Job Profile: Shipping and Receiving Clerk

Job Overview

The Shipping and Receiving Clerk in the cannabis industry is the operational nexus for all physical product movement and its corresponding digital footprint. This role is responsible for the meticulous execution of inbound and outbound logistics within one of the most highly regulated commercial environments in the world. The position requires a unique synthesis of traditional warehousing skills and an unwavering commitment to regulatory compliance. The clerk directly manages the physical chain of custody for millions of dollars in inventory, from receiving raw materials like bulk flower and trim to shipping finished goods like vape cartridges and packaged edibles. Every action, from weighing a delivery to creating a shipping manifest, is recorded in a state-mandated seed-to-sale tracking system. This function is critical for maintaining the company’s license to operate, preventing catastrophic financial losses from product diversion or compliance fines, and ensuring the timely flow of goods to market. The professionalism and accuracy of this individual directly impact the organization's profitability and legal standing.

A Day in the Life

The day's activities begin in a secure, access-controlled receiving bay, a space defined by cleanliness and order. The first task is preparing for an inbound shipment of cured flower from a cultivation partner. Before the truck arrives, the clerk reviews the incoming transfer manifest in the state's seed-to-sale system, such as Metrc. This digital review confirms the expected package tags, strains, and weights. When the secure transport vehicle arrives, the clerk verifies the driver’s credentials against the manifest. The receiving process involves a systematic, multi-point inspection. The clerk checks the transport vehicle’s seals for tampering before breaking them in view of security cameras. Each bin of flower is carefully unloaded using appropriate material handling equipment. The clerk then verifies that the unique identifier tag on each physical container matches the manifest. One container is selected for weight verification. Using a calibrated scale, the clerk confirms the flower's weight is within the acceptable variance dictated by state regulations. Any discrepancy is immediately documented and communicated to both the supplier and the Inventory Manager. After verification, the clerk formally accepts the transfer in the Metrc system, which officially brings the product into the facility's legal inventory. The flower is then moved to a designated quarantine area to await quality assurance testing.

Mid-day focus shifts to outbound order fulfillment. The clerk receives a pick ticket for an order destined for a key dispensary client. The order includes multiple product types: 50 cases of gummy edibles, 20 cases of tincture bottles, and 100 individual vape cartridges, each with a specific batch number. Using a handheld scanner connected to the company’s ERP system, the clerk navigates the secure inventory vault. The sorting process is precise. The clerk picks products based on First-In, First-Out (FIFO) principles to ensure product freshness. Each item scanned is validated against the pick ticket to prevent errors. Collaboration is key; if a discrepancy in available stock control is found, the clerk immediately pauses and works with the inventory team to resolve it before proceeding. The picked items are staged in a dedicated packing area. Here, the clerk performs a final quality check, ensuring all packaging is damage-free, sealed, and carries the correct state-mandated labels, including THC potency, batch number, and health warnings. The items are then carefully packed into shipping containers.

The afternoon is dedicated to preparing the order for shipment. The clerk uses the seed-to-sale system to generate a new transport manifest. This is a legally binding document that requires absolute accuracy. The clerk enters the destination dispensary's license number, the secure transport company's information, the driver's name, and the exact details of every single package in the shipment. This record keeping is meticulous. A single digit error in a package tag number could invalidate the entire manifest. Once the manifest is created, it is printed for physical sign-off. When the transport team arrives, the clerk again verifies their credentials. The loading process is supervised to ensure proper material handling and security. Both the clerk and the transport agent count the items together and sign the manifest, creating an official transfer of custody. The clerk provides a copy to the driver and files the original. The final step is to complete the transfer in the digital system, which notifies the state and the receiving dispensary that the product is in transit.

The operational day concludes with inventory reconciliation and area maintenance. The clerk performs a cycle count on a specific section of the vault, physically counting a set of SKUs and comparing the count to the digital record in the inventory system. This proactive stock control measure identifies potential discrepancies early. The clerk then ensures the shipping and receiving areas are immaculate. Floors are swept, pallets are organized, and all tools and equipment are returned to their designated places. This commitment to cleanliness is not just for appearance; it prevents cross-contamination of products and ensures a safe, efficient working environment. All paperwork from the day is filed, and a final check of the system confirms all transactions were processed correctly. This flexibility to shift from high-stakes data entry to physical stocking and organization is essential to success.

Core Responsibilities & Operational Impact

The Shipping and Receiving Clerk’s responsibilities are foundational to the company’s operational and regulatory integrity, divided into three critical domains:

1. Compliant Logistics Execution

• Inbound Receiving: Physically and digitally receiving all incoming raw materials and finished goods, verifying them against state-generated manifests, and inspecting them for quality and accuracy before accepting them into inventory.
• Order Fulfillment and Sorting: Accurately picking, sorting, and packing customer orders according to detailed pick tickets, ensuring that the correct batch numbers and product quantities are selected for every shipment.
• Outbound Shipping and Manifesting: Creating 100% accurate and compliant transport manifests in the state's seed-to-sale system for all outbound shipments and managing the physical hand-off to secure transport personnel.

