Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•Lake Zurich, IL

12d•$18 - $23

About The Position

The Inventory Specialist executes, monitors, and trains inventory best practices and standard operating procedures across the store, including the front end and pharmacy. The role supports pharmacy inventory management and is responsible for receiving, counting, ordering, pricing, returns, on-shelf availability, planogram accuracy, and other in-store inventory processes. It also reviews reports and system applications that affect inventory balances and pricing, maintains asset-protection practices, and files claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods. In designated stores, the Inventory Specialist may open or close the store in the absence of store management and perform the associated systems, cash-handling, cashier, and store-readiness responsibilities. The position provides customer service, coaches team members on inventory processes, and may serve as leader on duty. Pharmacy tasks are performed under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge, and the role obtains and maintains a pharmacy license or certification when required by state law.

Requirements

Six months of prior Walgreens work experience for internal candidates, or one year of prior retail work experience for external candidates.
Fluency in reading, writing, and speaking English, except in Puerto Rico.
Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.
Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to multitask and manage execution.
Experience identifying operational issues and recommending and implementing strategies to resolve problems.
Obtain and maintain a valid pharmacy license or certification if required by the state.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Execute, monitor, and train team members on storewide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures.
Support pharmacy inventory activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, returns, recalls, audits, transfers, claims, and accurate on-hand quantities, under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge where specified.
Receive, count, price, and process returns for inventory; maintain on-shelf availability and validate planogram accuracy.
Review and coordinate use of reports and system applications that affect front-end and pharmacy on-hand balances and pricing.
Execute and maintain asset-protection practices and file claims for warehouse or vendor overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods.
In designated stores and in the absence of store management, open or close the store, complete required system start-ups and cash-handling and cashier duties, and ensure the sales floor and stockroom are ready for the business day.
Greet customers, offer assistance, resolve customer issues when serving as leader on duty, and model customer-service best practices.
Coach team members on warehouse and vendor inventory management, including creating, reviewing, and receiving orders.
Scan deliveries while vendors are still in the store; verify physically delivered products, follow up on past undelivered scheduled receipts, and open tickets to correct inaccurate orders.
Complete or verify pharmacy shipment postings and pharmacy order processing, tote audits, and reporting of shortages or damaged products.
Complete the On-Shelf Availability process, including scan-outs, disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration.
Complete pharmacy recalls, returns, salvage returns, excess inventory returns or transfers, and verification of pharmacy and prescription claims as applicable.
Complete pricing activities, including price changes, markdowns, markdown deletions, signage, and additional regulatory pricing tasks.
Support front-end and pharmacy ordering by ordering expense items, monitoring pharmacy manual orders for excess, and maintaining and ordering consigned inventory as required.
Update on-hands for designated pull-and-quarantine items and place them in the designated holding area.
Maintain accurate inventory counts and on-hand quantities for departments, stockroom, overstock locations, and pharmacy; complete pharmacy smart counts as applicable.
Ensure inventory compliance with state and local laws governing regulated products.
Maintain inventory records and systems, receive and post products, and organize invoices, receipts, and return authorizations.
Prepare for physical inventory and support inventory-day activities, including preparing store areas and auditing the third-party team.
Keep counters and shelves clean and well merchandised; maintain knowledge of store systems and equipment.
Assist and coach the store team on package delivery activities, daily package inventory functions, package returns, and the Pickup Program.
When serving as leader on duty in designated stores, register sales on the POS system and process related records, returns, voids, refunds, cash drops, and change requests.
Comply with company policies and procedures and maintain respectful relationships with coworkers.
Attend company training, complete e-learning and safety modules, and maintain required pharmacy licensure or certification.
Liaise between management and non-management team members, coach others on inventory systems, communicate assigned tasks when leader on duty, and report disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management.
Complete additional assigned activities and tasks.