Grocery Assistant Manager - Northampton

River Valley Co-op Our Mission: River Valley Co-op staff members are all empowered ambassadors for our cooperative’s mission of creating a just marketplace that nourishes the community.

Cooperative values and the larger cooperative movement inspire us to work together for a more sustainable and just future. As a team, we work to leverage our grocery retail's economic impact for positive social change in the food system, our environment, and our community. We are committed to social justice and developing our anti-racism and multicultural skills throughout our organization.

Our cooperatively-owned business values working together in partnership with our local food producers, other vendors and service providers, community organizations, employees, and our customers to serve our community food needs in ways that sustainably support our mutual needs and aspirations. We prioritize building and sustaining our business operations capacity to generate positive impacts for our employees, business partners, customers, local economy, the common good of our community, and the environment.

Our friendly store operations specializing in fresh, local, organically grown, and natural foods, builds community resilience and grows our local economy. We work hard and have fun doing it, act with honesty, kindness, and respect, and strive to improve every day.

Position: GROCERY ASSISTANT MANAGER

Requires open availability, including evenings and weekends.

Status: Reports to the Grocery Manager

Supervises the Grocery Team

Pay Level: VIII, exempt.

Purpose: The Grocery Assistant Manager provides a high level of service to River Valley Co-op’s internal and external customers and, in partnership with the Grocery Manager, is responsible for building and maintaining a friendly and welcoming atmosphere within our Co-op locations. The Grocery Assistant Manager will be responsible for supporting the overall management of the Grocery department’s operations and financial performance, establishing and sustaining relationships with consumers and vendors, and providing steady leadership to our Grocery department staff. Additionally, the Grocery Assistant Manager helps to maintain a department culture of engagement and creativity through training and positive influence in all Co-op locations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

PURCHASING

• Order to refill, maintain the balance of enough stock to meet sales without carrying too much inventory, and meet inventory turn targets. Train and support staff to do the same.
• Ensure orders and invoices are processed correctly and on time through our Point of Sale and financial systems.
• Follow ordering schedules, monitor out-of-stock orders, and shift to secondary vendors to avoid them whenever possible.
• Place orders and oversee ordering by staff.
• Partner with the Grocery Manager to purchase products for special deals and promotions. Ensure adequate and timely supply of promoted products.
• Attend trade shows as needed.
• Arrange for cross-training to ensure adequate backup for ordering.
• Partner with the Grocery Manager to conduct periodic price surveys of identified competitors.
• Partner with the Grocery Manager to ensure new products are effectively launched.
• Ensure all new items are added to the Point of Sale before they are put on the shelf.
• Review invoices for accuracy in promotional deals, discounts, costs, selection, and department breakout.
• Ensure invoices are delivered to the Finance department by the weekly cutoff date.

MERCHANDISING / PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE / FINANCIAL

• In partnership with the Grocery Manager, ensure product displays are eye-catching, seasonally appropriate, and shoppable, with accurate and attractive signage, following merchandising principles.
• Support store signage program as developed with Marketing and monitor that department meets signage standards.
• In partnership with Category, maintain accurate shelf tags and signage.
• Ensure that all product displays, both inside and outside the building, are clean, rotated, full, and require signage.
• Support the Grocery Manager to execute department resets that improve the shopping experience, stocking efficiency, and sales.
• Support sales changeover – in partnership with the Grocery Manager and Category Team, execute planned displays, ensure signage accuracy, and ensure that the store is correctly signed before opening on sales changeover days.
• Ensure that Grocery Staff is trained and follows stocking standards, including depth of the front, FIFO, maintenance of shelf tag integrity and what is stocked behind them, and backstock labeling and communication systems.
• Partner with the Grocery Manager to ensure that bin cards/signs in bulk are maintained with up-to-date information and visual sign integrity to create a clean and neat bulk department.

DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS

• Receive product deliveries and oversee receiving by staff, following established receiving procedures.
• Partner with the Grocery Manager to ensure damaged/spoiled products are stored and disposed of properly and swiftly, and credit is received from the supplier.
• In partnership with the Grocery Manager, mark items as needed to reduce losses; track shrink if there are margin problems, and understand the quarterly percent of shrink.
• Maintain displays, bulk, and storage areas in clean, orderly condition, meeting health department standards.
• Assist with quarterly inventory counts.
• Maintain department equipment in working order. Advise Store/Facilities Management of equipment repair or replacement needs.
• Assist in special events, demos, food fairs, etc.
• Assist with sale changeover –in partnership with the Grocery Manager and Category Team, execute planned displays, ensure signage accuracy, and ensure that the store is correctly signed before opening on sales changeover days.
• Monitor and train staff to increase their knowledge about safety, sanitation, and accident prevention principles.
• Ensure proper purchasing, receiving, and storage for safe product integrity.
• Ensure orders are checked in, and invoices are processed promptly.
• Ensure all items can be scanned before stocking.
• Follow systems for backstock organization and label and maintain backstock areas, keeping stock levels within the space allocated.
• Follow our standard for welcoming, informative customer service, and lead staff to meet the standard.
• Participate in department, store category, and co-op leadership meetings.

PERSONNEL & TRAINING

• Hire qualified applicants following the established procedure.
• Assist with maintaining a comprehensive training manual for all Grocery staff.
• Facilitate all direct report new staff member training:
  • Culture and behavioral expectations.
  • Policies and procedures.
  • On-the-job training.
• Perform assessment of the probationary period for all new direct report staff.
• Complete for direct report staff and submit to applicable business partners benchmark reporting: evaluations, discipline, etc.
• Review payroll for direct reports, communicate with HR regarding any deviations from the schedule, and respond to time-off requests within seven days.
• Utilize interpersonal and communication skills to lead the Grocery department staff.
• Inspire department staff to deliver outstanding customer service, including product knowledge around taste, use, and storage, finding and selecting products, greeting customers who are within 6 feet, and creating a welcoming and delightful shopping experience.
• Display exceptional leadership by providing a positive work environment, counseling employees as appropriate, and demonstrating a dedicated and professional approach to management.
• Understand employee positions well enough to perform duties in employees' absence or determine appropriate replacements to fill gaps.
• Partner with the Grocery Manager to review staffing levels to ensure that operational needs and financial objectives are met.
• Assist with writing schedules, ensuring they are within budget and posted for staff according to guidelines.

ALL STAFF DUTIES

• Abide by all Co-op policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Handbook and other Co-op documents.
• Regular, predictable attendance.
• Keep offices orderly and clean.
• Maintain a positive attitude.
• Perform all other duties as assigned by the Grocery Manager.