Vendor Operations Spec

Medline Industries, LP • Northfield, IL

20h • $23 - $34

About The Position

The Vendor Operations Spec provides operational support by accurately analyzing reports, surplus, shared mailboxes, and workflows related to inventory on inbound and outbound orders. The role requires attention to detail and the ability to interpret data to make decisions that support vendor and customer relationships and prevent financial losses. It also requires a thorough understanding of inventory, accounts payable, and vendor agreements.

The position investigates held product stock for damage, expired items, and licensing issues; assigns financial responsibility; and may liaise among warehouses, sales, and vendors. It manages inventory-related analysis, vendor disputes, chargebacks, recalled inventory, allocations, lot sequestering, and restrictions. The role also maintains mailboxes and reports, reviews surplus and other at-risk products, negotiates returns and restock fees, and manages discussions through resolution, including when parties resist financial responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in a related field.
• At least 1 year of experience as a Vendor Data Specialist.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment, analyzing large data sets, and meeting deadlines without compromising accuracy or quality.
• Experience providing customer service to internal and external requestors and managing workloads that require portfolio-specific analytics for departmental success and process improvement.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables, IF statements, SUM, and sorting/filtering.
• Intermediate Microsoft Outlook skills, including creating folders, using calendars and reminders, and coordinating meetings.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree.
• Advanced time management skills to ensure daily work, discrepancies, and projects are completed within established SLAs.
• Experience building and maintaining relationships within and between teams and vendors.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including macros and advanced formulas.
• Exposure to or experience with SAP and/or Zendesk.

Responsibilities

• Investigate product held stock for damage, expired items, and licensing issues.
• Determine financial responsibility and, as needed, serve as a liaison between warehouses, sales, and vendors.
• Apply inventory management knowledge and analyze multiple platforms to identify root causes and trends and support key decisions.
• Manage vendor disputes and reduce divisional losses by negotiating returns to recover funds.
• Process chargeback submissions, identify underlying causes through analysis, and implement solutions.
• Analyze recalled inventory reports to recover vendor funds and ensure recalled inventory is not released to customers.
• Safeguard allocation, lot sequestering, and restricted inventory, making data-driven decisions based on terms.
• Adjust processes as conditions fluctuate, work within aggressive timelines, and lead high-stakes conversations professionally.
• Maintain shared mailboxes, generate and maintain reports, and meet deliverables for assigned projects.
• Review and take action on active surplus, expired products, and custom items by engaging with sales and vendors.
• Ensure financial responsibility is assigned to the correct source and manage discussions through resolution.
• Negotiate returns and restock fees when there is a risk of loss.

Benefits

• Competitive total rewards package.
• Continuing education and training.
• Health insurance for employees working 30 or more hours per week on average.
• Life and disability benefits for employees working 30 or more hours per week on average.
• 401(k) contributions.
• Paid time off.
• For employees working less than 30 hours per week, access to the Employee Assistance Program, Employee Resource Groups, and the Employee Service Corp.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level