Stock Clerk

A stock clerk manages inventory in retail, warehouse, or distribution settings, receiving, organising, and locating stock items to support sales and operations. They maintain accurate stock records using warehouse management systems, conduct regular stock counts, and ensure goods are stored safely and accessibly. This role is essential for efficient supply chain operations and customer order fulfilment in Australian retail and logistics environments.

Receive incoming stock deliveries and verify quantities and condition against delivery dockets and purchase orders. Scan barcodes and enter stock details into warehouse management systems (WMS) to record receipt and location. Organise stock on shelves, racks, or pallets using appropriate storage methods and hazard identification labels. Conduct cycle counts and full stock takes to reconcile physical inventory with system records. Locate stock items in the warehouse or storeroom and pick goods to fulfil sales orders or customer requests. Pack items securely for dispatch, applying protective wrapping and labelling in accordance with consignment requirements. Monitor stock levels and alert supervisors when items fall below minimum thresholds or identify slow-moving inventory. Handle and store products according to Australian safety regulations, including correct placement of flammable materials and fragile goods.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate II or III (ABS skill level 4). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The work is physically demanding with repetitive scanning, lifting, and walking around warehouses all shift. Automation is creeping in with automated picking systems, which could shrink entry-level roles.

Practically speaking, regional areas have fewer opportunities. Most positions are in large warehouses for retail chains, courier companies, and third-party logistics providers. Remote work isn't an option.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 5911, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Data Entry and Accuracycore
• ERP and Inventory Systemscore
• Goods Receipt Processingcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Purchase Order Processingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Returns Processingcore
• Stock Counting and Stocktakecore
• Stock Reconciliationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)core
• Customer Order Tracking
• Dispatch Documentation
• Freight Coordination
• Invoice Matching and Reconciliation
• Microsoft Excel Data Management
• Team Collaboration
• Time Management and Prioritisation
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

What Stock Clerk workers move into, from ten years of tax records.

Last updated: 30 October 2026