A gutter inventory specialist keeps coil, hangers, elbows, guards and sealant on the shelf so install crews can load their trailers each morning without a gap. They count stock, place orders with suppliers and match each week's purchases to the jobs on the schedule.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, structure and exterior contractors · BLS, May 2025
The Inventory Specialist is responsible for managing stock levels and ensuring the availability of materials required for gutter installation projects. By accurately tracking inventory usage and ordering supplies, the role directly impacts project timelines and operational efficiency, contributing to customer satisfaction and company profitability.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Maintain accurate inventory records using industry-standard software.
Monitor stock levels to ensure materials are available for upcoming projects.
Order supplies in a timely manner to prevent project delays.
Conduct regular inventory audits to identify discrepancies and implement corrective actions.
Collaborate with project managers to forecast material needs based on project schedules.
Utilize inventory management systems to optimize stock levels and reduce waste.
Coordinate with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of materials.
Implement best practices for inventory storage and handling to maintain quality.
Generate inventory reports to provide insights into usage trends and cost-saving opportunities.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review daily stock levels and update inventory management systems.
Prepare and process purchase orders for required materials.
Conduct weekly physical inventory counts and reconcile with system records.
Communicate with suppliers to confirm delivery schedules.
Analyze inventory data to forecast future material requirements.
Monitor and report on inventory turnover rates.
Address any inventory-related issues promptly to minimize project disruptions.
Participate in weekly operations meetings to align inventory with project needs.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Inventory accuracy rate ≥ 98%.
Stockout occurrences ≤ 2% per month.
Inventory turnover ratio ≥ 4 times per year.
Supplier delivery reliability ≥ 95%.
CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) ≥ 4.7/5.0.
30/60/90-day ramp expectations: Achieve 90% accuracy in inventory records by 30 days, full proficiency in inventory software by 60 days, and independently manage reordering processes by 90 days.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent; associate degree preferred.
Proficiency in inventory management software (e.g., Fishbowl, QuickBooks).
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Effective communication skills for supplier and team interactions.
Basic understanding of supply chain management principles.
6. Preferred Experience
2+ years of experience in inventory management or a related field.
Experience in the construction or home services industry.
Familiarity with gutter installation materials and processes.
Certification in inventory management (e.g., CPIM).
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
Frequent standing and walking in warehouse and storage areas.
Occasional travel to supplier locations or job sites.
Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Occasional overtime may be required during peak seasons.
Primarily warehouse and office-based with some site visits.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Competitive hourly wage with potential for performance bonuses based on inventory accuracy and efficiency.
Payouts contingent on maintaining quality safeguards such as high CSAT scores and low stockout rates.
Benefits include health insurance, retirement plan, and paid time off.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we value accountability, craftsmanship, and a commitment to safety. Our team is dedicated to delighting customers through exceptional service and quality installations. We foster a growth-oriented environment where every team member is empowered to contribute to our success and pursue their professional development.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Most of the stock is small parts that have to match each other: the right gutter size, the right elbow style and the right color. A wrong part discovered on site sends someone back to the shop.
Sealant tubes carry a date code
OSI's data sheet for its gutter sealant gives a shelf life of 18 months from the date it was made, unopened, and prints the lot code as YYDDD: the year's last two digits, then the day of the year. Put new cases behind old ones, pull tubes past their date, and store them away from heat, sparks and flame, as the sheet warns. Source: OSI Gutter Sealant technical data sheet (Henkel).
A and B elbows aren't the same part
Elbows turn two ways. Gentek's installation guide uses A elbows to bring a downspout back to the wall and B elbows to move it left or right, plus an A elbow at the bottom to send water away from the foundation unless it drains into tile. Stock both styles in every size and color you sell, and count them on separate lines. Source: Gentek: Aluminum soffit, fascia and rainware installation guide.
Coil and cartons get a stable stack
OSHA's materials-handling rule says layered stock has to be stacked, blocked and interlocked and held to a safe height, so nothing slides or collapses. Storage areas also have to stay free of clutter that could cause trips or fires. Keep coil on racks or cradles rather than loose on the floor, and keep guard cartons stacked low enough to stay put. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1910.176, Handling materials.
Forklift drivers are trained and certified
If coil comes off the supplier's truck by forklift, OSHA requires training before anyone drives it, a certification record naming each operator, the dates they were trained and evaluated, and the trainer or evaluator, and a new evaluation at least once every three years. Ask candidates which trucks they've run, and plan to train and certify them on yours. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks.
Partial coils need a footage tag
A coil that comes back from a job half used is hard to judge by eye. Have the machine operator write the feet run and the job on a tag before the coil goes back on the rack. Those tags keep the system count close between full counts and help you order the right amount for next week.