2. Inventory and Data Integrity Management

• Stock Control and Stocking: Properly stocking and organizing all inventory within the secure vault or warehouse, utilizing FIFO/FEFO principles and ensuring products are stored in designated, compliant locations.
• Record Keeping: Maintaining immaculate and audit-proof physical and digital records for every transaction, including manifests, bills of lading, pick tickets, and inventory adjustment forms.
• System Reconciliation: Performing regular cycle counts and collaborating with the inventory team to investigate and resolve any discrepancies between physical inventory and the digital records in the ERP and seed-to-sale systems.

3. Operational Excellence and Collaboration

• Material Handling: Safely operating all material handling equipment, such as pallet jacks, forklifts, and hand trucks, to move high-value inventory without damage or risk of injury.
• Cleanliness and Safety: Upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and organization in all logistics areas to prevent product contamination, ensure a safe work environment, and maintain a constant state of audit-readiness.
• Inter-departmental Collaboration: Working closely with sales to understand order priorities, with quality assurance to manage quarantined and released product, and with finance to reconcile inventory data, demonstrating professionalism in all interactions.

Strategic Impact Analysis

The Shipping and Receiving Clerk’s performance directly translates into measurable impacts on the company's strategic goals:

Chain of Command & Key Stakeholders

Reports To: This position typically reports to the Distribution Manager, Logistics Manager, or Warehouse Supervisor.

Similar Roles: In other industries, this role is often titled Warehouse Associate, Logistics Coordinator, or Inventory Control Specialist. However, the cannabis role carries a significantly heavier burden of regulatory compliance and data entry within specialized software. While the core skills of material handling and stocking are transferable, the demand for precision in record keeping and adherence to state-mandated digital workflows sets the cannabis Shipping and Receiving Clerk apart. The role functions as a hybrid of a traditional clerk and a compliance data entry specialist.

Works Closely With: This position requires constant collaboration with the Inventory Manager, Quality Assurance Team, Sales Operations Coordinators, and Secure Transport Drivers.

Technology, Tools & Systems

Mastery of specific technologies is essential for success in this role:

• Seed-to-Sale (S2S) Tracking Systems: Daily, intensive use of state-mandated platforms like Metrc, BioTrackTHC, or LeafTrace is the core of the job. This is non-negotiable proficiency.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: Interacting with company-wide systems such as SAP, Oracle NetSuite, or cannabis-specific ERPs like Canix to manage orders, inventory, and fulfillment.
• Barcode and RFID Scanners: Using handheld devices for accurate picking, cycle counting, and tracking of every tagged item, minimizing manual data entry errors.
• Precision Scales: Operating calibrated digital scales for verifying weights of incoming and outgoing products, a critical step for compliance and inventory accuracy.
• Material Handling Equipment (MHE): Certified operation of forklifts, electric pallet jacks, and other warehouse equipment to move goods safely and efficiently.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Transferable Skills

Professionals from other highly regulated sectors are exceptionally well-suited for this role:

• Pharmaceutical or Medical Device Logistics: Experience with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), batch and lot tracking, chain of custody documentation, and FDA regulatory adherence is directly applicable.
• Alcohol, Tobacco, or Firearms (ATF) Distribution: A background in handling products subject to strict federal and state regulations, excise taxes, and secure transport protocols provides a strong foundation.
• Aerospace or Defense Supply Chain: Expertise in managing parts with strict traceability requirements, handling sensitive materials, and maintaining meticulous documentation for government audits.
• Evidence Handling (Law Enforcement): Experience as an evidence clerk or technician, with a deep understanding of maintaining an unbroken and documented chain of custody, is highly valuable.

Critical Competencies

The role demands a specific set of professional attributes:

• Extreme Attention to Detail: The ability to perform repetitive data entry and physical verification tasks with zero errors. In this context, small mistakes have large consequences.
• Process Discipline and Integrity: A commitment to following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) precisely and consistently, without deviation, and a strong sense of personal accountability and professionalism.
• Adaptability and Flexibility: The capacity to manage shifting priorities, from an urgent inbound shipment to a complex outbound order, while maintaining composure and accuracy in a fast-paced environment.

Top 3 Influential Entities for the Role

These organizations define the rules, systems, and procedures that govern the daily activities of this role:

• State Cannabis Regulatory Agency: This is the primary governing body (e.g., California's Department of Cannabis Control, Florida's Office of Medical Marijuana Use). Their regulations dictate every aspect of inventory tracking, manifesting, transportation, and record keeping. Compliance with their rules is the role's prime directive.
• The State's Contracted Seed-to-Sale System Provider (e.g., Metrc): This technology company provides the software platform that serves as the state's system of record. The clerk's daily workflow is built around the functionalities, requirements, and constraints of this specific software. Mastery of this system is equivalent to job fluency.
• Department of Transportation (DOT) and State Patrol: These agencies govern the rules of the road for the commercial vehicles used in secure transport. While the cannabis agency sets rules for the product, the DOT sets rules for the vehicle and driver, influencing logistics planning and carrier selection.

Acronyms & Terminology