Retail Sales Associate

Pilgrim; Vernon Hills (IL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellness benefits

401(k) with company match

Monthly bonus potential

Paid time off

Job summary

WildFork in Vernon Hills, IL is seeking a Retail Sales Associate to deliver a warm, engaging shopping experience and provide tailored product recommendations. You will stock, replenish, and maintain store readiness while handling cash and supporting opening/closing duties, even when leadership is absent.

The role emphasizes service excellence and teamwork in a fast-paced environment. Starting wage is $18.50 per hour with bonus potential.

Qualifications

• 1 year of retail, grocery, hospitality, or food experience required.
• Strong customer service skills with enthusiasm for food and culinary exploration.
• Ability to work in fast-paced environments and manage multiple tasks.
• Comfortable working in extremely cold temperatures.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand/walk 8-10 hours.
• Basic math skills for cash handling; POS experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a warm, engaging shopping experience.
• Provide recommendations, cooking tips, recipes, and product insights based on customer needs.
• Demonstrate understanding of daily sales goals, promotions, and store priorities.
• Drive sales by engaging customers, building baskets, and suggesting product pairings.
• Support service standards to ensure customers feel welcomed and valued.
• Stock, rotate, and merchandise products to ensure a full, fresh, and visually compelling store.
• Complete FIFO rotation and maintain accurate labeling and pricing.
• Keep the store clean, organized, and customer-ready at all times.
• Follow cash handling SOPs with precision and integrity.
• Operate POS accurately and perform opening/closing duties when leadership is not present.
• Work closely with team leader to execute daily priorities.
• Participate in training and product knowledge sessions.
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive team culture.

Skills

Customer service

Cash handling

Inventory control

Food safety

Cold environment work

Team collaboration

Job description

AsaRetailSalesAssociate,youcreateanexceptionalexperienceforeveryguestbydeliveringWildFork's service philosophy of personal chef and friendly butcher. You engage customers with expert product

knowledge,mealinspiration,andwarmhospitalitywhilesupportingreplenishment,inventoryaccuracy,and store readiness.

Youplayavitalroleinmaintainingaclean,well-stocked,easy-to-shopstoreandconfidentlyperformessential operationalroutines-Includingworkinginfreezerenvironments,handlingcash,andsupportingopeningand closing duties - even when leadership is not present.

Youbringourvaluestolifeeveryday:Determination,Simplicity,Availability,Humility,Sincerity,Discipline, Ownership.

PositionType:Full-time+Part-time

StartingWage:$18.50 per hour + Bonus Potential

CoreResponsibilities:

• CustomerExperience&Selling
  • Deliverawarm,engaging“personalchef&friendlybutcher”shoppingexperience.
  • Providerecommendations,cookingtips,recipes,andproductinsightsbasedoncustomerneeds.
  • Demonstrateunderstandingofdailysalesgoals,promotions,andstorepriorities,andapplythat knowledge through effective customer interaction and selling behaviors.
  • Drivesalesbyengagingcustomers,buildingbaskets,andsuggestingproductpairings.
  • SupportWildFork'sservicestandardstoensurecustomersfeelwelcomed,valued,andinspiredto return.
  • Leverageproductknowledgetoconfidentlyrecommendsolutions,buildbasketsize,anddelivera personalized, engaging customer experience.
• Replenishment,Merchandising&StoreReadiness
  • Stock,rotate,andmerchandiseproductstoensureafull,fresh,andvisuallycompellingstore.
  • CompleteFIFOrotationandmaintainaccuratelabelingandpricing.
  • Keepthestoreclean,organized,andcustomer-readyatalltimes.
  • Supportplanogramchanges,promotionalsets,anddailyrecoveryroutines.
• InventorySupport
• Assistwithreceivingandprocessingdeliverieswithcareandaccuracy.
• Maintainback-stockorganizationandcommunicatelowstockorproductissuespromptly.
• Followshrink-preventionpracticesandreportconcernstoleadership.
• Freezer&ColdEnvironmentWork
  • Confidentlyworkincoldtemperatures(walk-infreezer)topullproducts,organizestock,andexecute counts.
  • Adheretofoodsafety,sanitation,andfreezersafetyguidelines.
• CashHandling&Opening/ClosingRoutines
  • OperatethePOSwithaccuracy;processtransactions,returns,andexchanges.
  • Performopeningandclosingdutieswhenleadershipisnotpresent, includingregistercounts,cash pulls, safe drops, store walkthroughs for readiness and safety
  • FollowallcashhandlingSOPswithprecisionandintegrity.
• WorkcloselywithTeamLeaderstoexecutedailyprioritiesandmeetstoregoals.
• Participateintraining,productknowledgesessions,andnewprocesses.
• Activelyparticipateinongoingtraininganddevelopmenttostrengthenproductexpertise,selling capability and consistency in execution.
• Supportapositive,inclusiveteamculturewhereeveryonefeelsvalued.

Qualifications:

• 1yearofretail,grocery,hospitality,orfoodexperiencerequired.
• Strongcustomerserviceskillswithenthusiasmforfoodandculinaryexploration.
• Abilitytoworkinfast-pacedenvironmentsandmanagemultipletasks.
• Comfortableworkinginextremelycoldtemperatures.
• Abilitytoliftupto50lbsandstand/walk8-10hours.
• Basicmathskillsforcashhandling;POSexperienceaplus.

Values&Behaviors:

WelookforSalesAssociateswho:

• Showdeterminationandurgencyinservingcustomers.
• Engagewithhumility,sincerity,andprideintheWildForkbrand.
• Demonstratedisciplineandownershipineverytask.
• Workrespectfullyaspartofa team.
• Staycuriousaboutproducts,cooking,andcustomerneeds.
• HealthReimbursementAccount,FlexibleSpendingAccounts,BehavioralHealthMattersProgram,Live Health Online (Virtual Care)
• MonthlyBonus Plan
• 401(k)andCompanyMatch
• PTO:Vacation,Sick,BirthdayPTO
• CulinaryPerks:CulinaryTraining,ChewonThis-MonthlyProductGiveaway,WildChef-Monthly Allowance to Shop in Store
• OngoingDevelopment:MentorshipProgram,BetterFuturesProgram(freecommunitycollege)
• OptionalPerks:FinFit-FinancialResources,Discounts(cars,cellphones,services&more),Employee Referral Bonus Program