Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Warehouse Clerk Assistant

🎯 Role Definition

The Warehouse Clerk Assistant supports daily warehouse operations to ensure accurate inventory control, timely shipping and receiving, and efficient order fulfillment. This role performs hands-on material handling, data entry into warehouse management systems (WMS), quality inspections, and supports health & safety compliance. The Warehouse Clerk Assistant is customer-focused, detail-oriented and works closely with supervisors and logistics teams to maintain inventory accuracy and throughput.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Retail Stock Clerk seeking warehouse experience
Shipping & Receiving Clerk with limited WMS exposure
General Laborer or Material Handler transitioning into inventory roles

Advancement To:

Inventory Control Specialist / Analyst
Warehouse Supervisor or Lead
Logistics Coordinator or Shipping Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

Procurement Assistant
Customer Service Representative (logistics-focused)
Quality Control Inspector

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Receive incoming shipments and inspect goods for accuracy and damage, matching purchase orders, packing slips, and bills of lading to ensure all inbound freight is processed according to company receiving procedures.
Accurately count and verify receipts of raw materials, finished goods, and components; update inventory records in the warehouse management system (WMS) or ERP in real time to maintain inventory accuracy.
Pick, pack, and stage outgoing customer orders with attention to order accuracy, packaging standards and carrier requirements; prepare shipments for common carriers and freight services.
Operate hand trucks, pallet jacks, electric pallet movers and, when certified, forklifts to move product safely throughout the warehouse while adhering to OSHA and company safety guidelines.
Cycle count assigned locations on a regular schedule and reconcile discrepancies, investigate root causes of count variances and document adjustments per inventory control policies.
Label and re-label products, pallets and shelves with barcode labels, lot numbers, expiration dates and other required identifiers to support traceability and first-in, first-out (FIFO) procedures.
Perform quality inspections on inbound and outbound product for defects, correct quantities and proper documentation; report nonconforming items and coordinate returns or quarantine with supervisors.
Stage and load outbound freight onto trucks, verify carrier paperwork, complete shipping documentation, and coordinate with carriers for pickup times to meet dispatch schedules.
Enter and maintain accurate transactional data in WMS/ERP systems, including receiving receipts, put-away locations, pick tickets, cycle count adjustments and shipping confirmations.
Maintain clean, organized and safe warehouse areas by adhering to housekeeping standards, disposal of packing materials, and proper storage of hazardous or regulated items.
Assist with physical inventory counts including full shuts, reconciliations and documentation; support teams during seasonal peaks or audit periods to ensure accurate inventory reporting.
Coordinate with purchasing and production teams to prioritize shipments and resolve order discrepancies, backorders and allocation issues impacting delivery timelines.
Prepare daily activity reports and communicate inventory status, exceptions and blockages to supervisors and operations managers to support continuous flow.
Package items to company and customer specifications, apply custom labeling, kitting or assembly tasks when required, and verify completed kits against order specifications.
Follow security and loss-prevention procedures, including monitoring access to sensitive inventory, documenting chain-of-custody for high-value items and reporting potential shrinkage issues.
Support cross-docking activities by rapidly processing goods that move directly from receiving to outbound staging to minimize handling and speed transit times.
Use handheld RF scanners, barcode scanners and mobile devices to perform scanning tasks with accuracy and minimal error rates; troubleshoot scanning and printing issues and escalate when needed.
Assist in receiving and processing returns (RMA) and salvage inventory, including inspection, disposition and data entry into returns management workflows.
Adhere to company safety programs including proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), reporting safety incidents, participating in toolbox talks and following ergonomic best practices during manual handling.
Support continuous improvement initiatives by suggesting process improvements, participating in kaizen events, and documenting standard work and SOP updates to improve productivity and accuracy.
Coordinate with scheduling and dispatch to sequence orders for efficient loading and carrier compliance, ensuring correct documentation (BOLs, packing lists, commercial invoices) accompanies shipments.
Train and mentor temporary staff and new hires on basic warehouse procedures, scanning devices, packing standards and safety policies under the direction of a supervisor.
Maintain tools, small equipment and assigned work area inventories; report maintenance needs and assist maintenance or facilities teams during scheduled downtime or corrective repairs.
Assist with hazardous material handling procedures as required, including proper segregation, labeling and documentation for shipments subject to regulatory controls.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc reporting requests related to inventory levels, pending shipments and discrepancies; compile data from WMS and Excel for managers.
Participate in process improvement teams to identify waste, reduce picking errors and streamline receiving workflows.
Cross-train in related warehouse functions (shipping, receiving, returns, inventory control) to provide flexible coverage during peaks and absences.
Contribute to seasonal planning by helping forecast workload impacts on picking and shipping capacity and suggesting temporary staffing or shift changes.
Act as a point of contact for internal customers (sales, procurement, production) to clarify order details, item locations and fulfillment status.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Inventory management and control: experience performing cycle counts, physical inventories and reconciling WMS records.
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): hands-on use of industry systems or modules; familiarity with scanning workflows and inventory transactions.
Barcode and RF scanning proficiency: use of handheld scanners, mobile devices and label printers for receiving, picking and shipping tasks.
Shipping & receiving procedures: ability to prepare bills of lading, packing lists, carrier labels and process carrier check-ins.
Material handling equipment: safe operation of pallet jacks, hand trucks, electric pallet movers and, where certified, sit-down and stand-up forklifts.
Basic computer skills: data entry, Microsoft Excel (filters, VLOOKUP/basic formulas), email and ERP navigation.
Packaging and palletization: knowledge of proper packing methods, weight distribution, shrink-wrapping and labeling to protect goods in transit.
Basic math and measurement skills: ability to calculate quantities, weights, dimensions and simple inventory adjustments.
Quality inspection practices: detecting product damage, verifying part numbers and documenting non-conformances.
Safety and compliance knowledge: familiarity with OSHA standards, PPE requirements and safe lifting/ergonomic practices.
Returns and reverse logistics handling: processing RMAs, quarantines and disposition documentation.
Shipping documentation and carrier compliance: understanding of standard carrier requirements, hazardous goods declarations and international paperwork basics (if applicable).

Soft Skills

Strong attention to detail and accuracy in picking, counting and data entry.
Dependable time management and ability to meet tight schedules and shipping cutoffs.
Clear verbal and written communication for coordination with supervisors, drivers and internal stakeholders.
Team player mentality with willingness to assist other areas during high volume periods.
Problem solving and investigative skills to locate discrepancies and identify root causes.
Adaptability and resilience in a fast-paced, changing warehouse environment.
Physical stamina and the ability to stand, bend and lift regularly throughout a shift.
Organizational skills for maintaining tidy work zones, accurate labeling and efficient staging.
Customer-service orientation when supporting internal or external customers with order issues.
Ethical conduct and commitment to loss prevention and inventory integrity.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED.

Preferred Education:

Associate degree or technical certificate in Supply Chain, Logistics, Industrial Technology, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics and Transportation
Business Administration
Industrial/Manufacturing Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 0–3 years in warehouse, shipping & receiving or materials handling roles.

Preferred:

1+ year working in a warehouse environment with demonstrated experience in receiving, picking, packing and shipping.
Prior exposure to a WMS/ERP and handheld RF scanning devices.
Forklift certification or willingness to obtain certification within the first 60–90 days.
Experience with cycle counts, physical inventories and basic inventory reconciliation preferred.