Head Monger - Bleecker

Murray's Cheese; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

3 weeks’ vacation and sick time

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

401k with Company Match

Life Insurance and LTD options

Paid parental leave

Annual bonus and referral program

Pre‑tax commuter benefits

Discounts on products, classes, and餐

Job summary

Murray’s Cheese is seeking a Head Cheesemonger to lead our retail team, combining customer service with product knowledge, inventory control, and food preparation in a fast-paced shop.

You will supervise staff, manage daily operations, and support events, tastings, and educational activities, while ensuring exceptional service and product quality at both our Bleecker Street and Grand Central locations.

Qualifications

• Flexible weekend, holiday, opening, closing, and mid‑day shifts.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and time‑management skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment and manage multiple tasks.
• Proficiency with basic computer and POS systems.
• Experience in retail, customer service, or the food industry, preferably with cheese knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Assist customers with product selection and provide expert knowledge on cheeses and specialty foods.
• Cut, wrap, and weigh products to customer specifications.
• Lead staff, train new team members, and uphold company values.
• Manage inventory, FIFO rotation, pricing, labeling, and merchandising.
• Prepare cheese boards, snacks, and in‑house items for sale.
• Support events, tastings, and educational workshops.
• Process online, catering, and retail orders accurately and timely.
• Maintain shop cleanliness and strict food safety standards.

Skills

Leadership

Customer service

Communication

Time management

Retail experience

Basic computer skills

POS systems

Inventory management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Register systems

Inventory management software

Job description

Job Overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Head Cheesemonger to join our retail team! This multifaceted role combines customer-facing responsibilities, inventory management, food preparation, and educational outreach in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. You will be responsible for ensuring excellent customer service, maintaining product quality, leading staff, and supporting operational tasks within the shop. This position may involve both sales and production duties, with potential leadership responsibilities for supervising and training other team members.

Job Overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic and skilled Head Cheesemonger to join our retail team! This multifaceted role combines customer-facing responsibilities, inventory management, food preparation, and educational outreach in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. You will be responsible for ensuring excellent customer service, maintaining product quality, leading staff, and supporting operational tasks within the shop. This position may involve both sales and production duties, with potential leadership responsibilities for supervising and training other team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Service & Product Knowledge
  • Assist customers with product selection, offer samples, and provide expert knowledge on cheeses, charcuterie, and specialty foods.
  • Cut, wrap, and weigh products to customer specifications.
  • Guide customers through the cheese and charcuterie selection process, delivering an engaging, educational, and enjoyable experience.
  • Build relationships with customers and promote new products, seasonal offerings, and pairings.
  • Handle customer inquiries, resolve issues, and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Inventory & Merchandising
  • Receive and organize product deliveries, ensuring accurate stock and quality checks.
  • Maintain proper inventory levels, rotating products using FIFO principles, and ensure products are well-stocked, properly priced/labeled, and visually appealing.
  • Assist in stocking shelves and maintaining a neat, organized and clean sales floor and back-of-house area.
• Food Safety & Cleanliness
  • Adhere to food safety standards and maintain cleanliness throughout the shop, including food prep areas and storage.
  • Perform daily cleaning tasks and ensure the highest standards of sanitation.
• Food Preparation & Event Support
  • Prepare cheese and snack trays, parfaits, and other in‑house items for sale.
  • Assist with the setup and cleanup of events, tastings, and educational workshops as needed.
  • Ensure that food safety standards are followed in all food handling and preparation tasks.
• Administrative & Operational Duties
  • Process online, catering, and retail orders in a timely and accurate manner.
  • Monitor and manage shop cleanliness, organization, and food safety adherence.
  • Maintain product descriptions, inventory logs, and assist with purchasing and replenishment as needed.
• Team Leadership & Training
  • Supervise, coach, and mentor team members, providing guidance and training on cheese knowledge, product handling, customer service, and company core values.
  • Coordinate tasks, delegate responsibilities, and ensure efficient workflow, especially during peak hours or in the absence of management.
  • Help train new staff members and support their integration into the team.
• General Support as Needed
  • Responsibilities may include cleaning, stocking, customer service, etc.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs.
• Comfortable with tasks requiring bending, twisting, reaching, and carrying.
• Operate equipment such as knives, scales, slicers, and food handling in a safe and efficient manner.

Qualifications

• Flexible availability for weekends, holidays, opening, closing, and mid‑day shifts.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and time‑management skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment and manage multiple tasks.
• Proficiency in basic computer skills (register systems, inventory management).
• Previous experience in retail, customer service, or the food industry, with a preference for experience in cheese or specialty foods.
• Commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and contributing to a positive team environment.
• Certifications: NYC Food Handler’s Certification or ServSafe preferred (not required).

Work Perks

• Weekly pay
• 3 weeks’ vacation and sick time
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• 401k with Company Match
• Life Insurance and LTD options
• Paid parental leave
• Annual bonus and referral program
• Pre‑tax commuter benefits
• Discounts on our products, classes, and restaurant
• And more!

About Us

Murray’s Cheese was born in Greenwich Village in 1962, and the heart of our business still resides in New York City with many ways to experience Murray’s locally. At the counter, our cheese experts and mongers serve thousands of neighborhood regulars, commuters, and tourists every year at our two locations—the Bleecker Street flagship retail experience, which also includes our mac & cheese counter, and our shop in Grand Central Market.

For those eager to learn more, we offer robust education and events programming and, for those looking to serve more, we provide catering of expertly crafted cheese boards and freshly made dishes. Oh, did we mention we also age our own cheese? Yeah, we do that too. We have state‑of‑the‑art cheese caves in Long Island City.

Because we like to share, we wanted to bring our exceptional cheese to people outside of New York too. So, we made Murray’s products available online at murrayscheese.com and in‑store with a curated selection of specialty cheese in more than a thousand Kroger and Kroger‑owned stores nationwide (and, growing every day!). And, through our wholesale business, you might enjoy Murray’s cheese at more than 600 restaurants across the country.

Murray’s Cheese provides equal employment opportunities to all employees/applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type on the basis of race, gender, gender‑identity/expression and transgender status, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability (including gender dysphoria and being a certified medical marijuana patient), sexual orientation, marital, partnership, parental or familial status, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions, military/veteran status, genetic information or testing (including predisposing genetic characteristics), domestic violence victim status, sexual abuse victim status, stalking victim status, caregiver status, unemployment status, consumer credit history, arrest or conviction record, or the perception that an employee has one of the above characteristics or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local laws. If contacted for an employment opportunity, please notify our HR team if you need accommodation.

E-Verify Notice

• This employer participates in E‑Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Please see the attached notice for more information.
• Este empleador participa en E‑Verify y proporcionará al gobierno federal la información de su Formulario I‑9 para confirmar que usted está autorizado para trabajar en los EE.UU.. Por favor, consulte el aviso adjunto para obtener más información.
• Attachment: E‑Verify_Participation_Poster_Eng_Es.pdf