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North Coast Co-op · 2 days ago

Department Head - Deli

Arcata, California, United States

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

$19.16/hr - $26.30/hr

5+ years exp

North Coast Co-op is a community-focused grocery store, and they are seeking a Department Head for their Deli. The role involves overseeing deli operations, ensuring exceptional customer service, managing staff, and maintaining product quality and safety standards.

E-CommerceGroceryOrganic FoodRetailWine And Spirits

Responsibilities

Ensure an exceptional shopping experience and friendly and welcoming environment for all members, customers, and employees; greet and engage customers in your department and throughout the store

Model, and ensure customers receive prompt, helpful, attentive, and authentically friendly service in accordance with the Co-op’s customer service standards

Ensure customers and staff are provided with ingredient and product information and educational materials as needed

Assist customers at the service counter, fulfilling orders to their specifications; provide product suggestions

Ensure customers receive appropriate assistance in locating products in the department and throughout the store; seek opportunities to exceed customer expectations and enhance the customer experience

Maintain a calm and friendly demeanor with all customers and employees/co-workers in all situations

Investigate and respond to customer questions and requests; escalate to appropriate member of management if unable to resolve directly

Ensure an organized, clean, smoothly run, and profitable prepared foods department

Set daily priorities and expectations for department staff to ensure productive workflow

Maintain department consistency and quality standards for all ingredients and products

Plan and implement seasonal recipe rotation binders with approval of Prepared Foods Manager and/or Food Service Director

Follow established procedures for developing and costing new recipes with approval of Prepared Foods Manager and/or Food Service Director

Establish production and order pars to ensure highest level of product freshness and quality; set grab-and-go and full-service case stocking priorities to ensure displays and cases are clean and well maintained; product is fresh and aesthetically merchandised, stocked, rotated, and faced

Ensure all products are accurately labeled with price, ingredients, and allergens

Following established procedures, perform all functions of prepared foods, using correct equipment safely and following proper sanitation and food handling procedures; ensure that all items are efficiently and accurately produced

Perform and ensure compliance with internal and regulatory requirements regarding food safety, such as temperature, time, and sanitizer logs

Ensure all department procedures follow/meet California Health and Safety Code requirements per the Retail Food Code

Ensure department staff are properly trained on equipment safety, sanitation, and safe food handling, and receive Food Handlers Card and/or SERV Safe certification within one month of employment

Ensure inventory levels meet department budget goals; regularly review product sales movement to determine inventory needs; use sales movement data to determine if products will be discontinued

Ensure that product conditions meet department standards; including removing close-dated products before they expire

Continually evaluate department conditions, operations, and performance to determine areas for improvement; reinforce strengths while developing and implementing improved practices and procedures

Ensure backstock and work areas are clean and organized with inventory properly stored and rotated

Ensure that spoiled and unsalable items are properly disposed of, following established procedures

Ensure equipment is maintained and properly serviced; advise Maintenance, Prepared Foods Manager and/or Food Service Director of equipment repair/replacement needs

Work with the Prepared Foods Manager and Food Service Director to develop, revise and enforce department’s standard operating procedures (SOP)

Assist in keeping the store department clean, orderly, and organized, including but not limited to; keeping floors, clear of debris, sweeping/spot mopping, dusting, facing grab-and-go, and emptying trash and recycling as needed

Participate in Open Book Management (OBM) and lead department in weekly huddles

Conduct quarterly inventory

Attend and actively participate in department head meetings, store-wide and org-wide meetings, and trainings

Maintain the knowledge and ability to perform work activities of subordinates, including but not limited to service, production, ordering/receiving, cleaning, and organizing

Become familiar with the products we carry throughout all departments and where they are located throughout the store

Assist in other departments/store, inventory counts, store-wide cleaning, and perform all other duties, as assigned

In coordination with Purchasing Director and Sr. Clerk-Purchaser/Receiver, negotiate with suppliers for favorable prices, terms, quality, and delivery

In conjunction with the Prepared Foods Manager, oversee all prepared foods product purchasing and inventory control, ensuring margin goals are met

Ensure all ingredient, product, and packaging purchases are aligned with the department and Co-op Purchasing Policy

Ensure prepared foods retail has an adequate selection of local products

Working with the Sr. Clerk-Purchasing/Receiver, receive orders, verify, and process invoices, and obtain credits following established procedures; and ensure staff is properly trained on these procedures as needed

Work with Sr. Clerk-Purchaser/Receiver to keep accurate records of department transfers, credits and spoilage/shrink as required by the accounting department; coordinate buying and use of spoilage/loss with other departments when possible

Monitor and track spoilage; check sales movement to determine if products should be discontinued; submit spoilage monthly to Prepared Foods Manager, Food Service Director, and IT Director, following established procedures

Ensure accurate price labeling of product, working closely with Purchasing Department as needed

Coordinate with Prepared Foods Department Head and Sr. Clerk-Purchaser/Receiver in sister store/location to coordinate joint buying whenever possible to reduce inventory

Work with Prepared Foods Manager and Food Service Director to develop pricing structure to achieve margin goals as needed

Work with Sr. Clerk-Purchaser/Receiver to communicate ordering times, deadlines, and changes in delivery time to other departments with shared vendors as needed

