Inventory Specialist

Walgreens•El Paso, OR

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; champions On-Shelf Availability; and handles receiving, counting, ordering, pricing, returns, planogram accuracy, inventory records, and related processes. It also reviews and coordinates the use of reports and system applications that affect inventory balances and pricing, maintains asset protection practices, and files claims for warehouse and vendor 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 perform required system start-ups, cash handling, cashier duties, and opening-readiness tasks. When serving as leader on duty, the role helps resolve customer issues, communicates tasks to team members, and handles assigned point-of-sale responsibilities. The position includes customer engagement and modeling customer-service practices; execution and coaching of warehouse, vendor, front-end, and pharmacy inventory procedures; accurate inventory counts and pricing; preparation for physical inventory; and support for package delivery and the Pickup Program. Pharmacy activities are performed under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge where specified. The Inventory Specialist also completes company training and e-learning, maintains any state-required pharmacy license or certification, and supports communication between management and non-management team members.

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 if 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 activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, returns, recalls, inventory transfers, smart counts, and verification of pharmacy claims and shipment postings, as applicable under the pharmacist-in-charge’s supervision.
Champion On-Shelf Availability and complete the end-to-end OSA process, including scan outs, disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration.
Receive, scan, count, price, and process returns for merchandise; validate planograms and maintain accurate on-hand quantities across departments, stockroom, overstock locations, and pharmacy.
Review and coordinate use of reports and system applications that affect on-hand balances and pricing.
Maintain front-end and pharmacy asset protection practices and file claims for overages, shortages, order errors, and damaged goods.
Create, review, and receive warehouse and vendor orders; scan deliveries while vendors are still in the store; investigate undelivered or inaccurate receipts and open tickets as needed.
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 and place designated pull-and-quarantine items in the assigned holding area.
Ensure inventory compliance with state and local laws concerning 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 inventory 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 package scanning, daily inventory functions, and package returns; support the Pickup Program.
In designated stores, open or close the store when management is absent and complete required start-up, cash-handling, cashier, and readiness tasks.
Engage customers, offer assistance, model customer-service practices, and, when serving as leader on duty, resolve customer issues and answer questions.
When serving as leader on duty, register assigned sales in the POS system, handle specified transaction adjustments and returns, and provide change or make cash drops as required.
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 state-required pharmacy licensure or certification.
Coach and develop team members’ inventory-system capabilities; communicate assigned tasks and report disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management when serving as leader on duty.
Complete additional activities and tasks as assigned.