General Manager

North Country Food Co-op; City of Plattsburgh (NY); On-site; USD 53,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick and vacation

Simple IRA retirement plan

Job summary

North Country Food Co-op in Plattsburgh, NY seeks an engaging General Manager to lead the community‑owned store. The GM will plan, direct, and evaluate financial, operating, and human resources in line with board policies and cooperative principles.

The role requires strategic education, staff development, and strong customer relations. Reporting to the Board, you will manage budgets, operations, and external relationships while maintaining the cooperative’s mission and values.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate must have a successful career in grocery/retail management.
• Outstanding communication skills and change management abilities.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate others and maintain integrity.
• Commitment to personal, social and cooperative values of the co‑op.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Board to plan and implement goals and budgets.
• Hire, develop and evaluate staff; set performance expectations.
• Direct financial operations including payroll and vendor contracts.
• Foster engagement and accountability across workers and members.
• Develop relationships with members, partners, public officials and media.

Skills

Cooperative grocery management

Retail management

Communication skills

Change management

Leadership

Job description

Qualified candidates will be experienced cooperative grocery and/or retail managers with the ability to integrate daily business management practices with visionary thinking to implement the NCFC Board of Directors’ policies in combination with the co‑op’s mission and values. The ideal candidate must demonstrate: a successful career in management in the grocery and/or retail industry; outstanding communication skills, change management; the proven ability to lead and motivate others; and the highest integrity, personal responsibility, and personal, social, and cooperative values required for continued growth of our community‑owned cooperative.

About Us:

Situated along the coast of Lake Champlain, just north of the Adirondack Mountains, the North Country
Food Co-op (NCFC) sits in the heart of downtown Plattsburgh, New York. The NCFC is seeking an engaging visionary general manager to lead our community‑owned food cooperative into the future in an increasingly competitive environment.
Founded in 1974 by health‑conscious and community‑minded individuals, we have grown from a tiny
culturally iconic store with a volunteer staff to a thriving member‑owned grocery store with a square footage of approximately 4000, over 2,800 member‑owners, 15 employees, and $2 million in annual revenue.

Title: General Manager
Reports to: Board of Directors
Supervises: All Employees
FLSA Status: Exempt, salaried
Salary range: $53,000 - $58,000 commensurate with experience
Benefits: Paid sick and vacation, Simple IRA retirement plan

Position Summary:

The General Manager (GM) serves as the senior executive of the North Country Food Co‑Op (NCFC). The
GM’s primary responsibility is to plan, direct, coordinate, evaluate, develop and control the financial, operating and human resources of NCFC, in accordance with the cooperative’s policies and objectives. In partnership and consultation with the Board of Directors, the GM will develop and steward a program of education, job training, skill building and customer relations that fosters cooperative participation, leadership and skills among all workers. The GM is accountable to the Board of Directors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Board Relations and Planning

• In partnership with the Board of Directors, the GM establishes an appropriate plan to implement Board‑defined goals and policies and evaluate the achievements of annual and long‑term growth, service and financial objectives consistent with the mission and values of the North Country Co‑op.
• Meets with the Board and committees as required.
• Guides the development and implementation of plans and budgets that provide for timely availability and utilization of physical, financial and human resources to achieve specified goals.
• Keeps the Board of Directors fully informed of relevant current or emerging issues and trends and maintains an open and cooperative relationship with the Board so that timely and informed decisions may be made. Along these lines, GM will prepare and present timely and effective reports to the Board supported with appropriate analysis. Reports will focus on: Monitoring business performance and compliance with Board policies and limits defined by the Board, Progress toward operational, financial, workforce and member development goals, Significant deviations from goals, compliance or sound business performance, Plans for corrective action.

Management of Staff, Facilities and Operations

• Hires and/or assigns staff to carry out the organization’s established goals and objectives, establishes performance expectations and compensation, and manages, coaches and guides staff to help them meet performance expectations.
• Ensures that all legal, tax and other financial obligations of the North Country Food Co‑op are met and takes necessary action to secure continued stability.
• Develops and maintains a system of consistent, reciprocal communication and feedback that fosters engagement, leadership, continuous learning, mutual respect and accountability among all workers.
• Evaluates the performance of staff and ensures that the human resource policies, goals and expectations as set by the Board are being met.

Financial and Planning

• Develop and recommend to the board of directors long‑ and short‑range plans to achieve co‑op purposes as defined by the board and management.
• Prepare operating and capital budgets for approval by the board, in conjunction with the board’s treasurer where appropriate, and be held accountable for control of resources.
• Direct all financial operations of the cooperative. This would include accounts payable, payroll, and account reconciliation.
• Investigate new business opportunities and make recommendations to the board of directors on expansion, relocation, and acquisitions; conduct negotiations as agreed.
• Provide information to the board.
• Plan, execute, and support annual store‑wide inventory efforts.

Member and External Relationships

• Acts directly or through appropriate staff to ensure the existence of proper liaisons to the membership, business partners, public officials, government agencies, legislative bodies, committees and the news media.
• Provides opportunities for and facilitates participation in cooperative education, business and financial education, and democratic management for the staff and, where appropriate, the members.
• Develops and maintains an effective and harmonious relationship with the staff in order to ascertain needs, respond to questions, concerns and suggestions, improve cooperative participation, and promote common goals.
• Directs the development of products and services necessary for the survival and prosperity of the business.
• Is actively engaged in leading and/or facilitating member recruitment and retention.
• Attends North Country Food Co‑op programs and events as their schedule allows.

Networking and Association Relationships

• Establishes and maintains effective relationships with cooperatives of all sectors and the business community, government and other institutions, and the general public, to support and encourage the work of cooperatives and other people‑centered groups which share a common philosophy with cooperatives, and which provide opportunities for the Cooperative and its members to network and learn.
• Networks with appropriate organizations as necessary to help further the goals and objectives of the Cooperative.

Environment/Working Conditions:

Must be able to work outside of normal business hours. Travel required to attend meetings and/or interact with cooperative leaders, boards and committees, and related entities. Travel within and outside of Plattsburgh, NY is required with occasional overnight stays. A commitment to ongoing training and professional development is expected, and will come with stipends as appropriate.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities Include:

• Executing or supervising timely and accurate payroll.
• Monthly board reporting as defined by the board of directors.
• Ensuring sufficient appointment and on‑duty presence of management and staffing. Creating clear policies and communication practices.
• Overseeing store facilities, maintenance, safety and operational systems. Coordinating with service providers as needed.
• Directly supervising or delegation of supervision of volunteers.
• Regular check‑ins with staff, especially department heads and ordering personnel. Facilitating regular staff meetings.
• Supporting professionalism in the workplace among all staff, including dress, customer relations, customer communication, and any other as deemed appropriate and necessary by the GM.
• Assisting with or supervising stocking and organization of merchandise and orders.

Performance Measurement:

• Leadership of the North Country Food Co‑op generally
• Personal Integrity
• Communications Skills
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Management of Staff, including training and education
• Government Affairs & Cooperative Education
• Relationship with Board
• Planning Skills
• Relations with Member Cooperatives and Partner Organizations
• Goal Attainment
• All additional responsibilities as defined above, and as defined by the GM and ratified by the Board from time to time as appropriate