Wine & Cheese Lead Coordinator Full-time 35 - Easthampton

Description

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: WINE & CHEESE LEAD COORDINATOR

Full-time 35-40 hours. Requires open availability, including evenings and weekends.

Status: Reports to Senior Wine & Cheese Manager

              Supervises department staff as needed and in the absence of department management

Pay Level: V, non-exempt.

Location: Easthampton, MA

Purpose: To support Department Management by ensuring that department goals are met, focused on purchasing and department supervision in the absence of department management. Ensure that production goals are met, including ingredient standards, quality control, pricing, margin, stock levels, inventory turns, merchandising, vendor relations, and staff/customer education. To support and participate in the department in all aspects of daily operations and to supervise department staff as needed.

Responsibilities

In addition to the day-to-day responsibilities of department staff (stocking, receiving orders, verifying invoices, calling in credits, cleaning, Customer Service, and following safety guidelines):

PURCHASING

For department categories, ingredients, and/or supplies, as assigned by the Senior Wine & Cheese Manager.

• Maintain product levels for assigned categories to ensure alignment with weekly sales, inventory turn targets, and product quality, and minimize out-of-stock and shrinkage.
• Providing direction to staff for replacement orders. Supporting the Senior Wine & Cheese Manager in ordering system updates as needed.
• Place orders with vendors, including negotiating costs based on purchase volume and specials, following strategies set by the Senior Wine & Cheese Manager.
• Communicate with vendors to plan for promotions, samples, and demos. 
• Recommend new product options to Management and keep the Manager informed of any relevant product movement trends or vendor issues. Keep up with and communicate to the Manager current trends in Department product categories.
• Ensure accurate and timely credits for missing items/damages/refusals/returns.
• Review invoices and ensure costs are accurate and retail are updated according to pricing strategies set by the Senior Wine & Cheese Manager.
• Ensure product data in the Point of Sale system meets established standards.
• Maintain FIFO systems for the back stock, including date marking boxes, rotating stock, and ensuring that short-date products are fast-tracked through price reduction options to minimize waste/loss.
• Participate in all inventory counts.
• Assist in tracking weekly/monthly/quarterly shrink totals and achieving department shrink targets.

DEPARTMENT MAINTENANCE

• Ensure accurate, uniform, and up-to-date department signage.
• Maintain department cleanliness and functionality; ensure the department tools and equipment are kept in working order. Advise the Manager of equipment repair and replacement needs.
• Pull old or low-quality items, record and properly dispose of them, following established procedures.
• Follow safety, storage, and labeling procedures.
• Create and maintain attractive, fully-stocked displays, including appropriate cross-merchandising.
• Set up and maintain adequate daily samples.
• Carry out established opening and closing procedures.
• Participate in problem-solving as needed.
• Ensure and maintain food storage and prep areas in a sanitary and orderly condition following health department regulations. Ensure adherence to all food safety procedures and alcohol samples and sales policies for staff and customers.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Offer tastes, samples, suggestions for purchase, and ways to prepare/use products.
• Report customer suggestions, comments, and complaints to the Manager.
• Take and prepare special orders.
• Provide product information to Marketing for customers and staff newsletter, and product training for staff in the department and store regularly.

SUPERVISION & LEADERSHIP

• Set work priorities and direct staff, including break schedule, to ensure productivity.
• Ensure all staff are meeting customer service standards and expectations.
• Ensure safety practices and safe equipment use by staff.
• Facilitate good communication between staff for operational excellence and good department teamwork. Act as a point person for conflict resolution during shifts.
• Provide on-the-job training and support the skill development of staff.
• Report policy violations and performance issues to Management.

ALL STAFF DUTIES

• Attend and participate in department and storewide meetings.

• Perform other tasks assigned by the Senior Wine & Cheese Manager.

Qualifications

• Must have prior experience in retail.
• Must have demonstrated customer service skills.
• Must have experience buying, including vendor relations and negotiations.
• Must know specialty cheeses, varieties, and storage;  strong knowledge of wine regarding integrity, variety, pairing, region, vintage, rotation, and craft beer, including seasonal fluctuations.
• Experience in designing retail displays is strongly preferred.
• Natural product knowledge is strongly preferred.
• Ability to lift 75 pounds. 
• Manual dexterity with department equipment and products.
• Organized, attention to detail, follow-through.
• Excellent communication skills and experience giving direction to others.
• Ability to work varied shifts beginning at 7 am and ending after 10 pm, including weekends; availability for special events.
• Regular, predictable attendance.
• Neat appearance and a personable attitude.
• Ability to follow through on commitments while handling multiple demands.

River Valley Co-op is an equal opportunity employer encouraging excellence through diversity.

Qualifications

Salary : $21 - $23