Produce Assistant Manager

Linden Hills Coop; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Linden Hills Coop in Minneapolis seeks a Produce Lead who assists in managing the Produce Department, ensuring exceptional customer service and compliance with company policies.

The ideal candidate should have 2+ years of retail produce experience, strong organizational and leadership skills, and be committed to customer satisfaction.

This role includes maintaining product quality and safety, training staff, and managing inventory.

Qualifications

• 2+ years retail produce experience.
• 1+ years purchasing or supervisory experience.
• Experience in retail or wholesale food distribution and sales.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Produce Manager in managing the Produce Department.
• Provide exceptional customer service and train staff.
• Manage purchasing and inventory of produce.

Skills

Customer service orientation

Organizational skills

Interpersonal communication

Problem-solving

Leadership

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

Company Description

At Linden Hills Co-op, we adhere to the following end policies:

• Provide and promote healthful choices for our members and shoppers
• Provide, use and promote earth‑friendly, sustainable products
• Encourage activism on sustainability, health and nutrition‑related issues
• Build community within Linden Hills and neighboring communities.

The idea for a natural foods cooperative in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis’s Lakes district was first considered in 1975, by a small group of neighborhood residents interested in having access to organic, local and natural food. After a series of planning meetings and initial fundraising, a small space was secured and the new co‑op opened on March 12, 1976. At the end of Linden Hills Co‑op’s first fiscal year, $101.69 in profit was divided among the twenty‑four founding members.

In the nearly 40 years since then, Linden Hills Co‑op has moved and expanded its offerings four times while remaining the neighborhood’s primary grocer—“big enough to meet your needs; small enough to meet your neighbors.” With a full‑service deli, great selection of locally made and locally raised foods, many choices for different dietary needs, and a sunny indoor dining area, the co‑op serves as a community gathering place—with groceries.

Job Description

This position is primarily responsible for assisting the Produce Manager in managing all functions and activities of the Produce Department to achieve sales and profit standards and to ensure enforcement of all company policies by performing the following duties.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Customer Service

• Assists customers with questions in a prompt, friendly, and courteous manner.
• Offers suggestions for purchases and ways to prepare products.
• Models exceptional customer service skills and communicates expectations to staff.
• Ensures staff is trained in assisting customers within the store by providing information, locating products, explaining membership, and providing any other service the customer may need.
• Ensures that staff are trained and supported to uphold department standards.
• Learns and teaches specifics of guest relations to include thorough follow‑through of all complaints and problems.

Purchasing

• Places orders with established suppliers within guidelines set by Produce Manager.
• Receives produce deliveries and follows established receiving procedures.
• Obtains credit from suppliers as needed; fills out credit form and asks for pickup.
• Prices produce to achieve margin and sales goals while maintaining a competitive image.
• Ensures updated accurate prices are given to Scanning Coordinator.
• Assists Produce Manager in selecting items for specials and marks down items as needed to reduce losses.
• Coordinates with manager and staff new arrivals and seasonal changes.
• Orders products from authorized vendors and adheres to receiving policies and procedures.
• Assures accuracy and accountability of all Produce Department invoices and expenses.
• Sets up attractive produce displays following guidelines of Produce Manager.
• Performs all Produce Department stocking duties as needed.
• Sets prepping and stocking priorities for produce staff.
• Offers samples and suggestions for purchase and preparation.
• Visits other stores for ideas on products, display, pricing.
• Assists in development of merchandising guidelines.
• Coordinates and assists with placing new items and seasonal changes into effect efficiently.
• Ensures produce department is fully stocked, faced, and rotated, following established merchandising procedures.
• Keeps all supplies stocked and equipment in working order, communicates maintenance needs to the Produce Manager.
• Assists Produce Manager in the design and implementation of procedures for ordering, receiving, inventory tracking, and back‑room organization.

Personnel

• Participates in hiring and training of applicants.
• Participates in conducting performance evaluations.
• Schedules department staff to meet store and customer needs within budgetary constraints.
• Assists Produce Manager in application of Attendance Policy and other store policies.
• Addresses performance and personnel issues in a timely manner and in adherence to company’s policies.
• Assists the Produce Manager as necessary to train, schedule, and maintain a qualified team.
• Identifies training opportunities and coordinates needs with Produce Manager.
• Meets labor, sales and margin goals determined.
• Maintains working knowledge of personnel reports, margin reports, weekly sales numbers and financial goals.
• Communicates relevant sales, margin and labor goals to team on a regular basis.
• Communicates standards, expectations, policy changes and product knowledge to team.

Other Requirements

• Participates in inventory.
• Ensures compliance with company’s safety practices and procedures, both throughout the store and within the department.
• Ensures that sales floor department shelves, displays, aisles, and storage areas are maintained in a clean, orderly condition, satisfying Health Department and store safety standards.
• Ensures safety of staff and customers, responds to emergencies and safety hazards.
• Ensures safety and quality of all produce products by monitoring storage conditions, temperatures and shelf life; discounts short dated product.
• Ensures that unsellable items are returned for credit or disposed of following company procedures.
• Other duties may be assigned by Produce Manager.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

• Able to work a flexible schedule to include weekends and holidays.
• Friendly, courteous, service‑oriented, professional, outgoing, and customer service orientated.
• Recognize problems, identify possible causes and resolve routine problems.
• Excellent organizational, leadership, interpersonal communication and computer skills.
• Excellent judgment and discretion; ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously, meet deadlines, and handle work‑related stress is required.
• Experience in retail or wholesale food distribution and sales.
• Proven ability to execute complex multi‑variable tasks like ordering, displaying product and prioritizing tasks and duties.
• Ability to work in extreme temperature conditions. Competent dexterity to handle a wide variety of produce, use knives and bundle or repackage product.
• Knowledge of organic and commercial growing practices and organic certification regulations.
• May require some travel on an as needed basis.
• Natural food store experience preferred.

Education & Experience:

• 2+ years retail produce experience.
• 1+ years purchasing or supervisory experience.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Prolonged standing and walking.
• Ability to perform continuous fine work and gripping with hands.
• Corrected vision to enable reading small print.
• Frequent reaching, bending, twisting, and rotating.
• Ability to lift 60 lbs. repeatedly, occasionally more.
• Ability to work outdoors, sometimes under extreme temperature and weather conditions.
• Clear spoken English and ability to perceive spoken voice clearly.

Additional Information

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership in a local commission, the presence of disabilities, sexual orientation, age, or other characteristics protected by law. In addition to the application, other assessments, including, but not limited to, interviews, job‑related skill testing, personality testing, background verification and reference verification may be required prior to employment.