Liquor Operations Manager - Hybrid - Edina, MN

United Natural Foods, Inc.; Edina, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

United Natural Foods, Inc. is seeking a Liquor Operations Manager to provide elevated field leadership and strategic oversight across liquor locations from the Edina, MN area.

You will align merchandising, buying, receiving, and inventory practices to improve sales, shrink, and customer experience. The role requires strong financial acumen, the ability to influence cross-functional partners, and a track record of driving durable improvements in multi-store environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or four years of experience in a similar or related role.
• Five or more years of progressive retail grocery leadership experience preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership across liquor stores with responsibility for execution and financial performance preferred.
• Experience influencing strategic business decisions and cross-functional partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead liquor operational execution across assigned stores or market with clear standards and measurable outcomes.
• Conduct regular store visits to evaluate merchandising, inventory accuracy, pricing, and adherence to standards.
• Identify performance gaps, diagnose root causes, and build action plans to improve execution and financial results.
• Analyze sales, gross profit, shrink, labor, and inventory metrics across districts to drive performance.
• Develop strategies and frameworks that improve long-term liquor operations and store performance.
• Partner with Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, and leadership to shape standards and priorities.
• Coach Liquor Managers on disciplined buying, promotions, replenishment, and inventory management.

Skills

Leadership

Retail leadership

Inventory management

Operational excellence

Financial analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategy development

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Four years of related experience

Job description

*This is a hybrid role out of the Edina, MN office.

Job Overview:

The Liquor Operations Manager provides elevated field leadership and strategic operational oversight between the Liquor Merchandising team, store leadership, and liquor store locations to ensure consistent execution of buying, receiving, merchandising, inventory management, and operational standards. This role is accountable for improving operational excellence, reinforce merchandising strategies, improving inventory accuracy, shrink results, and delivering an exceptional customer experience across all liquor locations.

As a higher-level leadership role, the Liquor Operations Manager is expected to influence Store Directors, Department Managers, District Directors, Merchandising, and other cross-functional partners to deliver measurable business results. The role moves beyond support and monitoring by establishing clear expectations, diagnosing root causes, leading market-level action plans, developing leadership capability, and holding teams accountable for sustained improvement in sales, gross profit, shrink, labor productivity, inventory accuracy, and operational standards.

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead liquor operational execution across assigned stores or market, setting clear expectations for standards, priorities, accountability, and measurable performance outcomes.
• Conduct regular store visits and operational assessments to evaluate merchandising, cleanliness, in-stock conditions, inventory accuracy, pricing and signing, production execution, labor effectiveness, and compliance with company standards.
• Own the identification of performance gaps, root causes, and corrective actions; build sustainable store and market-level action plans that improve execution, accountability, and financial results.
• Accountable for liquor store financial performance by analyzing and delivering sales, gross profit, shrink, labor, productivity, inventory turns, ordering effectiveness, production planning, and department-level operating metrics across districts.
• Develop liquor store operational strategies and execution frameworks that improve long-term business performance.
• Partner with Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, and Store Operations leadership to shape future operating standards and business priorities.
• Provide operational guidance and recommendations that influence district leadership.
• Lead shrink reduction strategy and execution by identifying loss drivers, strengthening inventory controls, improving product rotation and handling practices, reinforcing production discipline, and ensuring stores are held accountable for results.
• Improve ordering discipline, forecast alignment, inventory levels, out-of-stock conditions, and overstock opportunities to support sales growth, customer satisfaction, and waste reduction.
• Advanced working knowledge of Minnesota liquor laws, regulations, and statutes
• May include THC
• Acts as a liaison and counterpart to the Category Merchants relationships with Distributor partners.
• Meets regularly (monthly) with Merchandising team to align initiatives and plans.
• Displays, merchandising, buying, quantity deals needed to meet ad forecasting metrics
• Coach Liquor Managers on disciplined buying practices, including promotional purchases, seasonal commitments, replenishment strategies, inventory levels, and opportunity buys that support sales, margin, and inventory objectives.
• Support receiving accuracy by reinforcing best practices for invoice reconciliation, product verification, shortage resolution, damage processing, and timely movement of merchandise to the sales floor.
• Provide data-driven recommendations and decision support to improve sales, profitability, labor effectiveness, shrink, in-stock position, and customer experience.
• Serve as a key field leader and connector between Store Operations, Merchandising, Category Management, Supply Chain, and other support partners to remove barriers and improve fresh performance.
• Support new store openings, remodels, resets, seasonal sets, and grand openings by coordinating merchandising execution, product readiness, fixture setup, receiving flow, signage, and operational readiness.
• Measure effectiveness of operational initiatives through store visits, performance scorecards, department results, follow-up evaluations, and continuous improvement routines.
• Translate field insights, customer trends, competitive activity, and operational results into recommendations that influence merchandising strategies, process improvements, and business priorities.
• Act as the subject matter expert for total liquor operations, providing leadership guidance, best practices, escalation support, and execution direction across assigned stores.
• Reinforce performance accountability through timely feedback, progress reviews, coaching conversations, follow-up routines, recognition of improvement, and escalation of unresolved execution gaps.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements: Education/ Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or four years of experience in a similar or related role.