Attend trade shows and trainings when requested

Ensure sales tags and product/ingredient signs are properly displayed, accurate, clean and in good condition and signs are requested from Purchasing Department and/or Marketing Department if needed

In coordination with Prepared Foods Manager and Purchasing Director, design promotional displays that are exciting and engaging for shoppers, cross merchandise products with other departments

Ensure hot/cold grab-and-go and full-service cases and displays are aesthetically merchandised; stocked with fresh, attractive, high quality product; establish standards and ensure those standards are followed for culling close dated/unsatisfactory product

Ensure products are merchandised in alignment with our Merchandising Policy

Work with Prepared Foods Manager and Sr. Clerk-Purchaser/Receiver to evaluate suppliers, ingredients, and products

Work with Prepared Foods Manager to coordinate monthly specials

Visit competitor stores at least once a month for price comparisons, product, and merchandising ideas

Research industry trends

Work with Prepared Foods Manager and Food Service Director in setting sales, margin, COGs, and labor goals for department

Jointly with Prepared Foods Manager and Food Service Director develop annual operating budget

Be familiar with and enforce all safety, health, and security rules

Ensure department staff are properly trained on sanitation and safe food handling, and receive Food Handlers Card and/or SERV Safe certification within one month of employment

Organize workflow and ensure that employees understand their duties or delegated tasks

Ensure efficient and friendly service from department staff, including engaging customers, answering ingredient and/or allergen questions, offering product suggestions, and assisting customers in locating products throughout the store

Model supportive and participatory leadership qualities, actively promote team building and motivate staff to achieve their stated objectives: lead regular huddles and meetings, ensure department teamwork and communication is efficient and effective, and support all team members in achieving department goals

Establish clear performance, productivity, and service expectations for all department staff; coach and discipline employees as needed, in coordination with Prepared Foods Manager and/or Food Service Director and HR, to ensure department standards are met

Ensure on the job training for department staff utilizing training checklists

Work with Prepared Foods Manager and Food Service Director to develop and implement training materials and systems, communicating ongoing operational issues

In coordination with HR and the Prepared Foods Manager, interview, hire and train new employees

Ensure adherence to legal and company policies and procedures and undertake disciplinary actions if the need arises

Work with Prepared Foods Manager and/or Food Service Director to develop and implement weekly schedules according to established labor budget; reallocate labor as needed to meet needs of operations; arrange for coverage of vacant shifts and fill in as needed

Receive complaints and resolve problems

In conjunction with Prepared Foods Manager, maintain timekeeping and personnel records in coordination with HR

Act as liaison between upper management and employees and share relevant information with/between parties as appropriate

Foster a productive working environment, ensuring high levels of productivity and quality are maintained

Qualification

Food service experienceSupervisory experienceFood safety certificationBudgeting skillsCustomer service skillsFood production knowledgeMicrosoft Office proficiencyCommunication skillsOrganizational skillsTeamworkProblem-solvingAttention to detailFlexibilityLeadershipTime managementConflict resolutionAdaptability

Required

Outstanding customer service skills, proactively looks for ways to help customers

Knowledge and experience working in food service and commercial food production

Understanding of quality scratch food production and fundamental cooking and baking techniques

Ability to work on a variety of tasks simultaneously, prioritize and remain flexible in a fast-paced deli and bakery environment to meet timelines and goals

Ability to operate all equipment necessary to perform the job

Ability to read and comprehend instructions and recipes; knowledge and understanding of dietary and measurement abbreviations and conversions

Excellent communication skills and willingness to work as part of a team; ability to communicate effectively and be an active listener

Strong attention to detail, time management, and organizational skills

Ability to follow instructions and procedures, work without direct supervision on a variety of tasks simultaneously, prioritize while remaining flexible in a fast-paced environment, and delegate tasks and objectives to subordinates

Knowledge of management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques, and sales control systems; ability to plan, develop and implement efficient and productive systems

Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems

Ability to develop and implement effective budgets and adhere to cost, margin, and labor requirements

Can identify the development needs of others and coach, mentor or otherwise help others to improve their knowledge or skills

Able to sensibly handle complaints, settle disputes, and resolve conflicts, or otherwise negotiate with others

Ability to motivate and inspire self and staff

Must be honest, ethical, and able to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction

Is pleasant with others on the job and displays a good-natured, cooperative attitude

Can accept feedback openly without defensiveness

Accepts direction willingly and follow through with delegated tasks

Willingly to accept and adapt to change

Able to maintain strong relationships and act as liaison with outside professionals and vendors

Provides a positive example for co-workers by maintaining a positive attitude

Disseminates ideas, proposals, feedback, and other information in a clear, respectful, effective, and timely manner

Ensures understanding and compliance by self and staff of all organizational and department rules, policies, and procedures, including but not limited to those listed in the employee handbook, CBA, and Health and Safety guidelines

Approaches all decision making with environmental and social impact in mind, actively seek ways to improve sustainability efforts in day-to-day duties and assist in implementing applicable sustainability initiatives

Able to maintain confidentiality

Ability to operate all equipment necessary to perform the job

Knowledge of the natural foods industry

Knowledge and familiarity of Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, & Outlook)

At least five years' experience working in food service including commercial cooking/baking experience and safe food handling; at least three years of progressive supervisory experience

SERV Safe certification required