Alistair Vance
Senior Inventory Manager | Supply Chain Operations & Stock Control
London
Professional Summary
Senior Inventory Manager with extensive experience overseeing multi-site fulfillment centres, storage optimization, and end-to-end stock accuracy within fast-paced UK supply chain environments. Demonstrated history of reducing write-offs, enforcing cycle-counting rigor, and managing cross-functional warehouse teams.
Work Experience
Vanguard Retail Logistics Ltd
London, United Kingdom
Senior Inventory Manager
Apr 2019 – Present
- Lead stock control across three regional fulfillment centres comprising 450,000 square feet and 28,000 active stock-keeping units.
- Reduced year-end inventory write-offs by 24% through the implementation of ABC cycle-counting procedures and automated barcode discrepancy alerts.
- Direct a team of four inventory supervisors and twenty-two inventory controllers across multi-shift depot operations.
- Orchestrate monthly stock audits, keeping discrepancy rates consistently below 0.35% across high-velocity FMCG product lines.
Kestrel Industrial Distribution Ltd
London, United Kingdom
Inventory Operations Manager
Aug 2014 – Mar 2019
- Managed inventory replenishment, safety-stock parameters, and storage allocation across two London warehousing hubs.
- Coordinated supplier lead-time audits that shortened inbound delivery lags from fourteen days to nine days.
- Supervised quarterly wall-to-wall physical counts, reconciling stock records in SAP with physical bin positions.
- Mentored twelve warehouse operatives on radio-frequency scanning workflows and goods-inbound inspection standards.
Meridian Freight & Supply Co.
Dartford, United Kingdom
Inventory Control Analyst
Feb 2010 – Jul 2014
- Analyzed fast-moving versus slow-moving inventory velocity to optimize picking paths and floor layouts.
- Investigated receiving variances, returns to vendor, and damaged freight reconciliations in accordance with depot KPIs.
- Assisted in the operational rollout of an upgraded warehouse management system (WMS) without depot downtime.
Education
University of Westminster
BSc (Hons) · Logistics and Supply Chain Management · London, United Kingdom · 2:1 · Sept 2001 – Jun 2004
Focused on distribution network design, operations research, and enterprise material management principles.
Key Projects
Warehouse Slotting and Dynamic Allocation Overhaul
Mar 2023 – Nov 2023
- Configured dynamic slotting rules for fast-turn seasonal goods across 80,000 square feet, cutting average picking travel time by 18%.
- Standardized cross-docking workflows and bin-location naming conventions ahead of a high-volume peak trading period.
Core Competencies
Inventory Control
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
SAP MM / S/4HANA
Demand Forecasting
Cycle Counting & Auditing
Safety Stock Optimization
Supplier SLA Monitoring
ABC Inventory Analysis
Multi-Site Logistics
Data Analysis & Reporting
Languages
English
C2
French
B1
Professional Certifications
Certified Member (MILT)
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK) · May 2018
Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)
APICS / ASCM · Nov 2015
Community & Volunteer Work
Thames Community Food Network
London, United Kingdom · Jan 2022 – Dec 2025
- Logistics & Stock Volunteer
- Organized non-perishable inventory tracking, crate sorting, and volunteer distribution schedules for weekly community deliveries.