Meat & Seafood Manager

J Recruiting Services; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k with company match

Paid vacation

Health insurance coverage

Performance bonus (10–15%)

Job summary

Confidential Grocery Retail Concept in Madison, WI is preparing for a ground-up store opening and seeks a hands-on Meat Manager to lead an ambitious meat and seafood department. You will define assortment, set pricing, coach staff, manage vendor relationships, and ensure product quality, service standards, and a best-in-class customer experience in a non‑corporate, ownership‑minded culture.

This role blends technical meat cutting expertise with leadership, training, and focus on margins, yield,

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of meat cuts, sourcing, and quality standards.
• Strong trainer and team leader.
• Financial awareness: pricing, margins, yield, shrink.
• Hands-on, floor-focused leadership with customer interaction.

Responsibilities

• Define meat and seafood assortment and vendor strategy.
• Establish ordering processes across multiple vendors and categories.
• Develop pricing strategy, margins, and product positioning.
• Prepare department workflows, staffing plans, and training approach.
• Manage all aspects of meat and seafood operations, including cutting, staffing, ordering, and service execution.
• Oversee ordering across multiple vendors and maintain inventory and shrink control.
• Educate customers on cuts, preparation methods, and product selection.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Meat cutting expertise

Vendor management

Education

Formal meat cutting training

Job description

Confidential Grocery Retail Concept | Madison, WI

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with a privately owned, independent grocery concept preparing for a new store opening in Madison, WI. This is a ground-up build focused on delivering a high-quality, full-service retail experience in an urban environment.

This is not a traditional corporate setting — the team is building something from scratch and seeking leaders who value ownership, craftsmanship, and accountability.

The Role

The Meat Manager will lead one of the most complex and visible departments in the store, overseeing a full-service meat and seafood operation including:

• Service meat counter (16 ft)
• Service seafood counter (16 ft)
• Self-service packaged case (~20 ft)

This role requires a highly skilled, hands-on operator who combines technical meat cutting expertise with strong leadership and business ownership. The Meat Manager will be responsible for product selection, pricing, merchandising, and delivering an exceptional customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-Opening

• Partner with leadership to define meat and seafood assortment and vendor strategy
• Establish ordering processes across multiple vendors and categories
• Develop pricing strategy, margins, and product positioning
• Prepare department workflows, staffing plans, and training approach

Post-Opening

• Manage all aspects of meat and seafood operations, including cutting, staffing, ordering, and service execution
• Oversee ordering across multiple vendors and maintain inventory and shrink control
• Ensure product quality, merchandising, and customer experience standards
• Train and develop team members in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment
• Maintain organization and efficiency across a complex department structure
• Educate customers on cuts, preparation methods, and product selection

What Success Looks Like

• A well-run, organized meat and seafood department with strong product availability and presentation
• Efficient ordering and inventory management despite high complexity
• A trained, engaged team delivering strong customer service
• Consistent execution across service counters and self-service cases
• Strong margins driven by effective pricing, yield management, and shrink control

Experience

• Hands-on meat cutting experience (formal training or career progression)
• Experience managing ordering, inventory, and vendor relationships
• Background in grocery, butcher shops, or specialty retail environments

What Matters Most

• Deep knowledge of meat cuts, sourcing, and quality standards
• Strong trainer and team leader
• Financial awareness (pricing, margins, yield, shrink)
• Comfort managing complexity and volume
• Hands‑on, floor‑focused leadership style with strong customer interaction
• Ability to educate and engage customers

Compensation

• 10–15% quarterly performance‑based bonus
• Additional incentives tied to store and department performance
• 401k with company match
• Paid vacation and time off
• Health insurance coverage options

Why This Role

• Opportunity to run a high‑impact, high‑visibility meat and seafood department
• Significant ownership over product selection, pricing, and operations
• Hands‑on leadership role in a non‑corporate environment
• Ability to build a diverse, high‑quality, and culturally relevant product assortment
• Work in an environment that values initiative and decision‑making