Stock control assistant

Stores assistant, stock supervisor, supply chain assistant

Stock control assistants keep track of stock levels and make sure there are enough supplies to meet customer demand.

Salary range: £13,500 to £30,000

How to become a stock control assistant

You can get into this job through:

• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role
• applying directly

Apprenticeship

You could start by doing a retailer or warehouse operative intermediate apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

Work

You could work in a shop, parts department or distribution depot and move into stock control through internal promotion.

Direct application

You’ll usually need GCSEs in English and maths to apply directly for jobs. Experience in retail or warehouse work may give you an advantage.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You’ll need:

• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to work well with others
• customer service skills
• active listening skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• concentration skills
• the ability to sell products and services
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

What you’ll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

• making sure paperwork is correctly filled out
• checking stock levels and ordering new stock
• updating stock information on computer systems
• receiving deliveries
• moving stock with a forklift truck
• making sure orders are despatched on time
• answering customer enquiries online, over the phone and face-to-face
• carrying out spot checks and audits

Working environment

You could work in a stock room or in a warehouse.

Career path and progression

You could become a stock supervisor or manager. In these jobs, you would lead a team, forecast stock levels and work closely with suppliers.

You could also work as a retail buyer, looking at consumer trends and selecting which products your company will sell.