Rowan Kelly
Experienced Material Handler | Forklift Operator & Inventory Specialist
Cork
Professional Summary
Safety-oriented Material Handler with extensive experience in fast-paced distribution and logistics hubs across County Cork. Proven track record in reach and counterbalance forklift operation, precise WMS inventory reconciliation, and goods dispatch under strict health and safety standards.
Work Experience
Lee Valley Logistics Hub
Cork, Ireland
Senior Material Handler
Apr 2022 – Present
- Operate reach and counterbalance forklifts safely across a 15,000-square-metre high-bay distribution centre.
- Process inbound shipments of industrial goods, verifying bills of lading and logging receipts into SAP EWM with 99.8% accuracy.
- Coordinate staging and load verification for 45 outgoing transport trailers daily in compliance with Irish road transit standards.
- Execute daily rolling cycle counts, identifying stock discrepancies and reconciling location variances promptly.
- Mentor four junior warehouse operatives on equipment pre-use checks, safe manual handling, and RF scanner workflows.
Corrib Cold & Dry Cargo Solutions
Cork, Ireland
Material Handler
Sept 2018 – Mar 2022
- Loaded and unloaded ambient and temperature-controlled freight while maintaining strict cold-chain integrity.
- Used handheld barcode terminals to pick, stage, and wrap palletised customer orders against dispatch schedules.
- Reported damaged goods and quarantine non-conforming deliveries according to warehouse standard operating procedures.
- Conducted routine battery maintenance and safety inspections on electric pallet trucks and counterbalance lifts.
Shandon Freight Depot
Cork, Ireland
Warehouse Operative
Aug 2015 – Aug 2018
- Sorted incoming regional parcels and palletised freight across dispatch lanes for next-day distribution.
- Assembled mixed-load pallets and applied shrink wrap and banding to secure goods during regional transit.
- Maintained clear dock lanes, organized packaging materials, and complied with site 5S housekeeping standards.
Education
Cork College of FET
QQI Level 5 Certificate · Logistics and Distribution · Cork, Ireland · Distinction · Sept 2014 – Jun 2015
Completed practical coursework in warehouse operations, freight forwarding principles, health and safety legislation, and digital inventory tracking.
Key Projects
Warehouse Pick Path & Staging Optimization
Jun 2023 – Nov 2023
- Participated in a cross-docking redesign that cut turnaround intervals for priority inbound consignments by 20 minutes.
- Mapped high-velocity pick items to lower rack tiers, reducing daily forklift travel distances across the central bay.
Core Skills
Counterbalance Forklift Operation
Reach Truck Operation
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
SAP Extended Warehouse Management
RF Barcode Scanning
Inventory Control & Cycle Counting
Inbound Receiving & Inspection
Palletization & Dispatch Staging
Manual Handling Practices
Hazardous Materials Handling
Languages
English
C2
Irish
B1
Certifications
Counterbalance and Reach Forklift Truck Certification
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Ireland · May 2024
Safe Pass Registration
Solas · Sept 2024
Manual Handling Instructor-Led Certification
Irish Safety Training Authority · Feb 2024
Dangerous Goods and Chemical Handling Awareness
Hazchem Training Ireland · Nov 2025
Volunteering
Munster Community Pantry Network
Cork, Ireland · Mar 2021 – Dec 2024
- Logistics Volunteer
- Organised weekly food sorting, pallet packing, and inventory rotation for emergency food parcels distributed to regional community groups.
- Operated manual handling equipment to unload pallet deliveries from local retail donors.