Inventory Specialist

Walgreens; Hanover Park (IL); On-site; USD 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Walgreens is seeking a store & pharmacy inventory associate to execute and monitor inventory best practices, including receiving, counting, ordering, and returns. You will champion on-shelf availability, verify planograms, and support pricing tasks while ensuring accuracy across front end and pharmacy inventories.

In this role, you will engage customers, resolve issues, and model service excellence. Prior Walgreens experience or retail experience is preferred, with flexible hours including

Qualifications

• Six months of prior work experience with Walgreens (internal candidates) or one year of prior retail work experience (external candidates).
• Must be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English (except in Puerto Rico).
• Must have a willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend hours.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to multi task and manage execution.
• Experience in identifying operational issues and recommending and implementing strategies to resolve problems.
• Prefer previous experience as a shift lead, pharmacy technician, designated hitter, or customer service associate.
• Prefer to have prior work experience with Walgreens, with an evaluation on file.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for executing, monitoring, and training inventory best practices and SOPs for the store and pharmacy.
• Supports pharmacy inventory management activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, and returns.
• Manages On-Shelf Availability and planogram accuracy.
• Opens and closes the store in designated locations and handles cash and POS tasks.
• Engages customers and delivers a positive service experience.
• Executes pricing tasks, and supports front-end and pharmacy ordering.
• Ensures inventory accuracy and compliance with state/local laws.

Job description

• Responsible for executing, monitoring, and training inventory best practices and standard operating procedures for the entire store, including both front end and pharmacy. Supports pharmacy inventory management activities, including receiving, counting, ordering, and facilitating returns. Champions On-Shelf Availability and is responsible for receiving, counting, pricing, returns, and all in-store inventory processes. Validates and ensures accuracy of planograms.
• Responsible for reviewing and coordinating the proper use of reports and system applications, which have an impact on the accuracy of front end and pharmacy on-hand balances and pricing.
• Responsible for executing and maintaining front end and pharmacy asset protection techniques, and filing claims for warehouse and vendor overages (merchandise received, but not billed), shortages (merchandise billed, but not received), order errors or damaged goods including prescription drugs.
• In designated stores, as required, opens and closes the store in the absence of store management, including all required systems start-ups, required cash handling and cashier responsibilities, and ensuring the floor and stock room are ready for the business day.

Customer Experience

• Engages customers by greeting them and offering assistance with products and services. In designated stores, when serving as the leader on duty, resolves customer issues and answers questions to ensure a positive customer experience.
• Models and shares customer service best practices with all team members to deliver a distinctive and delightful customer experience, including interpersonal habits (e.g., greeting, eye contact, courtesy, etc.) and Walgreens service traits (e.g., offering help proactively, identifying needs, servicing until satisfied, etc.).

Operations

• Executes and coaches team members on warehouse and vendor inventory management processes including but not limited to creating, reviewing, and receiving orders.
• Scans in all deliveries while the vendor is still in the store, including common carrier deliveries. Focuses on One Box receiving. Takes the appropriate action marking delivery as received if the product was physically delivered, contacting vendor for past undelivered scheduled receipts, and opening tickets as needed to correct inaccurate orders.
• Under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge, verifies all pharmacy shipments are posted for products physically received at the store. Completes or verifies postings of all pharmacy warehouse orders, ABC prescription and OTC orders daily, secondary vendor orders, flu and dropship orders performing any necessary tote audits, and accurately reporting any shortages or damaged product.
• Completes On-Shelf Availability (OSA) end-to-end process including warehouse and direct store delivery (DSD) for planogrammed departments, executing disposals, call-ins, and vendor returns before expiration, completes scan outs/ scan outs returns on all subscribed departments including vendor/ DSD departments and pharmacy scan outs.
• Under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge, completes pharmacy inventory activities including but not limited to pharmacy recalls following Pharmacy Hazardous Waste Policy, vendor returns, non-controlled, and damaged salvage returns. Facilitates excess inventory returns or interstore pharmacy transfers where applicable for non-returnable ABC overstock. Verifies posting of all pharmacy/ prescription claims.
• Completes execution of all pricing activities including price changes, markdowns, and markdowns deletes. Responsible for basic department pricing, including daily price changes, accurate pricing with correct signage, and reliable and timely completion of any additional regulatory pricing tasks.
• Responsible for supporting front end and pharmacy ordering by ordering expense items. Monitors pharmacy manual orders to identify excess orders. Maintains consigned inventory and orders as required.
• Ensures all designated pull & quarantine item on-hands are updated and placed in the designated holding area.
• Maintains accurate inventory counts. Maintains the accuracy of on-hand quantities including but not limited to basic departments, stockroom, overstock locations.
• Under the supervision of the pharmacist-in-charge, maintains accurate inventory counts and accuracy of on-hand quantities in pharmacy and completes pharmacy smart counts.
• Ensures the store maintains inventory compliance with state and local laws regarding regulated products (e.g., alcoholic beverages and tobacco products).
• Assists in the maintenance of inventory records, including receiving and posting of all products (in the front-end) received at the store in all inventory systems. Organizes files and retains all invoices/receipts/return authorizations necessary for all inventory activities.
• Helps to prepare for physical inventory and supports the physical inventory day activities, including but not limited to preparing sales floor, stockroom, and pharmacy for inventory and auditing the third party team on the day of inventory.
• Supports keeping all counters and shelves clean and well merchandised.
• Knowledgeable of all store systems and equipment.
• Assists and coaches store team on all package delivery activities, including scanning in and out of packages, completing all daily inventory functions and, package returns at Walgreens. Supports execution of Pickup Program.
• In designated stores, when serving as the leader on duty, responsible and accountable for registering all related sales on assigned point-of-sale system (POS), including records of scanning errors, price verifications, items not on file, price modifications, and voids. Completes product returns, order voids, customer refunds, cash drops to safe, and provides change as requested for point of sale.
• Complies with all company policies and procedures; maintains respectful relationships with coworkers.
• Completes any additional activities and other tasks as assigned.

Training & Personal Development

• Attends company-based trainings for continuous development and completes all e-learning modules including safety training requirements.
• Obtains and maintains a valid pharmacy license/certification as required by the state.

Communications

• Serves as a liaison between management and non-management team members by coaching and developing other capabilities with inventory systems. When serving as the leader on duty, communicates assigned tasks to team members and reports disciplinary issues and customer complaints to management.

Basic Qualifications

• Six months of prior work experience with Walgreens (internal candidates) or one year of prior retail work experience (external candidates).
• Must be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English (except in Puerto Rico).
• Must have a willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend hours.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to multi task and manage execution.
• Experience in identifying operational issues and recommending and implementing strategies to resolve problems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefer previous experience as a shift lead, pharmacy technician, designated hitter, or customer service associate.
• Prefer to have prior work experience with Walgreens, with an evaluation on file.

We will consider employment of qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

An Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

The actual compensation that you will be offered will depend on a variety of factors including geography, skills and abilities, education, experience and other relevant factors. This role will remain open until filled.

Salary Range: $17 - $20 / Hourly