Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•Beltsville, MD

22d•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 oversees receiving, counting, ordering, pricing, returns, and other in-store inventory processes. It also validates planogram accuracy and coordinates the use of reports and system applications that affect inventory balances and pricing. The specialist maintains asset-protection practices and files claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods, including prescription drugs. In designated stores, the specialist may open or close the store when management is absent, complete required system start-ups and cash-handling duties, and prepare the sales floor and stockroom for the business day. When acting as leader on duty, the specialist may address customer issues, communicate tasks to team members, register sales, and perform related point-of-sale responsibilities. The position includes receiving and verifying front-end and pharmacy deliveries; maintaining accurate on-hand quantities and inventory records; executing pricing, returns, recalls, and inventory-compliance processes; preparing for physical inventory; and supporting package delivery and pickup activities. Pharmacy inventory work is performed under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge. The specialist also coaches team members on inventory systems and processes, completes required training, and maintains any pharmacy license or certification required by the state.

Requirements

Internal candidates must have six months of prior work experience with Walgreens; external candidates must have 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.
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, with an evaluation on file.

Responsibilities

Execute, monitor, and train store-wide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures for the front end and pharmacy.
Support pharmacy inventory management, including receiving, counting, ordering, and returns, under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge where specified.
Champion On-Shelf Availability and carry out receiving, counting, pricing, returns, and other in-store inventory processes.
Validate planograms and coordinate use of reports and system applications affecting on-hand balances and pricing.
Maintain front-end and pharmacy asset-protection practices and file claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods, including prescription drugs.
In designated stores, open or close the store in the absence of management, complete required system start-ups and cash-handling duties, and prepare the floor and stockroom for the business day.
Engage customers, offer assistance, model customer-service practices, and, when leader on duty, resolve customer issues and answer questions.
Execute and coach team members on warehouse and vendor inventory processes, including creating, reviewing, receiving, and scanning deliveries while the vendor is present.
Take appropriate action on delivery discrepancies, contact vendors about past undelivered scheduled receipts, and open tickets to correct inaccurate orders.
Verify pharmacy shipments and post pharmacy warehouse, prescription, OTC, secondary vendor, flu, and dropship orders; conduct necessary tote audits and report shortages or damage.
Complete the On-Shelf Availability process for planogrammed departments, including disposals, call-ins, vendor returns, and scan-outs and scan-out returns for subscribed departments and pharmacy.
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.
Execute price changes, markdowns, markdown deletions, accurate signage, and other required pricing tasks.
Support front-end and pharmacy ordering by ordering expense items, monitoring pharmacy manual orders for excess, and maintaining 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 across basic departments, stockroom, overstock locations, and, under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, pharmacy; complete pharmacy smart counts.
Ensure inventory compliance with state and local laws governing regulated products.
Maintain inventory records and receive and post 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 sales floor, stockroom, and pharmacy and auditing the third-party team.
Keep counters and shelves clean and well merchandised; remain knowledgeable about store systems and equipment.
Assist and coach the store team on package delivery activities, including package scanning, daily inventory functions, and package returns; support 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 and maintain respectful relationships with coworkers.
Attend company trainings, complete e-learning modules including safety training, and obtain and maintain a state-required pharmacy license or certification.
Coach and develop team members in inventory systems; when leader on duty, communicate assigned tasks and report disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management.
Complete additional activities and tasks as assigned.