Director of Produce/Floral Operations

Merchants Distributors, LLC•Hickory, NC

About The Position

The Director of Produce & Floral will oversee departmental strategy, P&L, merchandising programs, supplier relations, procurement, and quality assurance across a multi-warehouse wholesale grocery distribution network. The position drives category growth, vendor partnerships, quality standards, and customer satisfaction while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence through process-driven workflows and data-based decision making. The position will represent the company with producers, supplier partners, independent and owned retailers, and the industry. Strong knowledge of retail math, merchandising, and category management is essential for effective engagement with retail customers. Key performance indicators include sales, volume, profit, procurement efficiency, customer service level, market share, shrink, inventory levels, and turns.

Requirements

Minimum of 5–7 years of hands-on experience in produce procurement, department operations, produce merchandising, produce category management, and related functional areas
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and influence at all levels

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent industry experience strongly considered
Proven success across multiple key produce roles, including Produce Department Manager, Produce Merchandiser, Produce Buyer, Perishable Manager, Overall Department Manager leadership

Responsibilities

Develops overall annual departmental strategy and directs category strategy creation to ensure Alex Lee (MDI) organizational alignment and market fit.
Works collaboratively with the Marketing and Sales teams to develop proprietary brands, implement new product launches, and design strategic marketing initiatives and vendor programs that enhance category visibility and drive performance.
Leads supplier relationship management, including supplier selection, performance evaluation, and long-term partnership development.
Utilizes Supplier Engagement strategies such as segmentation, joint business planning, and SRM.
Maximizes value of relationship with Topco Associates, LLC.
Utilizes the Product, Price, Promotion, and Placement levers to strategically design and manage categories that drive profitable growth and expand market share as well as share of wallet.
Plans and coordinates Produce Merchandising Shows (Food Shows), both physical and virtual, with support from Category Manager.
Supervises the implementation of "Special Spot Buys" and works with vendors and Produce Merchandisers to coordinate promotional events.
Partners with Sales and retail customers to deepen engagement, expand distribution, and deliver exceptional service and strategic collaboration.
Executes a market-leading Local Produce program.
Strategically manage supply and supplier spend, domestic and international, balancing procurement efficiency, inventory capital deployment, seasonal transitions, and risk mitigation while ensuring supplier performance and quality standards.
Supervises market condition monitoring to identify potential opportunities and more effectively manage market fluctuations.
Operates a market-leading quality assurance program through supplier vetting, receiving inspections, pick slot monitoring, and quality scoring/supplier benchmarking.
Manages the operations of the Ripening Room program, with a primary focus on bananas.
Owns the Procure to Pay process for Produce & Floral.
Demonstrates servant leadership by coaching and developing staff, delivering timely feedback, promoting accountability, and cultivating an environment that supports technological advancement, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
Accountable for managing outcomes and implementing corrective actions related to the annual employee engagement survey.
Responsible for supervising the activities of Category Managers, Buyers, and Quality Control Inspectors.
Utilizes mechanisms to ensure quality inputs convert consistently to desired outcomes.
Embraces technology, systems, tools, and process evolution to facilitate a productive work environment.