BAKERY/CAKE DECORATOR

Kroger Family of Companies; Vernon Hills (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Kroger Family of Companies in Vernon Hills, IL is seeking a Bakery Associate to deliver outstanding customer experiences in a fast-paced grocery environment. You will assist the bakery department, decorate items, maintain product quality, and ensure safety standards are followed.

Responsibilities include advising customers, stocking and labeling products, and supporting inventory control while collaborating with the department team to meet sales goals.

Qualifications

• Retail experience in a customer-facing role.
• Bakery/cake decorating experience preferred.
• Ability to handle stressful situations in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of basic math for transactions and measurements.
• Effective communication with customers and team members.

Responsibilities

• Create an outstanding customer experience with exceptional service and help customers find products.
• Gain knowledge of department products and respond to questions with suggestions.
• Offer product samples and assist with bakery items, including wedding cakes, using proper equipment.
• Recommend bakery items to meet customer needs and ensure freshness.
• Check product quality, review sell-by dates, and use bakery equipment properly.
• Decorate cakes, pastries, cupcakes, and cookies.
• Label, stock, sign, and inventory department merchandise.
• Report discrepancies in ordering/shipping to the department manager.
• Be familiar with store layout and current ads; assist customers in locating products.
• Monitor inventory/stocking conditions and note discrepancies.
• Follow health, safety, and food safety regulations.
• Support safety programs and report unsafe conditions to management.
• Perform preventive maintenance and report repairs as needed.
• Report safety risks, theft, or fraud and incidents to management.
• Perform essential job functions with or without accommodation.

Skills

Retail experience

Bakery decorating

Stress management

Math basics

Communication skills

Job description

Create an outstanding customer experience through exceptional service. Establish and maintain a safe and clean environment that encourages customers to return. Assist the department manager in reaching sales and profit goals established for the department and monitor all established quality assurance standards. Demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety. RESPONSIBILITIES - Create an environment that enables customers to feel welcome, important and appreciated by answering questions regarding products sold within the department and throughout the store

• Gain and maintain knowledge of products sold within the department and be able to respond to questions and make suggestions about products

• Offer product samples to help customers discover new items or products they inquire about; prepare bakery items, including wedding cakes, per customer requests using proper bakery equipment

• Recommend bakery items to customers to ensure they get the products they want and need

• Check product quality to ensure freshness; review sell by dates and take appropriate action; use all equipment in bakery such as the refrigerators, freezers, and ovens according to company guidelines

• Decorate cakes, pastries, cupcakes, cookies and other bakery items

• Label, stock, sign, and inventory department merchandise

• Report product ordering/shipping discrepancies to the department manager

• Understand the store's layout and be able to locate products when requested by customer; stay current with present, future, seasonal and special ads

• Maintain an awareness of inventory/stocking conditions note any discrepancies in inventory

• Adhere to all local, state and federal health and civil code regulations

• Ensure that all current merchandising, customer service, labor control, expense and supply controls, loss prevention, maintenance, safety, food safety, associate and customer engagement rules are being followed

• Reinforce safety programs by complying with safety procedures and identify unsafe conditions and notify store management

• Practice preventive maintenance by properly inspecting equipment and notify appropriate department or store manager of any items in need of repair

• Report all safety risk, or issues, and illegal activity, including: robbery, theft or fraud; notify management of customer or employee accidents

• Must be able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation

QUALIFICATIONS * Minimum *

Any retail experience

Any bakery/cake decorating experience

Ability to handle stressful situations

Knowledge of basic math

Effective communication skills

• Desired *

Second language: speaking, reading and/or writing

$17.65 - $20.65 per hour