Inbound Logistics Coordinator

Location: Cluj County

Role: The Inbound Logistics Coordinator coordinates and monitors the entire material receiving flow, from truck arrival at the plant to physical and system receipt, processing, labelling, putaway and storage in the designated locations. The role ensures a safe, accurate and efficient inbound flow, in line with quality standards, internal procedures, traceability requirements and operational targets for productivity, stock accuracy and processing time. Reporting to the Logistics Manager, the role coordinates the Inbound operational team of 25 people working across three shifts, with the coordinator working in one of the shifts, and collaborates continuously with Transport, Planning, Purchasing, Quality, Production and external suppliers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Inbound Operations & Receiving

Coordinate the full material receiving flow, from truck entry into the logistics area to final storage.
Organise and prioritise unloading based on the delivery schedule, production needs, dock availability and warehouse capacity.
Ensure adherence to receiving appointments and monitor truck waiting and unloading times.
Coordinate the unloading of goods and their transfer to the receiving area, ensuring correct segregation and identification of mixed pallets/materials.
Monitor compliance with handling and storage standards.
Ensure quantity and document checks of received materials against delivery documents and system data.
Coordinate goods receipt processing in SAP/WMS and ensure correct generation and application of receiving/putaway labels.
Verify compliance with rules on material code, quantity, batch and traceability.
Monitor differences between physical and book stock, ensure they are investigated, and safeguard the accuracy of system transactions and stock data integrity.

Putaway & Storage

Coordinate the putaway process through to confirmation of the material in its final location.
Prioritise materials according to operational need and space availability.
Monitor the putaway backlog and intervene when there is a risk of bottlenecks.
Track the efficient use of storage capacity and work with Planning to anticipate capacity issues.
Ensure FIFO/FEFO rules are applied where applicable.
Participate in analysing and resolving stock differences generated in the Inbound process.

Non-conformities & Supplier Claims

Identify and manage non-conformities found at receiving: quantity differences, missing or excess materials, wrong codes/materials, damaged pallets or packaging, incorrect labelling, non-compliant palletisation, improperly mixed materials, and missing or incorrect documents.
Ensure the isolation and blocking of non-conforming materials when required.
Document non-conformities with photos, documents and the information needed for traceability.
Initiate and follow up supplier claims together with Purchasing and Quality.
Follow up the implementation of corrective actions to prevent recurrence; analyse the main causes of claims and propose measures to reduce them.

Team Coordination

Organise the daily activity of the Inbound team and allocate resources according to receiving volumes and operational priorities.
Coordinate forklift operators and the other resources involved in the Inbound process, balancing resources between unloading, processing and putaway.
Monitor individual and team productivity.
Hold operational briefings and communicate priorities to each shift.
Identify the training and development needs of team members and take part in the onboarding and training of new employees.
Ensure compliance with procedures and work instructions.
Provide feedback and contribute to the performance evaluation of direct reports.

KPI, Planning & Capacity Management

Monitor and report Inbound performance through KPIs such as: trucks and pallets received per day, average unloading time per truck, average processing time per pallet, average putaway time, Dock-to-Stock Time, Receiving Accuracy, Putaway Accuracy, receiving/putaway backlog, stock differences generated at receiving, number and type of supplier claims, productivity per operator, warehouse occupancy, adherence to the receiving schedule, and Safety incidents and non-conformities.
Analyse deviations from target and define corrective actions.
Analyse expected inbound volumes for the coming days/weeks and identify early risks related to dock capacity, storage capacity, staff availability, handling equipment and exceptional receiving volumes.
Propose resource reallocation when volumes exceed available capacity.
Work with Planning, Purchasing and Transport to level flows and avoid receiving peaks.
Escalate in good time any risks that may affect production continuity.

Continuous Improvement, Safety & Compliance

Analyse Inbound processes and identify opportunities to reduce lead times and non-value-adding activities.
Participate in and coordinate Kaizen/Lean actions within the area of responsibility.
Propose improvements to layout, material flow, dock utilisation, receipt processing, labelling, putaway, equipment use and staff productivity.
Perform root cause analysis for recurring problems and follow up the implementation and effectiveness of corrective actions.
Contribute to process standardisation and the updating of work procedures.
Ensure operations are carried out safely and monitor compliance with EHS rules and the correct use of handling equipment in the Inbound area.
Verify compliance with internal standards for the receiving, handling and storage of materials.
Participate in internal and external audits and ensure the implementation of the resulting actions.
Promote operational discipline and a Safety culture within the team.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Collaborate continuously with:
- Planning – prioritisation of materials and visibility over future volumes
- Purchasing – supplier issues and delivery claims
- Transport – truck scheduling, delays and changes to the delivery schedule
- Quality – non-conforming materials and acceptance/blocking decisions
- Production / Material Handling – urgent materials and continuity of production supply
- IT / SAP Key Users – issues or developments related to SAP/WMS and receiving processes

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Professional Experience & Education

Bachelor’s degree in a field related to logistics (mandatory)
Minimum 3 years of experience in Logistics / Warehouse / Supply Chain (mandatory)
Minimum 2 years of experience coordinating an operational team (mandatory)
Hands-on experience in Inbound / Receiving / Warehouse processes (mandatory)
Experience in a manufacturing environment (major advantage)
Experience in an environment with high receiving volumes and shift work (advantage)

Technical Background & Languages

Understanding of Receiving, Goods Receipt, Putaway, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management and Stock Accuracy processes (mandatory)
Experience with SAP MM/WM/EWM (major advantage)
Experience with WMS or other warehouse management systems (mandatory)
MS Excel – at least intermediate level (mandatory)
Ability to work with KPIs and operational reports (mandatory)
Knowledge of Lean / Kaizen / 5S / Problem Solving (advantage)
Romanian – fluent (mandatory)
English – minimum B1/B2 (mandatory)