Experience:

• Five or more years of progressive retail grocery leadership experience preferred or equivalent leadership experience.
• Demonstrated leadership experience across liquor stores with responsibility for execution and financial performance strongly preferred.
• Experience leading through others, influencing cross-functional partners, managing store or market-level performance, and driving measurable improvement in sales, shrink, labor, gross profit, and operational standards preferred.
• Experience influencing strategic business decisions.

Knowledge/Skills/ Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of total liquor operations, including merchandising standards, food safety, production planning, inventory management, ordering, labor utilization, shrink controls, and customer experience.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen with the ability to interpret sales, gross profit, shrink, labor, productivity, inventory, and customer metrics and translate results into clear priorities and action plans.
• Proven ability to diagnose root causes, prioritize opportunities, establish routines, and lead sustainable operational improvements across multiple stores or departments.
• Strong leadership, coaching, influencing, and relationship-building skills with the ability to develop Store Directors, Department Managers, and cross-functional partners without direct authority.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills with the ability to communicate performance insights, priorities, and recommendations clearly to store, district, and senior operations leaders.
• Ability to manage multiple markets, stores, initiatives, and priorities while operating independently in a high-travel, field-based leadership environment.
• Sound judgment, decision-making, business ownership, and organization skills with the ability to set direction, follow up consistently, and hold teams accountable for achieving company goals.

Work Environment: Onsite Role:

This position requires the associate to perform all duties at one of our UNFI locations, such as a distribution center or office.

Travel (minor):

In-metro and out-of-metro travel is required up to 80% for this position.

Physical Environment/Demands:

Office Roles:

• Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.
• Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at a desk or computer terminal.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephones, and other office equipment in the course of a normal workday.
• Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in the completion of job duties.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work performed by the employees assigned to this job. All employees must comply with Company policy and applicable laws. The responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified may vary within each department and/or location.

UNFI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment for all. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other protected ground. Accommodation is available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the job selection process. - Veteran/Disability. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Compensation:

UNFI anticipates paying the above-referenced pay rate (or within the above-referenced pay range) for this position. Actual Pay, where applicable, will depend on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, education, experience, training, and any requirements under applicable collective bargaining agreements. UNFI is committed to transparency in pay in compliance with applicable state and local laws.

Benefits:

For Washington positions (or positions that may be performed remotely from Washington), https://www.unfi.com/jobs-more-info-wa.html for Washington-specific paid time off details.

Candidates hired into this position will also be eligible to participate in the following benefits programs: Paid Time Off; Sick Time; paid holidays and parental leave; 401K Program; medical, dental, vision, life, and accidental death/dismemberment insurance; short-term and long-term disability insurance program, Flexible Spending Account and/or Health Savings Account, subject to meeting the eligibility requirements and the terms and conditions of these programs, and subject to any requirements under applicable collective bargaining agreements.

UNFI’s compensation, benefits, and paid time off policies are subject to change in the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with applicable law. This job posting should not be construed as an offer of employment with certain terms, nor should it be construed as a guaranteed minimum.

Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act.