Store Manager Job Description

Kitsap Community Food Co-op: Store Manager

The Kitsap Community Food Co-op is currently operating an 800 sf cooperatively owned natural food store in downtown Bremerton. While small, the Co-op has grown steadily, reaching $400,000 in gross annual sales its first year. It is expected to reach $500,000 in its second.

We are seeking a full-time Store Manager to help us fulfill our mission to connect local people with local products, and to take the store to the next level. Candidates should have prior grocery/market or similar high-volume retail management experience, a willingness to work closely and constructively with our Board of Directors, and a desire to provide excellent customer service. This is a nonexempt, full-time position that could include evenings and/or weekends; a flexible schedule is required. Please read the full job description for qualifications, basic responsibilities, and wage range. Starting wage depends on experience.

STORE MANAGER POSITION SUMMARY

Wage: $18 - $20/hour
Status: Full-time (40 hrs per week) Reports to: Board of Directors
Supervises: Department Head and Cashier

The Store Manager provides day-to-day supervision of operations to ensure the store is organized, profitable, and efficient. With support from the Board of Directors, the Store Manager establishes and maintains budgets; provides guidance, support, and oversight to other store staff; ensures the consistent availability of mission-aligned products at appropriate prices; and establishes exceptional customer service practices. The Store Manager will also participate heavily in expansion planning and implementation.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

● A basic understanding of retail financial concepts, including pricing mechanisms, margins, and operating budgets, and the application of these concepts in day-to-day store management.
● Previous grocery or similar high-volume retail experience; including point of sale use, inventory tracking, product merchandising.
● Experience supervising and managing staff in a food service or retail setting.
● Solid computer literacy, including Microsoft Office Professional products (Access, Excel, Word) and modern Point of Sale Software (Clover and associated apps, or similar).
● Effective verbal and written communication skills
● Ability to work closely and cooperatively with the Board and store staff.
● Familiarity with natural foods, food production practices, and a variety of dietary needs.
● Willingness and ability to meet the changing requirements of the job.
● Ability to work with little or no supervision and under deadlines.
● Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the business.
● Demonstrated ability to effectively multi-task with strong attention to detail

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

FINANCIAL PRACTICES

● Participate in the development of short-term (weekly/monthly) and annual operating budgets and long term strategic planning for capital spending.
● Meet labor, sales, and margin goals set in conjunction with the Board of Directors
● Maintain pricing structure that meets budget goals.
● Maintain working knowledge of personnel reports, margin reports, weekly sales numbers, and financial goals.
● Maintain accurate sales and inventory data in the POS and associated systems.
● Maintain accurate invoice and expenditure data, and provide this to bookkeeping on schedule
● Reconcile invoices and expenditures with the bank statement to guide cash flow
● Regularly review departmental and storewide financial reports and take timely corrective action as needed.
● Communicate relevant sales, margin and labor goals to staff on a regular basis.
● Develop financially sustainable in-store member benefit and other promotional programs

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

● Schedule and participate in management and other planned meetings.
● Represent the staff as “One Voice” and honor decisions after they have been made.
● Respond to challenging personal and professional situations in a constructive manner with a focus on solutions.
● Demonstrate a consistent willingness and ability to communicate with staff, the board, and outside contacts in a timely and appropriate manner.
● Model supportive leadership qualities that motivate staff to achieve goals and promote staff participation and team building.
● Complete goals and tasks in a timely manner, meeting established deadlines.
● Uphold all health and safety rules, keep current on best practices for grocery during the COVID19 pandemic..

PERSONNEL PRACTICES

● Supervise all store staff, including hiring, training, scheduling, and corrective action, as needed.
● Ensure that all staff receive appropriate orientation and training, and that all hiring documents are completed at hiring.
● Follow and uphold Co-op Personnel Policies in the spirit intended
● Actively address performance and personnel issues in a timely manner
● Work with team members to develop and document goals, standards, and procedures.
● Establish and maintain a clear chain of accountability and responsibility among all staff and organize a 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, maintaining an accurate and current file for each employee
● Develop and maintain useful 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.
● Keep shift supervisors informed of any problems or policy changes as they occur.

MERCHANDISING AND PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

● Stay current on global trends and changes that affect the natural food industry.
● Establish and maintain an appropriate and dynamic product mix.
● Establish merchandising, product selection criteria, category management, shelf set display, signage and promotional activity;
● Coordinate product selection and cross merchandising of products across categories.
● 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 at all times.
● 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.
● Schedule and oversee quarterly inventory counts.
● Set pricing to meet margin goals; mark-down items as needed to reduce losses.

PURCHASING

● Ensure that all products meet Kitsap Community Food Co-op product guidelines.
● Create purchase orders for products based on inventory and sales trends.
● Develop and maintain positive working relationships 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.
● Ensure compliance with all purchasing contracts.
● Communicate ordering times, deadlines and changes in usual delivery time to other departments when vendor is shared.
● Update vendor catalogs and order guides as needed.

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 accurate PLUs, product names, and prices are maintained in the POS and online sales systems.
● Ensure that proper signage, rotation, and merchandising occurs.
● Ensure displays and signage are aesthetically appealing, informative, and accurate.
● Establish, document, and uphold daily, weekly, and monthly protocols
● Oversee and facilitate receiving and storage of product and store supplies.
● Ensure routine maintenance and cleaning of all designated grocery equipment.
● Promptly communicate unusual our costly operational needs or expenses to the Board
● Observe safety and security procedures and report potentially unsafe conditions. Use equipment and materials properly.

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.
● Respond to 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.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

● Be able to explain the Co-op’s membership system to staff and customers simply, efficiently, and completely.
● 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.
● Know and promote Co-op Principles and Mission, Vision, and Values
● Attend meetings of the Board of Directors and provide operational status reports as required.
● 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.

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 (15%)
● Paid vacation, personal leave, and some holidays.

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.