Produce Specialist

Job Title: Produce Specialist

Company: Houchens Food Group (HFG)

Department: Grocery/Produce Department Job Status: Full Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Reports To: Senior Produce Merchandiser

Grade/Level: High School or Equivalent Amount of Travel Required: Limited travel required

Work Schedule: Positions Supervised:

Shift hours that best suits Produce Operations and Produce Department Manager / Associates

customer's needs. Nights and weekends may

be necessary.

About Us: At Houchens Food Group, we are committed to providing our customers with quality products and exceptional service. We believe in fostering a collaborative and empowering environment for our employees where through teamwork, our goals are achieved.

Position Overview: Responsibilities include shared ownership in achieving Departmental Budgeted Sales and Profitability Goals, and customer satisfaction in the Produce Departments across multiple store locations. You will work closely with District Managers, Store Managers and Departmental Employees to ensure operational excellence and adherence to company policies and standards.

Core Responsibilities:

• Financials: Shared responsibility in achieving Budgeted Gross Profit and Sales Goals.
• Leadership & Direction: Develop, support, motivate, and guide Store Managers, Produce Managers and Departmental Employees to achieve maximum sales and profitability while ensuring customer satisfaction within the operational budget.
• Program Implementation: Ensure that Store Management and Departmental employees understand and effectively implement key departmental programs and standards, including Safety, Sanitation, Training, Processing, Pricing, Displaying, Merchandising, Weights and Tares, Scanning, Inventory, and Customer Service.
• Communication: Act as a liaison between upper management and store personnel to effectively communicate the company vision and pertinent day-to-day information.
• Support: Assist Store Managers with hiring, interviewing, training, demoting, terminating, conducting wage reviews, facilitating transfers, and labor setup for Produce Departments.
• Training & Development: Train, grow, and mentor Department Managers to enhance their leadership skills and capabilities.
• Performance Measurement: Continuously evaluate sales performance, cost control, shrinkage, labor, and gross profit within the Produce Department.
• Team Collaboration: Work closely with District Managers, Store Managers, Department Managers, Store Teams, and Lead Specialists to foster great working relationships and achieve store objectives.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in a leadership role within the grocery or retail industry, preferably in the Produce Category.
• Strong knowledge of Produce Department Operations, including safety and sanitation protocols.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to analyze performance metrics and implement effective strategies.
• To possess a passion for mentoring and developing team members.
• Accountability - Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her actions.
• Accurate - Ability to perform work accurately and thoroughly.
• Assertiveness - Ability to act in a self-confident manner to facilitate completion of a work assignment or to defend a position or idea.
• Communication, Written - Ability to communicate in writing clearly and concisely.
• Customer Oriented - Ability to take care of the customers’ needs while following company procedures.
• Decision Making - Ability to make critical decisions while following company procedures.
• Detail Oriented - Ability to pay attention to the minute details of a project or task.
• Honesty / Integrity - Ability to be truthful and be seen as credible in the workplace.
• Leadership - Ability to influence others to perform their jobs effectively and to be responsible for making decisions.
• Management Skills - Ability to organize and direct oneself and effectively supervise others.
• Motivation - Ability to inspire oneself and others to reach a goal and/or perform to the best of their ability.
• Organized - Possessing the trait of being organized or following a systematic method of performing a task.
• Problem Solving - Ability to find a solution for or to deal proactively with work-related problems.
• Reliability - The trait of being dependable and trustworthy.
• Responsible - Ability to be held accountable or answerable for one’s conduct.
• Self-Motivated - Ability to be internally inspired to perform a task to the best of one’s ability using his or her own drive or initiative.
• Team Building - Ability to convince a group of people to work toward a goal.
• Time Management - Ability to utilize the available time to organize and complete work within given deadlines.

Why Join Us? At Houchens Food Group, we value our employees and are committed to their growth and success. We offer competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and a supportive work environment.

Education

High School Graduate or General Education Degree (GED)

Experience

2 Years Produce Management Exp.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Computer Skills

Microsoft Office. (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint)

Other Requirements

Required to have access to a phone at all times and able to perform basic math calculations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Physical Abilities Lift /Carry

Stand F (Frequently) 10 lbs or less C (Constantly)

Walk F (Frequently) 11-20 lbs C (Constantly)

Sit O (Occasionally) 21-50 lbs F (Frequently)

Handling / Fingering C (Constantly) 51-100 lbs F (Frequently)

Reach Outward F (Frequently) Over 100 lbs O (Occasionally)

Reach Above Shoulder F (Frequently)

Climb O (Occasionally)

Crawl O (Occasionally)

Squat or Kneel F (Frequently)

Bend F (Frequently)

Push / Pull

12 lbs or less F (Frequently)

13-25 lbs F (Frequently)

26-40 lbs F (Frequently)

41-100 lbs O (Occasionally)

N (Not Applicable) Activity is not applicable to this occupation.

O (Occasionally) Occupation requires this activity up to 33% of the time (0 - 2.5 hrs/day)

F (Frequently) Occupation requires this activity from 33% - 66% of the time (2.5 - 5.5 hrs/day)

C (Constantly) Occupation requires this activity more than 66% of the time (5.5 hrs/day)

Houchens Food Group is an equal opportunity employer. Hiring decisions are made without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, or pregnancy. Applicants may request accommodations based on religious beliefs, disability, or pregnancy.