COUNTRY STORE MANAGER

Description

It is Centra Sota Cooperative’s vision to improve lives and create a more vibrant future for farmers, families, and communities in central Minnesota.  We are a people-focused cooperative offering honest and helpful information, innovative products, and exceptional service from a reliable team of experts who care. 

Position Summary: The primary responsibility of this role is to manage and develop store staff and to oversee and promote the Country Store.  This person must be flexible, organized and detail oriented, with a great attitude while ensuring excellent customer service.  This person must be self-driven, exercise independent judgement and manage multiple tasks with a positive attitude.  This person will have excellent leadership skills and excel at identifying ways to become more effective and efficient. 

Essential Functions: (The responsibilities of this role include but are not limited to the following)

• Recruit, interview, onboard and all other employee relations, in coordination with HR when appropriate
• Train new hires and provide ongoing education (including product knowledge) for all employees
• Create and assign employee schedules and responsibilities
• Set criteria for staff, such as sales goals, customer service or complaint management
• Monthly store sales and profit review with manager
• Coach, develop and evaluate staff based on performance metrics, actively utilizing our Check-In process
• Create advertising campaigns (both in and outside the store) to attract new and retain current customers
• Manage store inventory, merchandising, stocking, loss prevention and store maintenance
• Practice and teach customer-focused selling, add-on selling, closing and other sales generation skills
• Provide superior customer service and resolve complaints quickly and appropriately
• Implement and promote the store marketing plan and strategy
• Introduce new products and programs and detail benefits and related product features
• Know and regularly review all prices on products and services
• Communicate with appropriate sales staff on prospect opportunities
• Ensure inventory accuracy of incoming products and resolving discrepancies
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of all invoicing, sales reports, product receipts and payments
• Manage and maintain accurate sales records using POS system and complete daily deposits
• Ensure a clean and orderly facility is maintained at all times
• Answers all incoming phone call and handle all incoming and outgoing mail
• Handles all opening and closing responsibilities
• Operate forklift to successfully load and unload store products and fill propane tanks as needed.

• Provide backup for store staff as needed
• Demonstrate a commitment to doing what’s right, a solid work ethic, a strong sense of ownership, a passion for agriculture, and genuine respect for others
• Model and teach safe behavior while enforcing all safety policies
• Observe and enforce all company policies
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Job Requirements/Qualifications:

• High school graduate or GED equivalent
• Min 2 years related experience demonstrating the ability to do the job
• Prior retail experience
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to interact effectively with staff, customers and the community
• Commitment to excellence and high standards in terms of providing outstanding customer service, problem solving and managing difficult situations
• Ability to remain flexible in a rapidly changing environment
• Resourceful, self-starter with good independent, ethical, decision-making ability
• Excellent organizational skills including detail oriented, multi-tasking, planning, and prioritizing
• Results-oriented, accurate and thorough with a commitment to accountability
• Understands and actively works with basic business concepts (budgets, profit margins and revenue)
• Excellent computer skills with the ability to learn key operational computer programs

• Must Comply with current driver qualification requirements and our Drug and Alcohol Policy

Preferred Qualifications:

• 2-year degree in related field and or combination of education, training and experience
• Exhibits a high level of product knowledge in one or more of the following areas: livestock or equine products, lawn and garden supplies, fencing, pet feeds and supplies or any related knowledge pertaining to our product mix
• Experience with AgVance or similar software.

Physical Demands:  The demands described are representative of those to be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk for long periods of time as well as use hands/fingers to reach or handle, and to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds. All vision abilities are required to encompass close-up and distant work. Routine use of a computer and cell phone are required.

Work Environment:  The environment described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to machinery and moving parts, airborne particles including grain dust and hazardous materials or fumes, which will require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The employee is exposed to extreme weather conditions and temperatures.  The noise level in some of the work environments may require the use of hearing protection. While performing the duties of this job inside the store, the employee is frequently exposed to normal working conditions for a store environment with a noise level that is usually low to moderate.

Disclaimer: This job description is not a complete description of responsibility, but reflects the general duties, qualifications and requirements necessary to perform this job. Centra Sota Cooperative reserves the right to revise the job description as circumstances warrant.

Salary : $53,000 - $65,000