Inventory Specialist

About the role

The Inventory Specialist is responsible for executing, monitoring, and training inventory best practices and standard operating procedures for the entire store, including both front end and pharmacy. They support pharmacy inventory management activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, and facilitating returns.

Responsibilities

• Reviews and coordinates the proper use of reports and system applications to ensure accuracy of front end and pharmacy on-hand balances and pricing.
• Executes and maintains front end and pharmacy asset protection techniques, and files claims for merchandise received but not billed, shortages, order errors, or damaged goods, including prescription drugs.
• Opens and closes the store in the absence of store management, including all required systems start-ups, cash handling, and ensuring the floor and stock room are ready for the business day.
• Greeting customers and offering assistance with products and services, resolving customer issues, and answering questions to ensure a positive customer experience.
• Models and shares customer service best practices with all team members to deliver a distinctive and delightful customer experience.
• Executes and coaches team members on warehouse and vendor inventory management processes, including creating, reviewing, and receiving orders.
• Completes or verifies postings of all pharmacy warehouse orders, ABC prescription and OTC orders daily, secondary vendor orders, flu and dropship orders, performing any necessary tote audits, and accurately reporting any shortages or damaged product.
• Completes On-Shelf Availability (OSA) end-to-end process, executing disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration, completing scan outs/scan outs returns on all subscribed departments including vendor/DSD departments and pharmacy scan outs.
• Completes execution of all pricing activities, including price changes, markdowns, and markdown deletions. Responsible for basic department pricing, including daily price changes, accurate pricing with correct signage, and reliable and timely completion of any additional regulatory pricing tasks.
• Supports front end and pharmacy ordering by ordering expense items, monitoring pharmacy manual orders to identify excess orders, maintaining consigned inventory and orders as required.
• Maintains accurate inventory counts, updating designated pull & quarantine items and placing them in the designated holding area.
• Maintains the accuracy of on-hand quantities including but not limited to basic departments, stockroom, overstock locations.
• Maintains the accuracy of inventory counts and accuracy of on-hand quantities in pharmacy and completes pharmacy smart counts under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge.
• Ensures the store maintains inventory compliance with state and local laws regarding regulated products (e.g., alcoholic beverages and tobacco products).
• Helps to prepare for physical inventory and supports the physical inventory day activities, including but not limited to preparing sales floor, stockroom, and pharmacy for inventory and auditing the third party team on the day of inventory.
• Safeguards all counters and shelves, ensuring they are clean and well merchandised.
• Knows all store systems and equipment.
• Assists and coaches store team on all package delivery activities, including scanning in and out of packages, completing all daily inventory functions, and package returns at Walgreens. Supports execution of Pickup Program.
• Registers all related sales on assigned point-of-sale system (POS), including records of scanning errors, price verifications, items not on file, price modifications, and voids. Completes product returns, order voids, customer refunds, cash drops to safe, and provides change as requested for point of sale.

Qualifications

• Six months of prior work experience with Walgreens (internal candidates) or one year of prior retail work experience (external candidates).
• Must be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English (except in Puerto Rico).
• Must have a willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend hours.
• “Achieving expectations” rating on last performance review and no written disciplinary actions in the previous 12 months (internal candidates only).
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to multi-task and manage execution.
• Experience in identifying operational issues and recommending and implementing strategies to resolve problems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience as a shift lead, pharmacy technician, designated hitter, or customer service associate.
• Prior work experience with Walgreens, with an evaluation on file.