Grocery Manager (Full-Time)

Job Application

Contact hiring@kitsapfood.coop with questions or for more information

Come join the Kitsap Food Co-op team in Bremerton! We are accepting applications for a full-time Grocery Manager for the Stage 1 limited opening of our small grocery store. Candidates should have grocery or retail experience and a desire to provide excellent customer service.  This is a nonexempt, full-time position that could include evenings or weekends; a flexible schedule is required. Please read the full job description for qualifications, basic responsibilities, and wage range.  Starting wage will depend on experience.

GROCERY MANAGER POSITION SUMMARY:

Wage: $16 – $18/hour.  

Reports to: Board of Directors

Supervises: Assistant Grocery Manager and Cashier/Clerk

JOB SUMMARY: Responsible for ensuring an organized and smoothly run small grocery store. Primary categories included in the department are grocery, produce, frozen, dairy/refrigerated, bulk, HABA and general merchandise. The grocery manager will be the primary person making sure that there is adequate cashier coverage throughout the day and that all other grocery related tasks get done, including making sure that the entire store is maintained in a clean and orderly fashion at all times to the greatest extent possible. The grocery manager is responsible for overseeing, training, scheduling, supervising, evaluating and providing constructive discipline for employees when needed. In the initial stage of limited operations (prior to expansion into the full retail space), this position works closely with all Kitsap Community Food Co-op Board of Directors and operational advisors to ensure store efficiency, availability of quality products, excellent customer service and high staff morale. All management and staff will work together to uphold the mission of the Co-op.

Upon completion of the full store expansion (anticipated to occur within 12 months) this position will become eligible for promotion to General Manager, with commensurate wage increase, in a competitive hiring process.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

  • Previous grocery experience preferred; including point of sale, taking inventory, stocking and facing product.
  • Excellent and effective communication skills; desire to provide exceptional customer service.
  • Ability to work closely and cooperatively with others.
  • Familiarity with natural foods and a variety of dietary needs.
  • Experience supervising and managing staff in a food service or retail setting preferred.
  • Ability to simultaneously track and manage a large quantity of detailed information.
  • Willingness and ability to learn and to meet the changing requirements of the job.
  • Willing to be cross-trained and cover shifts in other departments.
  • Ability to work with little or no supervision, communicate effectively and work under deadlines.
  • Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the business; some early mornings, evenings, holiday, and weekend shifts required.
  • Basic understanding of retail concepts and of retail industry.
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively multi-task, including organizational, prioritization, and time management skills.
  • Basic computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, and email programs).
  • Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.
  • Ability to consistently be at work and on time.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CUSTOMER SERVICE

  • Exhibit, coach, and reinforce world class customer service at all times.
  • Ensure department employees provide excellent customer service and receive appropriate customer service training.
  • Answer customer comments in a timely manner.
  • Explain store policies and procedures clearly, completely and concisely to staff, members, customers, and vendors.
  • Know store layout and be aware and knowledgeable about products in all departments.
  • Demonstrate high standards of ethics, honesty, trust, accountability, and respect.

FINANCIAL PRACTICES

  • Participate in the development of annual budget and long term strategic planning for labor and operating expenses and capital spending.
  • Meet labor, sales and margin goals determined in conjunction with Board of Directors/General Manager.
  • Maintain pricing structure that meets budget goals.
  • Maintain working knowledge of personnel reports, margin reports, weekly sales numbers and financial goals.
  • Assist in maintaining accurate PLU’s and prices in POS system.
  • Regularly review departmental and storewide financial reports and take corrective action as needed.
  • Communicate relevant sales, margin and labor goals to staff on a regular basis.
  • Communicate standards, expectations, policy changes and product knowledge to staff.

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

  • Actively participate in management and other planned meetings.
  • Represent the management team as “One Voice” and honor decisions after they have been made.
  • Stay current on global trends and changes that affect the natural food industry.
  • Work with management team as appropriate to routinely evaluate and improve product mix and pricing of products.
  • Work with management to develop promotional programs for the department including a Member Sales strategy that fits with the overall member benefit program.
  • Respond to challenging situations in a positive and professional manner including proposing new ideas or better ways of doing things.
  • Demonstrate regular, predictable work attendance.
  • Demonstrate a willingness and ability to cooperate and communicate with co-workers, supervisors, staff and/or outside contacts in a timely and appropriate manner.
  • Model supportive leadership qualities that motivate staff to achieve department goals and promote staff participation and team building.
  • Complete goals and tasks in a timely manner, meeting established deadlines.
  • Follow health and safety rules appropriate to the department.

