an inclusive environment where all employees are treated fairly and with respect. As a member of the Patties team, you will have access to:

• Generous employee benefits including take-home product for you and your family to enjoy.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) services.
• Supportive parental leave options.
• Multiple social and engagement activities.
• Flexible working arrangements | hybrid model.
• Career development opportunities within collaborative teams and supportive cultures.

Interested?

If you’re ready to make an impact across our supply chain and help shape how we manage inventory, we’d love to hear from you. Apply with your resume outlining your relevant experience.

Patties Food Group is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. No fee of any type will be paid in the event we hire a candidate whose resume is submitted by an employment agency to any of our employees without a valid written recruitment agreement.