Inventory Governance Manager- NZ

Welcome to Suntory Oceania | Nau mai ki Suntory Oceania

Craft your future with Suntory Oceania, a new $3b multi-beverage partnership between Suntory Global Spirits and Suntory Beverage & Food. Underpinned by quality, craftsmanship and a strong sense of purpose, our exciting new partnership will be powered by two manufacturing sites, five distribution centres and more than 1500 Suntorians across Australia and Aotearoa.

Our market-leading portfolio will have over 40 brands, including Jim Beam® and Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Hibiki® Japanese Whisky, Canadian Club® Whisky, -196, V Energy, Maximus, and Suntory BOSS Coffee. As One Suntory, we will be positioned as the fourth largest beverage player in the region, ready to ignite the category, creating more beverage moments from sunrise to sunset. Together, we will bring the best of Suntory to Oceania.

What is the opportunity? | He aha te kōwhiringa?

We’re looking for an Inventory Manager with a sharp eye for compliance and governance to lead the integrity and oversight of our inventory systems. In this role, you’ll be the custodian of inventory controls, ensuring our processes meet internal standards and external audit requirements. You’ll drive risk mitigation strategies, lead investigations, and champion continuous improvement across our inventory operations.

Your leadership will help ensure our warehouses operate with precision, transparency, and accountability — ultimately supporting customer satisfaction and regulatory confidence. 

• Design, implement, and maintain robust inventory governance frameworks, policies, and SOPs.
• Lead compliance initiatives to ensure adherence to internal controls and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor and enhance inventory data integrity, audit readiness, and count compliance.
• Collaborate with QA, Finance, Logistics, and 3PL partners to align inventory practices with broader governance standards.
• Investigate stock variances and lead root cause analysis with a focus on risk prevention.
• Provide training and oversight to the NZ Inventory Team, ensuring documentation and compliance are embedded in daily operations.
• Prepare governance reports for senior leadership and external auditors.
• Lead strategic initiatives including stock rotation, blocked stock management, and mass recall protocols.

About you | Nō hea koe

• Proven experience in inventory, compliance, or business operations management.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) principles.
• Analytical mindset with experience working across large data sets and audit processes.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (intermediate to advanced).
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience in SOP development and document control.
• Experience with PowerBI - preferred not necessary.
• Familiarity with SAP EWM and inventory control systems.

If you’re not an expert in all of these areas, don’t worry! A lot of what we look for is how you would align with our values and your ability to utilise your unique skills and experience.

What’s in it for you? I He aha te mea e whiwhi ai koe?

• Grow your career – we like to promote from within and have incredible learning and development opportunities around the world  
• Generous incentive to reward your hard work
• An inclusive parental leave policy for both primary and secondary caregivers
• Gradual return to work to help you transition back from parental leave
• Flexible working – flexible hours and hybrid working

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognize that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavor to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.

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