Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•City of Auburn, NY

10d•$19 - $24

About The Position

The Inventory Specialist executes, monitors, and trains storewide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures across the front end and pharmacy. The role supports pharmacy inventory management, including receiving, counting, ordering, and returns; champions On-Shelf Availability; and handles receiving, pricing, returns, other in-store inventory processes, and planogram accuracy. The position reviews and coordinates use of reports and systems that affect inventory balances and pricing, maintains asset-protection practices, and files claims for shortages, overages, order errors, and damaged goods, including prescription drugs. In designated stores, the Inventory Specialist may open or close the store in the absence of management, carrying out required system start-ups, cash handling, cashier duties, and readiness tasks. The role also engages customers and models customer-service practices, and may resolve customer issues while serving as leader on duty. The position executes and coaches inventory and receiving processes, processes deliveries and pharmacy shipments, maintains accurate inventory counts and pricing, completes On-Shelf Availability activities, and supports physical inventory. It also helps with package delivery and pickup activities, maintains inventory records, keeps counters and shelves clean and merchandised, and uses store systems and equipment. The Specialist attends required training, maintains any state-required pharmacy license or certification, and communicates and develops inventory-system capabilities among team members.

Requirements

At least 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 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.
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, returns, recalls, transfers, and related inventory activities under the pharmacist-in-charge’s supervision.
Champion On-Shelf Availability and complete related end-to-end activities, including scan-outs, disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration.
Receive, count, price, and process returns for store inventory; validate planograms and maintain accurate on-hand quantities.
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 when required, open or close the store in the absence of store management, complete system start-ups and cash-handling or cashier responsibilities, and prepare the sales floor and stockroom for the business day.
Greet 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 processes, including creating, reviewing, and receiving orders.
Scan deliveries while vendors are present, take appropriate action on received or missed deliveries, and open tickets to correct inaccurate orders.
Under the pharmacist-in-charge’s supervision, verify and complete pharmacy shipment postings and order processing; conduct necessary tote audits and report shortages or damaged products.
Complete pharmacy recalls, vendor returns, damaged-product returns, excess inventory returns, interstore transfers where applicable, and verification of pharmacy or prescription claims.
Complete pricing activities, including price changes, markdowns, markdown deletions, correct 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 and place designated pull-and-quarantine item on-hands in the designated holding area.
Maintain accurate inventory counts across basic departments, stockrooms, overstock locations, and pharmacy; complete pharmacy smart counts under the pharmacist-in-charge’s supervision.
Ensure inventory compliance with state and local laws regarding regulated products such as alcohol and tobacco.
Maintain inventory records and systems by receiving and posting products, and organize and retain necessary invoices, receipts, and return authorizations.
Prepare for physical inventory and support inventory-day activities, including preparing sales floor, stockroom, and pharmacy areas 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, returns, and the Pickup Program.
When serving as leader on duty in designated stores, register sales on the POS and handle related exceptions, returns, voids, refunds, cash drops, and change requests.
Comply with company policies and procedures and maintain respectful relationships with coworkers.
Attend company training and complete required e-learning modules, including safety training.
Obtain and maintain a valid pharmacy license or certification as required by the state.
Coach and develop team members’ inventory-system capabilities; 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.