PRODUCE/DEPT LEADER

Quality Food Centers; Kirkland (WA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Quality Food Centers, Inc. in Kirkland, WA is seeking a Produce Department Manager to lead daily operations, supervise staff, and uphold standards of freshness, courtesy, and safety. You will direct receiving, pricing, merchandising, and inventory to maximize sales and profits.

You must plan work schedules, train employees, resolve customer issues, and communicate effectively with store teams. The role requires initiative, integrity, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced retail environment

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to manage people and workloads in a retail setting.
• Strong merchandising and customer service skills.
• Experience with labor scheduling and expense control.

Responsibilities

• Develop customer relations within the department by leading with friendliness and courtesy.
• Supervise all produce department operations including receiving, pricing, and merchandising.
• Plan and direct schedules for full- and part-time staff for maximum efficiency.
• Maintain department appearance, uniforms, and identification of staff.
• Handle customer complaints and resolve issues promptly and professionally.
• Ensure accurate price marking and proper stock levels through effective inventory management.
• Communicate with store management and other departments to implement company initiatives.
• Perform duties as assigned by store manager or supervisor.
• Promote safety, honesty, and integrity in all interactions.

Skills

People management

Merchandising

Customer service

Labor scheduling

Communication skills

Decision making

Stress management

Tools

POS system

Inventory software

Job description

Implement all company and division policies to achieve maximum sales and profits in the produce departments. Demonstrate the company’s core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion, and safety.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop maximum customer relations by produce department personnel through personal example of friendliness and courtesy, and implementation of all company polices.
• Be alert and assist in store security.
• Be perceptive and handle customer complaints.
• Make recommendations regarding the hiring, firing, disciplining, demoting, transferring and evaluating all produce department personnel.
• Proper indoctrination of all department employees. Be sure they can read scales and prices correctly.
• Provide adequate knowledge and training of price marking, ensuring the proper emphasis on customer courtesy and productivity is developed and that skills learned are properly utilized.
• Supervise all aspects of salad bar operations.
• Discuss with store manager the most efficient and practical working schedules of both full and part-time employees for maximum efficiency.
• Maintain personable, clean and neat appearance of departmental people, having them properly uniformed and identified.
• Maintain good communication with all store personnel.
• Plan, organize, direct, and control the activities of the produce department, and may take charge of the store operation in the absence of the store manager. (in scope of authority)
• Direct the receiving, storing, pricing, and merchandising of all produce products.
• Assure adequate stock and supplies by proper ordering, so that department inventories can be maintained at optimum levels.
• Maintain and submit required records and reports and use them effectively.
• Maintain effective and god house cleaning in all areas (a) Clean and/or defrost cases according to schedule. (b)
• Clean floors. (c) Keep a clean, orderly cooler and preparation area. (d) Maintain proper disposal of waste and material.
• Keep adequate supplies on hand: bags, pricing and making equipment, etc.
• Analyze continuously all aspects of produce department (space allocation, design, display, price marking, rotation, inventories, personnel, etc.) and periodically make changes, or make recommendations to store manager.
• Demonstrate the ability and desire to promote, communicate and implement company initiatives and process improvements to direct reports in a positive manager.
• Be prompt, tactful, calm, courteous, and professional in all interactions.
• Demonstrate an aptitude to manage people and organize workloads.
• Perform all duties as assigned by the store manager and/or supervisor.
• Ability to work cooperatively in high paced and sometimes stressful environment.
• Ability to manage conflict in a reasonable, nonconfrontational and cooperative manner.
• Ability to act with honesty and integrity regarding customer and business information.
• Ability to follow directions and seek assistance when necessary to resolve customer and business issues.
• Provide support and assistance through direct interaction with minors, individuals with special needs, and/or older adults.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum

• Willing to be flexible and work mornings, afternoons, evenings, nights as the work demands. Willing and available to work weekends and holidays as needed.
• Understanding of all key components of department operations (i.e. Managing people, merchandising, computer
• assisted ordering, inventory management, shrink control, customer services, labor scheduling, expense control, etc.)
• Working knowledge of produce and preparation and general knowledge of store operations
• Position requires a person who is adept at communication with employees, customers, and supervision, and is constantly alert, because of constantly changing priorities and demands, must be able to react quickly
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to make intelligent decisions quickly.
• Able to tactfully and calmly handle stressful situations and make a positive impression on associates and customers.
• Possess abilities and skills for effective production, merchandising and customer services related to sale of merchandise.

Desired

• Produce work experience or similar experience in food preparation.
• Past work record reflects dependability and integrity.