Grocery Manager

The Merc Co+op; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 40,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) match

Birthday recognition

EAP

Job summary

The Merc Co+op is seeking an experienced, people-focused Grocery Manager to lead Front End, Grocery, and Center Store Operations, empowering a team to deliver an outstanding customer experience and advance our community-owned cooperative mission.

Reporting directly to the Director of Operations, the ideal candidate will develop people, build effective teams, manage staffing and performance, and uphold food safety while driving sales, margins, and continuous improvement across departments.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of leadership or management experience.
• Experience leading teams in retail, grocery, hospitality, food service, or related industry.
• Strong communication, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven problem solving and decision making abilities.
• Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop department employees and specialists.
• Own department sales, labor, gross margin, and operational performance while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Build an accountable team by setting clear expectations, delegating effectively, and following through on commitments.
• Foster a positive culture of accountability, teamwork, and customer service.
• Manage staffing, scheduling, and labor resources.
• Delegate operational responsibilities and support team success.
• Partner with specialists/leads to ensure departments remain organized, well-stocked, and customer-ready.
• Monitor department performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead multiple projects and priorities while ensuring timely execution.
• Support merchandising, inventory management, and promotional execution.
• Address customer concerns professionally and effectively.
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards.
• Support and uphold The Merc's mission, values, and cooperative principles.

Skills

Leadership

People development

Retail/grocery experience

Communication

Operations management

Flexibility

Job description

The Merc Co+op is seeking an experienced, people-focused leader to join our team as Grocery Manager.

Reporting directly to the Director of Operations, this position oversees Front End, Grocery, and Center Store Operations while leading a team dedicated to delivering an outstanding customer experience and supporting The Merc's mission as a community-owned cooperative.

At The Merc, managers are empowered to make decisions, test new ideas, and have a meaningful impact on their departments. If you're looking for an opportunity to move beyond simply executing a corporate playbook and instead own business results through leadership, creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement, we'd love to hear from you.

The ideal candidate is a strong communicator who enjoys developing people, building effective teams, and creating an environment where employees can succeed.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, coach, and develop department employees and specialists
• Own department sales, labor, gross margin, and operational performance while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement
• Build an accountable team by setting clear expectations, delegating effectively, and following through on commitments.
• Foster a positive culture of accountability, teamwork, and customer service
• Manage staffing, scheduling, and labor resources
• Delegate operational responsibilities and support team success
• Partner with specialists / leads to ensure departments remain organized, well-stocked, and customer-ready
• Monitor department performance and identify opportunities for improvement
• Lead multiple projects and priorities while ensuring timely execution.
• Support merchandising, inventory management, and promotional execution
• Address customer concerns professionally and effectively
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards
• Support and uphold The Merc's mission, values, and cooperative principles

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of leadership or management experience
• Experience leading teams in retail, grocery, hospitality, food service, or a related industry
• Strong communication, coaching, and employee development skills
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment
• Proven problem-solving and decision-making abilities
• Flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Retail or grocery management experience
• Experience managing schedules, labor, and operational performance
• Knowledge of merchandising, inventory management, and customer service best practices
• Experience leading multiple work groups or departments
• Salary range: $40,000–$57,000 annually
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life insurance
• Company-paid long-term disability insurance
• 401(k) with up to a 3% company match
• Birthday and work anniversary recognition
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

About The Merc

The Merc Co+op is a community-owned grocery store committed to providing healthy food, supporting local producers, and strengthening our community. We believe that great food, sustainable business practices, and community investment can create positive change. We're looking for leaders who share those values and want their work to have a meaningful impact beyond the bottom line.

Join a team where your leadership can make a difference every day.