Center Store Retail Specialist

Empire Marketing Strategies • Plano, TX

19d • Onsite

About The Position

Empire Marketing Strategies is hiring a Center Store Retail Specialist to support grocery suppliers in Kroger stores across an assigned territory in Carrollton, Plano, and Frisco, Texas. The role supports Meat/Seafood, Deli/Bakery, Produce, and Grocery suppliers by visiting assigned stores at established call frequencies and delivering in-store merchandising. This includes building displays, stocking and replenishing products, maintaining secondary displays, and ensuring authorized products remain available and saleable.

The Retail Specialist maintains shelf standards and product distribution, reviews sales and competitive information, reports results using company tools and forms, and executes promotional displays and point-of-sale materials. The role also builds rapport with store personnel, provides product preparation and display training to store employees, manages territory records and company equipment, communicates promptly, controls expenses, and participates in company meetings.

Work is typically performed in retail grocery stores and may also take place in refrigerated or freezer areas, warehouses, kitchens, and manufacturer-client facilities. The position requires regular driving between work sites, prolonged standing, frequent position changes, and lifting and moving merchandise and equipment. Additional travel, including overnight stays, may be required.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Current driver's license and a clean Motor Vehicle Report.
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle and travel regularly between work sites; additional travel may include overnight stays.
• Ability to write clear, concise correspondence and accurately exchange information.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and maintain a strong personal drive for results.
• Ability to present information effectively in one-on-one or group situations.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple to sometimes complex instructions, correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to solve practical problems involving a variety of concrete variables and limited standardization.
• Ability to interpret written, oral, diagram, or schedule-based instructions.
• Ability to perform arithmetic using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to stand for prolonged periods, approximately 80% of the time, and regularly change positions between sitting, squatting, standing, and kneeling.
• Ability to regularly lift and move 25–35 pounds and occasionally lift and move 40–60 pounds.
• Regular use of hands to handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and to reach with hands and arms.
• Vision sufficient for close work and viewing computer screens or written information at distances of 20–40 feet.
• Regular operation of a personal motor vehicle, manual pallet jacks, and hand trucks; use of MS Excel.

Nice To Haves

• 1–2 years of experience related to the CPG, grocery, or retail industry.

Responsibilities

• Visit all stores in the assigned territory at the established call frequency and service represented accounts.
• Rotate perishable merchandise and conduct freshness checks as required by manufacturers.
• Check shelf tags, support product reordering, and maintain retail objectives, shelf standards, schematics, and authorized product distribution.
• Ensure authorized products are on shelves and properly priced and tagged.
• Maintain territorial records and review sales reports to track progress toward assigned goals.
• Monitor competitors and report relevant information through proper channels.
• Submit complete and timely reports using supplied forms and requested reporting frequency, including tools such as Power BI or Go Spot Check.
• Set up manufacturer or client displays in accordance with retailer regulations and display objectives.
• Coordinate promotional program execution with Operations, including reporting and future order requirements.
• Distribute point-of-sale materials and Instant Redeemable Coupons as required and approved.
• Establish and maintain rapport with store personnel in the assigned territory.
• Demonstrate proper product preparation and display to customer employees.
• Communicate promptly by email and telephone; maintain territory files and company-owned office equipment.
• Attend and participate in scheduled company meetings and control expenses within guidelines.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Employer covers 80% of benefits.
• Medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, and disability coverage for full-time associates.
• Retirement program.
• Mental health support.
• Paid time off.
• Nine paid holidays annually.
• Flexible Monday–Friday work schedule.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED