Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•Boston, MA

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 champions On-Shelf Availability, handling receiving, counting, ordering, pricing, returns, planogram accuracy, inventory records, and related system processes. It also supports asset protection and 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 serve as leader on duty. The role provides customer assistance, helps maintain a positive customer experience, and coaches team members on inventory processes, systems, and customer-service practices. Pharmacy inventory work is performed under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge. The position also requires completing company training and maintaining a valid pharmacy license or certification when required by the state.

Requirements

Internal candidates: six months of prior Walgreens work experience; external candidates: one year of prior retail work experience.
Fluency in reading, writing, and speaking English, except in Puerto Rico.
Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend hours.
Internal candidates must have an “Achieving expectations” rating on their last performance review and no written disciplinary actions in the previous 12 months.
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 work experience with Walgreens and an evaluation on file.

Responsibilities

Execute, monitor, and train store-wide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures for front-end and pharmacy operations.
Support pharmacy inventory activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, posting shipments, audits, returns, recalls, and transfers, under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge.
Receive, count, price, and process returns for inventory, and carry out in-store inventory processes.
Champion On-Shelf Availability by completing the end-to-end process for planogrammed departments, including scan-outs, disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration.
Validate planograms and use reports and system applications to support accurate on-hand balances and pricing.
Execute and maintain front-end and pharmacy asset-protection practices, and file claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods.
Open or close the store in designated locations when store management is absent, including required system start-ups, cash handling, cashier duties, and preparing the sales floor and stockroom for the business day.
Engage customers, offer assistance, model customer-service best practices, and, when serving as leader on duty, resolve customer issues and answer questions.
Create, review, and receive warehouse and vendor orders; scan deliveries while vendors are present; address undelivered or inaccurate receipts; and open tickets as needed.
Verify pharmacy shipments and post pharmacy warehouse, prescription, OTC, secondary vendor, flu, and dropship orders; conduct necessary tote audits and report shortages or damaged products.
Complete pharmacy recalls, vendor returns, non-controlled and damaged salvage returns, excess inventory returns, and applicable interstore transfers.
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 consigned inventory.
Update on-hands for designated pull-and-quarantine items and place those items 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.
Ensure inventory compliance with state and local laws for regulated products such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
Maintain inventory records and organize invoices, receipts, and return authorizations; prepare for and support physical inventory activities, including auditing the third-party team on inventory day.
Keep counters and shelves clean and well merchandised, and assist and coach team members on package delivery activities and the Pickup Program.
When serving as leader on duty in designated stores, register sales on the assigned POS and handle scanning errors, price verifications, items not on file, price modifications, voids, returns, refunds, cash drops, and change requests.
Comply with company policies and procedures, maintain respectful coworker relationships, and complete additional assigned tasks.
Attend company training and complete e-learning modules, including safety training.
Obtain and maintain a valid pharmacy license or certification when required by the state.
Coach and develop team members' capabilities with inventory systems, communicate assigned tasks when serving as leader on duty, and report disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management.