Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•Hamden, CT

11d•$19 - $24•Onsite

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 handles receiving, counting, pricing, returns, planogram accuracy, and other in-store inventory processes. It reviews and coordinates the use of reports and system applications affecting inventory balances and pricing, maintains asset protection practices, and files claims for inventory discrepancies and damaged goods. In designated stores, the Inventory Specialist may open or close the store in the absence of store management and perform related system start-ups, cash handling, cashier duties, and preparation of the sales floor and stockroom. The role also engages customers, models customer-service practices, and may resolve customer issues when serving as leader on duty. The position carries out front-end and pharmacy inventory operations, including order management, delivery scanning and receiving, pharmacy shipment posting under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, On-Shelf Availability processes, pricing, inventory counts, records maintenance, physical inventory preparation, package delivery activities, and support for the Pickup Program. It helps maintain clean, well-merchandised counters and shelves; follows company policies; attends training; maintains any state-required pharmacy license or certification; and communicates with management and team members about inventory tasks and issues.

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 store-wide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures for front-end and pharmacy operations.
Support pharmacy inventory activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, and facilitating returns.
Champion On-Shelf Availability and perform receiving, counting, pricing, returns, and other in-store inventory processes; validate planogram accuracy.
Review and coordinate use of reports and system applications affecting front-end and pharmacy on-hand balances and pricing.
Maintain front-end and pharmacy asset-protection techniques and file claims for warehouse or vendor overages, shortages, order errors, or damaged goods, including prescription drugs.
When designated and in the absence of store management, open or close the store, 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, model customer-service best practices, and, when serving as leader on duty, resolve customer issues and answer questions.
Execute and coach team members on warehouse and vendor inventory-management processes, including creating, reviewing, and receiving orders.
Scan deliveries while vendors are still in the store, take appropriate receiving actions, contact vendors about past undelivered scheduled receipts, and open tickets to correct inaccurate orders; focus on One Box receiving.
Under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, verify pharmacy shipments and complete or verify daily postings for pharmacy warehouse, ABC prescription and OTC, secondary vendor, flu, and dropship orders; conduct necessary tote audits and report shortages or damaged products.
Complete the On-Shelf Availability process for planogrammed departments, including warehouse and direct store delivery; execute disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration; and complete scan outs and scan-out returns for subscribed departments, vendor/DSD departments, and pharmacy.
Under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, complete pharmacy inventory activities such as recalls, vendor returns, non-controlled and damaged salvage returns, excess inventory returns or applicable interstore transfers, and verification of pharmacy/prescription claims postings.
Complete pricing activities, including price changes, markdowns, and markdown deletes; maintain accurate signage and complete additional regulatory pricing tasks reliably and on time.
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-hand quantities for designated pull-and-quarantine items and place them in the designated holding area.
Maintain accurate inventory counts and on-hand quantities in 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 alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.
Maintain inventory records, receive and post front-end products in inventory systems, and 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 team.
Keep counters and shelves clean and well merchandised, and remain knowledgeable about store systems and equipment.
Assist and coach the store team on package delivery activities, including scanning packages in and out, daily inventory functions, and package returns; support the Pickup Program.
When designated as leader on duty, register sales on the assigned POS and record scanning errors, price verifications, items not on file, price modifications, and voids; complete returns, order voids, refunds, cash drops, and change requests.
Comply with company policies and procedures and maintain respectful relationships with coworkers.
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; when serving as leader on duty, communicate assigned tasks and report disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management.
Complete additional activities and other assigned tasks.