What are the responsibilities and job description for the Inventory Specialist position at Wine Districts?
About Wine Districts
Wine Districts is Frederick’s premier destination for fine wine, craft beer, and premium spirits. We pride ourselves on offering an unmatched selection, highly competitive pricing, and stellar customer service. Because the Maryland beverage market is unique, we are looking for a sharp, organized, and analytical Inventory & Compliance Specialist to manage our receiving processes and keep our pricing competitive yet fully compliant with all state and local laws.
Position Summary
As the Inventory & Compliance Specialist, you will sit at the crossroads of store operations, profitability, and legal compliance. You will be responsible for the physical intake of inventory, executing thorough competitor price-matching research, and calculating retail prices. A key part of your role will be ensuring that all pricing models strictly adhere to Maryland’s alcohol regulations, including exact calculations of the state’s 9% alcohol sales tax and local trade practice rules.
Key Responsibilities
1. Inventory Intake & Quality Control
- Accurately receive, log, and process all incoming shipments of wine, spirits, and beer.
- Verify delivery invoices against purchase orders and physical inventory to identify and resolve discrepancies, breakage, or short-shipments.
- Ensure products are properly stickered, barcoded, and organized in our POS system and stockrooms.
2. Competitor Pricing & Market Analysis
- Actively monitor and analyze local competitor pricing in the Frederick County area to ensure Wine Districts remains highly competitive.
- Conduct regular competitor "price shopping" (both online and in-person) to gather market data on key products and high-volume items.
- Provide data-driven pricing recommendations to the management team to optimize profit margins.
3. Compliant Retail Price Calculations
- Calculate accurate retail shelf prices based on wholesale cost, freight, and target margins.
- Ensure all retail pricing models are in absolute compliance with Maryland State and Frederick County alcohol laws (including strict adherence to trade practice rules, distributor structures, and proper accounting of the 9% Maryland retail alcohol sales tax).
- Monitor wholesaler price changes and adjust our retail margins accordingly to prevent compliance violations.
Qualifications & Experience
- Experience: 1 years of experience in retail inventory management, purchasing, or bookkeeping, highly preferred. Experience specifically within the alcohol/beverage industry (especially in Maryland) is highly preferred.
- Math & Analytical Skills: Exceptional numerical accuracy. You must be comfortable calculating margins, markups, and multi-tier tax rates on a daily basis.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarity with Maryland’s retail alcohol landscape (e.g., Comptroller / ATCC regulations, county-specific rules, and the 9% tax structure) is a massive plus.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency with retail POS systems, inventory management software, and MS Excel (vlookups, formulas, etc.).
- Physical Requirements: Ability to stand for extended periods and comfortably lift/move cases of wine and spirits (up to 45 lbs).
What We Offer
- Competitive hourly wage/salary (dependent on experience).
- Employee discounts on our incredible selection.
- Opportunities for career growth within a locally respected, fast-growing business.
- A collaborative and dynamic work environment.
Cover Letter: Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter explaining your experience with inventory tracking, price calculations, or beverage retail to info@winedistricts.com
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time
Pay: From $22.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Employee discount
Work Location: In person
Salary : $22