PERSONNEL PRACTICES

  • Supervise all department staff, including hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating, in conjunction with management..
  • Actively address performance and personnel issues in a timely manner
  • Follow Co-op policies in the spirit intended
  • Work with managers and team members to develop goals, standards and procedures.
  • Establish and maintain a clear chain of accountability and responsibility among all department staff and organize a department communication system that encourages staff participation and mentoring.
  • Ensure that staff evaluations are completed properly and on time.
  • Organize and facilitate regular team meetings.
  • Follow good documentation practices.
  • Ensure that all staff in department receive appropriate orientation and training.
  • Develop and maintain useful departmental training materials and provide follow up training to ensure that standards are met uniformly by all staff.
  • Ensure appropriate safety training for all department staff.
  • Work with General Manager to assess staffing needs and create staff schedules.

MERCHANDISING AND PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

  • Work with management team to establish department merchandising, product selection criteria, category management, shelf set display, signage and promotional activity;
  • Establish and maintain a dynamic product mix.
  • Coordinate product selection and cross merchandising of products with other departments.
  • Continually work to improve product turn rates by evaluating products based on movement and sales trends.
  • Ensure adequate product and supplies are ordered and available for department.
  • Ensure that the department has attractive, informative signage.
  • Read trade journals to increase knowledge of industry trends and attend trade shows and other functions as needed.
  • Conduct periodic price comparisons with other stores.
  • Ensure that invoices are processed properly and delivered in a timely manner.
  • Oversee and/or participate in periodic inventory counts.
  • Set pricing to meet margin goals; mark-down items as needed to reduce losses.

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

  • Create purchase orders for products within the department based on inventory needs.
  • Purchase products for department according to store buying policies.
  • Maintain positive working relationship with suppliers.
  • Evaluate suppliers and research new sources of supply as necessary.
  • Negotiate as needed with suppliers for favorable prices and terms, quality and delivery.
  • Ensure invoices are reviewed for pricing and discount accuracy; ensuring accurate separation of inventory categories and subcategories.
  • Ensure compliance with all purchasing contracts.
  • Communicate ordering times, deadlines and changes in usual delivery time to other departments when vendor is shared.

OPERATIONS

  • Ensure that equipment is properly maintained and serviced.
  • Ensure that department display units, coolers, work areas, storage areas, sales floor and store entrance/exit are in clean and orderly condition.
  • Ensure that PLUs and prices are maintained in the Scales and POS system.
  • Ensure that proper signage, rotation, and merchandising occurs.
  • Research new products.
  • Ensure that products in department meet Kitsap Community Food Co-op product guidelines.
  • Set pricing guidelines for department to meet margin goals.
  • Ensure displays and signage are aesthetically appealing and accurate.
  • Oversee all day to day operations of department.
  • Establish daily work routines for department.
  • Oversee and facilitate ordering and receiving of all grocery items and supplies.
  • Create and maintain order guides as needed.
  • Ensure routine maintenance and cleaning of all designated grocery equipment.

OTHER DUTIES

  • Be able to explain membership system simply, efficiently and completely.
  • Keep supervisor informed of any problems and/or ideas.
  • Maintain a high level of product knowledge and communicate pertinent product information to the team.
  • Oversee and assist with implementing special order systems as needed.
  • Create when necessary, amend and/or maintain all systems which enable the grocery department to function efficiently and profitably.
  • Maintain Grocery staff schedule.
  • Know and promote Co-op Principles and Mission, Vision, and Values, and follows co-op work policies and procedures.
  • Perform other tasks and assume other responsibilities as directed by supervisor.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Attend meetings of the Board of Directors and provide operational status reports as required.
  • Observe safety and security procedures and report potentially unsafe conditions. Use equipment and materials properly.
  • Wear proper clothing during shift, including apron and nametag, adhering to standards as specified in the KCFC Co-op Employee Handbook.
  • Adhere to scheduled shifts and be ready for work when shift begins.
  • Maintain respectful communications with co-workers; practice behaviors that exhibit a strong work ethic and encourage teamwork.
  • Abide by all Co-op policies and procedures as specified in the Kitsap Community Food Co-op Employee Handbook.
  • Perform other duties as assigned by management.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Prolonged standing.
  • Ascend/Descend ladders.
  • Frequent kneeling, stooping, squatting, bending, reaching, and lifting.
  • Safely lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
  • Push/pull wheeled carts up to 150 pounds.
  • Ability to tolerate varying temperatures working with refrigerated or frozen products.
  • Operate box cutter, handcart, pallet jack.
  • Hearing required to converse with customers and co-workers.
  • Identify clearly bar codes, shelf tags, expiration dates, and product labels.
  • Distinguish color for quality control; ability to smell product to identify spoilage.
  • Peripheral vision and depth perception.

BENEFITS INCLUDE

  • Staff discount.
  • Paid vacation, personal leave and holidays.
  • Wearing a really cool Kitsap Community Food Co-op apron.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The job duties, responsibilities, skills, and the requirements and conditions listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that an employee may be required to perform. The employer reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and require employees to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business, competitive considerations or the work environment change.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.