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Merchants Distributors, LLC · 6 hours ago

Director of Produce/Floral Operations

Hickory, NC

Full-time

Onsite

Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

5+ years exp

Merchants Distributors, LLC is a wholesale grocery distribution network seeking a Director of Produce & Floral Operations. This role is responsible for overseeing departmental strategy, P&L, merchandising programs, supplier relations, procurement, and quality assurance while driving category growth and customer satisfaction.

Digital MarketingFood and BeverageMarketing

Responsibilities

Develops overall annual departmental strategy and directs category strategy creation to ensure Alex Lee (MDI) organizational alignment and market fit

Works collaboratively with the Marketing and Sales teams to develop proprietary brands, implement new product launches, and design strategic marketing initiatives and vendor programs that enhance category visibility and drive performance

Leads supplier relationship management, including supplier selection, performance evaluation, and long-term partnership development

Utilizes Supplier Engagement strategies such as segmentation, joint business planning, and SRM

Maximizes value of relationship with Topco Associates, LLC

Utilizes the Product, Price, Promotion, and Placement levers to strategically design and manage categories that drive profitable growth and expand market share as well as share of wallet

Plans and coordinates Produce Merchandising Shows (Food Shows), both physical and virtual, with support from Category Manager

Supervises the implementation of 'Special Spot Buys' and works with vendors and Produce Merchandisers to coordinate promotional events

Partners with Sales and retail customers to deepen engagement, expand distribution, and deliver exceptional service and strategic collaboration

Executes a market-leading Local Produce program

Strategically manage supply and supplier spend, domestic and international, balancing procurement efficiency, inventory capital deployment, seasonal transitions, and risk mitigation while ensuring supplier performance and quality standards

Supervises market condition monitoring to identify potential opportunities and more effectively manage market fluctuations

Operates a market-leading quality assurance program through supplier vetting, receiving inspections, pick slot monitoring, and quality scoring/supplier benchmarking

Manages the operations of the Ripening Room program, with a primary focus on bananas

Owns the Procure to Pay process for Produce & Floral

Demonstrates servant leadership by coaching and developing staff, delivering timely feedback, promoting accountability, and cultivating an environment that supports technological advancement, continuous improvement, and employee engagement

Accountable for managing outcomes and implementing corrective actions related to the annual employee engagement survey

Responsible for supervising the activities of Category Managers, Buyers, and Quality Control Inspectors

Utilizes mechanisms to ensure quality inputs convert consistently to desired outcomes

Embraces technology, systems, tools, and process evolution to facilitate a productive work environment

Qualification

Produce procurementCategory managementSupplier relationship managementRetail mathMerchandising programsServant leadershipContinuous improvementExceptional communication

Required

Strong knowledge of retail math, merchandising, and category management

Proven success across multiple key produce roles, including Produce Department Manager, Produce Merchandiser, Produce Buyer, Perishable Manager, Overall Department Manager leadership

Minimum of 5–7 years of hands-on experience in produce procurement, department operations, produce merchandising, produce category management, and related functional areas

Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and influence at all levels