Inventory Manager - RAC Business Area

The Company

Imerys is the world's leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions for the industry with €3.4 billion in revenue and 12,300 employees in 40 countries in 2025. The Group offers high value-added and functional solutions to a wide range of industries and fast-growing markets such as solutions for the energy transition and sustainable construction, as well as natural solutions for consumer goods. Imerys draws on its understanding of applications, technological knowledge, and expertise in material science to deliver solutions which contribute essential properties to customers' products and their performance. As part of its commitment to responsible development, Imerys promotes environmentally friendly products and processes in addition to supporting its customers in their decarbonization efforts. Imerys is listed on Euronext Paris (France) with the ticker symbol NK.PA.

The Position

Inventory Manager – RAC Business Area

Job Summary

Role overview: The Inventory Manager is a key cross‑functional role within the Business Planning, Sales & Operations Planning, and Inventory organization. The primary objective of this position is to optimize and oversee the entire inventory scope (including Raw Materials, Work in Progress, and Finished Goods/Trading stocks) across RAC production sites and distribution centers to directly support Working Capital targets and the “Back to 10%” profitability program. Success in this role looks like achieving strict Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO) targets, driving structural inventory reduction initiatives (such as slow‑mover monetization campaigns and optimized replenishment strategies), and executing seamless coordination between plant logistics, purchasing, and regional S&OP managers. Direct report: The Inventory Manager will report to Business Planning, Sales & Operations Planning Inventory Director RAC.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Defines safety stocks and parameters per plant type (Raw mat / WIP / Finished Goods).
• Coordinates raw material needs with Purchasing and guarantees the accuracy of inventory data in the Critical Raw Material file.
• Contributes to Critical Raw Mat call with Category Managers monthly meeting and establishes trend reports between target stock and current stock.
• Monitors local execution of critical raw material guidelines at the plants / Distribution Center level.
• Works directly with plant production schedulers, local purchasing, plant managers and supply chain managers.
• Monitors Finished Goods to prevent stock out or stock excess.
• Monitors Trading stock levels / Distribution Center PO execution.
• Supports preparation of S&OP exec routines (DIO analysis Raw mat + FG inventory analysis, Trading inventory analysis).
• Direct single point of contact to Operating Working Capital central PMO.
• Coordinates with Hubs stakeholders (working with: Finance, Operations and Supply Chain operations).

Qualifications & Experience

• Education Level: Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Research, Engineering, or a related business field.
• Experience: 10 years of professional experience in supply chain, global inventory planning, or industrial S&OP management within an international and complex manufacturing environment.
• A proven track record of managing heavy industrial or chemical‑based inventory streams across multi‑site production networks is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in driving large‑scale working capital/cash optimisation programs and managing inventory revaluation, cycle‑counting protocols, and structural write‑offs.
• Certifications: APICS certification (CPIM/CSCP) or an equivalent supply chain credential is standard and highly preferred. Lean Six Sigma or project management certifications are an asset.

Skills & Person Specification

• Advanced ERP & Systems Proficiency: Strong working knowledge of standard industrial ERP systems (ideally with deep experience in SAP SD/MM or Opera) along with specialised supply‑chain planning tools (e.g., Quintiq).
• Advanced Analytics & Data Manipulation: Expert data‑modeling skills, including the ability to use complex multi‑dimensional inventory dashboards (e.g., Google Workspace, Looker Studio, Prism analytics) to track slow‑movers, cycle stocks, and financial impacts on EBIT/Cash.
• Stakeholder Management & Conflict Resolution: Outstanding capability to bridge central supply‑chain strategies with regional Category Managers, hub specialists, finance controllers, and plant managers, successfully managing trade‑offs between purchasing costs, transport efficiency, and inventory parameters. Ability to adapt communication style and behaviour to various audiences, from executive management to operational staff.
• Fluency in Languages: Fluent in English and French (written and spoken) is required.

Personal Characteristics

Rigorous & process‑oriented: A highly structured, data‑driven approach to solving operations problems.