Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•Bloomington, MN

19d

About The Position

The Inventory Specialist executes, monitors, and trains inventory best practices and standard operating procedures throughout the store, including the front end and pharmacy. The role supports pharmacy inventory management, champions On-Shelf Availability, and manages receiving, counting, ordering, pricing, returns, planogram accuracy, inventory reports, and system applications that affect on-hand balances and pricing. The specialist also applies asset protection practices and files claims for warehouse or vendor overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods, including prescription drugs. In designated stores, the Inventory Specialist may open or close the store in the absence of store management. This includes starting required systems, handling cash and cashier duties, and preparing the sales floor and stockroom for the business day. When serving as leader on duty, the specialist may address customer issues, communicate tasks, and handle assigned point-of-sale responsibilities. The role includes front-end and pharmacy inventory processes, such as receiving and verifying deliveries, completing pharmacy postings under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, managing returns and recalls, maintaining accurate counts, performing pricing tasks, preparing for physical inventory, organizing inventory records, and supporting package delivery and pickup activities. The specialist also coaches team members on inventory systems and processes, completes company training, and maintains a pharmacy license or certification when required by the state.

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 as 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 storewide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures for the front end and pharmacy.
Support pharmacy inventory management, including receiving, counting, ordering, and facilitating returns.
Champion On-Shelf Availability and handle receiving, counting, pricing, returns, and other in-store inventory processes.
Validate and ensure planogram accuracy.
Review and coordinate the use of reports and system applications affecting front-end and pharmacy on-hand balances and pricing.
Execute and maintain front-end and pharmacy asset protection practices; file claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods, including prescription drugs.
In designated stores, open or close the store when management is absent, complete required system start-ups and cash handling, perform cashier responsibilities, and prepare the floor and stockroom for the business day.
Engage customers, offer assistance, and model customer service best practices; when leader on duty, resolve customer issues and answer questions.
Execute and 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 receipt, follow up on missed scheduled deliveries, and open tickets to correct inaccurate orders.
Under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, verify pharmacy shipments and post pharmacy warehouse, prescription, OTC, secondary vendor, flu, and dropship orders; perform tote audits and report shortages or damaged products.
Complete the On-Shelf Availability process for planogrammed departments, including disposals, call-ins, vendor returns before expiration, and scan outs and scan-out returns for subscribed departments, vendor/DSD departments, and pharmacy.
Under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, complete pharmacy recalls, vendor returns, non-controlled and damaged salvage returns, and applicable excess-inventory returns or interstore transfers.
Verify posting of pharmacy and prescription claims.
Complete pricing activities, including price changes, markdowns, markdown deletions, accurate signage, and regulatory pricing tasks.
Support front-end and pharmacy ordering by ordering expense items; monitor pharmacy manual orders for excess, and maintain and order consigned inventory as needed.
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 across basic departments, stockroom, overstock locations, and pharmacy; complete pharmacy smart counts under pharmacist-in-charge supervision.
Ensure inventory compliance with state and local laws for regulated products, such as alcohol and tobacco.
Maintain inventory records by receiving and posting front-end products in inventory systems; organize and retain invoices, receipts, and return authorizations.
Prepare for physical inventory and support inventory-day activities, including preparing the sales floor, stockroom, and pharmacy and auditing the third-party inventory 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, including package scanning, daily inventory functions, and returns; support the Pickup Program.
When leader on duty in designated stores, register sales on the assigned POS and document scanning errors, price verifications, items not on file, price modifications, and voids; process returns, order voids, refunds, cash drops, and change requests.
Comply with company policies and procedures and maintain respectful coworker relationships.
Attend company training and complete e-learning modules, including safety training.
Obtain and maintain a state-required pharmacy license or certification.
Coach and develop team members' capabilities with inventory systems; when leader on duty, communicate tasks and report disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management.
Complete additional activities and tasks as assigned.