Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•Aurora, CO

About The Position

The Inventory Specialist executes, monitors, and trains store-wide inventory best practices and standard operating procedures across the front end and pharmacy. The role supports pharmacy inventory activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, and returns; champions On-Shelf Availability; and handles receiving, pricing, returns, and other in-store inventory processes. The specialist validates planogram accuracy and coordinates the use of reports and system applications that affect inventory balances and pricing. The position also maintains asset-protection practices and files claims for vendor or warehouse 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 and serve as leader on duty. These duties can include required system start-ups, cash handling, cashier responsibilities, preparing the sales floor and stockroom for business, resolving customer issues, and communicating tasks to team members. The role performs and coaches inventory operations across warehouse, vendor, front-end, and pharmacy processes. Duties include scanning and verifying deliveries, posting pharmacy shipments and orders under pharmacist-in-charge supervision, completing On-Shelf Availability processes, managing returns and recalls, updating on-hands, maintaining accurate inventory records, and supporting physical inventory. The specialist also performs pricing activities, supports ordering, maintains documentation, assists with package delivery and pickup programs, and completes point-of-sale and customer-service tasks when serving as leader on duty. The Inventory Specialist attends company training and e-learning, maintains any state-required pharmacy license or certification, and serves as a liaison between management and non-management team members by coaching others on inventory systems.

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 if 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 the front end and pharmacy.
Support pharmacy inventory management, including receiving, counting, ordering, and returns.
Champion On-Shelf Availability and complete receiving, counting, pricing, returns, and other in-store inventory processes.
Validate planograms and coordinate use of reports and system applications affecting inventory balances and pricing.
Maintain front-end and pharmacy asset-protection practices and file claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods.
In designated stores, open or close the store in the absence of store management and perform associated start-up, cash-handling, cashier, and store-readiness duties.
Greet customers, offer assistance, model customer-service practices, and, when serving as leader on duty, resolve customer issues and answer questions.
Execute and coach warehouse and vendor inventory processes, including creating, reviewing, receiving, and scanning deliveries while vendors are still in the store.
Take appropriate action on delivery discrepancies, including contacting vendors and opening 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, and scan-outs and scan-out returns.
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 other regulatory pricing tasks.
Support front-end and pharmacy ordering, order expense items, monitor pharmacy manual orders for excess, and maintain consigned inventory.
Update on-hands for designated pull-and-quarantine items and place them in the designated holding area.
Maintain accurate on-hand quantities in store 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.
Maintain inventory records and organize invoices, receipts, and return authorizations.
Prepare for and support physical inventory, including preparing the sales floor, stockroom, and pharmacy and auditing the third-party team on inventory day.
Help 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, package scanning and returns, daily inventory functions, and the Pickup Program.
When serving as leader on duty, register sales on the assigned POS system and complete related sales, return, refund, void, cash-drop, and change-making tasks.
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.