How much gutter inventory specialists make
The closest BLS group for gutter inventory specialists is shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks who work for foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors earned a median of $23.76 an hour ($49,410 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s above the $45,260 median for shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in all industries. About 950 of the 816,870 shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks in that survey work for structure and exterior contractors.
Usually hourly. The template adds a bonus for count accuracy and keeps it only while stockouts stay low and customer scores stay high.
Structure and exterior contractors
$49,410$49,410 median Middle half $42,300–$57,600 10th–90th $35,430–$71,170
All industries
$45,260$45,260 median Middle half $38,200–$51,570 10th–90th $34,650–$62,190
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Structure and exterior contractors
$35,430
$42,300
$49,410
$57,600
$71,170
All industries
$34,650
$38,200
$45,260
$51,570
$62,190
BLS doesn’t publish pay for gutter installers on their own. These figures cover foundation, structure and building exterior contractors, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Counts carefully and catches gaps between the shelf and the system
Works comfortably in inventory software such as Fishbowl or QuickBooks
Places purchase orders and chases late deliveries
Plans orders from the install schedule, not just from what looks low
Keeps the warehouse orderly so crews can load fast in the morning
Teach these on the job
Gutter parts by sight: profiles, sizes, elbow styles, hanger types and guard models
Your coil colors and the supplier codes behind them
Forklift operation and certification on your truck
Your suppliers' ordering portals and lead times
How your crews report leftover material
Inventory runs in software such as Fishbowl or QuickBooks, often tied to the job schedule so orders follow the work. In the warehouse expect a scanner or phone, a pallet jack and maybe a forklift. List the forklift in the ad if the job includes one.
Gutter inventory specialist interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Planning fall stock by color
Heading into fall, coil in your most popular color is low, and matching downspouts and elbows are back-ordered. What do you do?
A strong answer: Checks the backlog by color and size, orders coil now with lead time in mind, finds another source for downspouts and elbows, and tells operations which jobs might slip or need a color talk with the customer.
Behavioral · Tracking parts usage
Tell me about a time guard jobs or repairs kept using more hangers and end caps than the estimates said. How did you sort it out?
A strong answer: Compared parts used to estimates by job type, found the cause, such as low estimates, extra fastening or parts walking off, fixed the estimate or process and added a sign-out step.
The template's figures are a sketch. Run one full count first so you know where accuracy stands today, then set this person's goals from that baseline.
Inventory accuracy rate ≥ 98%
Compare the system count with a physical count for a sample of items each week, such as coil by color and elbows by style, and record every miss.
Stockout occurrences ≤ 2% per month
Log each time a crew or the office needed a part that wasn't on hand, with the item and the job it held up. Read the log by part.
Inventory turnover ratio ≥ 4 times per year
Divide a year's material spend on jobs by what your shelves held on average, using accounting reports. Check it by product line, since guards and coil move at different speeds.
Supplier delivery reliability ≥ 95%
Track each purchase order's promised date against the day it arrived complete. Keep the record by supplier so you know who to lean on before the rush.
CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) ≥ 4.7/5.0
For this role, read survey comments for delays or wrong parts that trace back to stock, and ask the crews each month how loading and pickups went.
30/60/90-day ramp expectations
At each check-in, review the new hire's counts, the purchase orders they placed alone and any stockouts that happened on their watch.
Career path
Warehouse worker at a roofing and siding supplierLearns coil, trim and gutter parts and how orders ship.
Inventory specialistKeeps the stockroom matched to the install schedule.
Purchasing leadBuys coil, guards and parts for the company and negotiates with suppliers.
What warehouse tasks sit behind the inventory template's lifting and walking lines?
Unloading cartons of downspout, hangers and guards from supplier trucks, carrying sealant cases and elbows to a crew's trailer, and walking the aisles for counts. Coil should move by forklift, dolly or two people. Spell these out in the posting, and handle any request for an accommodation case by case.
How much does a gutter inventory specialist make?
Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks who work for foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors earned a median of $23.76 an hour ($49,410 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $42,300 and $57,600 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
What should happen to scrap aluminum and old gutters?
Old aluminum gutters from tear-offs and offcuts too short to use are worth money at a scrap yard. Have the inventory specialist keep scrap bins by metal, weigh each load that goes out and log the payment, so it lands in the books. Usable lengths of downspout and trim go on a remnant shelf for repairs.
Does a gutter inventory specialist need to know how gutters go up?
Not to start, but it speeds things up. Someone who has watched a crew hang a house knows why a missing end cap or outlet holds up the whole job. Have a new hire ride with a crew for a few days in the first month, then walk the trailers with the lead installers each week.
When should a gutter company do its full stock count?
In the slow winter weeks, when fewer installs go out and shelves usually run lowest. Pair it with the year-end close so the bookkeeper's numbers match the shelf. During the season, the weekly counts the template asks for can focus on the parts that move fastest.
