Produce Team Leader

Metropolitan Market; Kirkland (WA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Market is seeking a Produce Team Leader to oversee the Produce Department, focusing on product management, quality control, merchandising, sales, and profitability. The role emphasizes food safety, guest service, and staff education to ensure high department standards.

The leader will manage inventory, vendor relations, and pricing, while developing team members and maintaining safe, efficient operations in a union, non-exempt environment.

Qualifications

• Leads the Produce Department to optimize displays and guest experience.
• Ensures food safety and HACCP knowledge are applied across the team.
• Manages ordering, inventory, and vendor relationships to control costs.
• Recruits, trains, and develops department staff and maintains standards.

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains product displays to drive guest interest and sales.
• Oversees ordering and inventory to minimize out-of-stocks and waste.
• Verifies invoices and coordinates with Accounts Payable for discrepancies.
• Maintains safe, clean back rooms and selling floor; enforces safety standards.
• Plans schedules and labor to meet budgets and service goals.
• Leads staff meetings and provides coaching and performance feedback.

Skills

Team Leadership

Inventory Management

Merchandising

Food Safety

Vendor Relations

Labor Budgeting

Staff Training

Scheduling

Job description

Position Description

Metropolitan Market

Position Title: Produce Team Leader

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Classification: Union

Department: Operations, Produce

Reports To: Store Director

Job Summary: As leader of our Produce Department, this position is responsible for product management, food safety, quality control, merchandising, sales generation, gross margins, labor and general expense control, personnel development, work safety, guest service, and profitability within the department. This position is also responsible for the education of team members and guests in the areas of product selection, recipe ideas, and meal solutions.

Essential Functions (include, but are not limited to the following):

I. Product Management

• Develops and maintains product displays in order to create an exciting marketplace; strives to develop displays that pique guest interest and impact guest buying trends. Ensures all department merchandising is consistent with company guidelines, expectations, and approved merchandising plans.
• Ensures effective ordering of all products for the Produce Department; maintains product inventory at a level that promotes creative and effective sales merchandising and maximizes sales potential. Coordinates with the Produce Team Leaders at alternate store locations to consolidate direct orders, thereby reducing out-of-stocks, excessive inventory, and freight costs.
• Participates in determining order quantities and verifying cost of goods. Assumes primary responsibility for store-level vendor relations, including in-store daily operations and meetings.
• Verifies items received from vendors meet company guidelines for quality, count, and condition. Ensures all mis-picks, damaged goods, and credits are processed and managed within established guidelines.
• Demonstrates effective inventory control, thereby minimizing unnecessary cost associated with excessive inventory, including supplies.
• Verifies correct invoice billing, including confirmationthrough the weekly general ledger, and Produce Department receiving log sheets; follows-up and resolves inaccurate billing; ensures the Accounts Payable Team Member is alerted to discrepancies between shipping document amount and invoice amount; ensures the Produce Coordinator is alerted to variances from vendor quoted or anticipated product cost and invoiced amount.
• Assists the Produce Coordinator in achieving the lowest cost of goods for the highest quality products; assesses product quality and provides timely feedback; keeps the Produce Coordinator informed of vendor price changes on approved products.
• Ensures effective informational and price point signing is posted for all products; assists the Produce Coordinator in developing effective product descriptions and establishing correct verbiage for all related signs/materials.
• Establishes and manages stocking standards that ensure high product quality, including established rotation procedures. Incorporates cleaning with stocking and rotation requirements.
• Assists the Produce Coordinator in determining product selections; performs category management functions as assigned by the Produce Coordinator or as needed.
• Effectively plans and performs physical inventory on a quarterly basis, or as needed.

II. Operations

• Determines daily projects and activities of department team members; ensures daily tasks and assignments are accomplished correctly and in a timely manner.
• Effectively manages department operations to achieve sales goals and general expense budgets; assists the Produce Coordinator with maintaining pricing to achieve budgeted gross profit goals.
• Writes Produce Department work schedule; effectively allocates labor to accomplish operational goals, best service guests, and achieve labor budget.
• Adheres to all food safety and sanitation requirements. Consistently demonstrates knowledge of HACCP and Department of Health provisions, shares knowledge with team members for the purpose of training.
• Adheres to an established supply budget; obtains spending approval from the Store Director team for expenses outside of normal parameters.
• Adheres to company guidelines regarding prevention of internal and external loss, including risk management, accident prevention/safety awareness, and loss prevention.
• Maintains sales floor, back room, and walk-in coolers in a safe, clean, and organized manner; stores products in a manner that allows easy access to back stock.
• Participates in Produce Department staff meetings and store staff meetings as required.
• Uses work-related equipment correctly under manufacturer guidelines.

III. Leadership

• Effectively builds and maintains morale, provides motivation and feedback, fosters a cohesive, creative, productive team.
• Assumes primary responsibility for department interviewing, hiring, and staffing levels, including active recruitment of potential department team members (e.g., communicates with local schools, businesses, and organizations, and networks within the community and industry). At all times, ensures an ample qualified group of candidates is identified, available, and interested in joining our team.
• Assumes primary responsibility for department team member relations, including team member training, performance appraisals, coaching, counseling, and corrective action.