Director of Produce Operations - West Coast

GBC Food Services, LLC•Seattle, WA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Produce Merchandising and Operations is responsible for leading merchandising strategy, field execution, and operational performance for produce and related fresh programs across GBC Food Services franchise kiosks located primarily in grocery stores and other host locations. This role supports all company programs, with a primary focus on assigned regions, and is accountable for driving sales, margin, freshness, food safety, operational consistency, and franchisee and client satisfaction. This position serves as a key leader between corporate strategy and field execution, partnering closely with franchisees, clients, and internal stakeholders to ensure strong merchandising standards, effective operations, and sustainable business growth. The role requires independent judgment, strong business acumen, and the ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational support. Regular travel within and outside assigned regions, sometimes with limited notice, is required to support franchisees, client needs, new openings, audits, training, recoveries, and other business priorities.

Requirements

Strong knowledge of produce merchandising, freshness standards, inventory rotation, shrink control, spoilage management, and operational best practices
Strong understanding of multi-unit operations in foodservice, grocery, retail, franchising, or other fresh/perishable environments
Ability to evaluate business performance using sales, margin, labor, and operational data and translate findings into actionable plans
Experience partnering with franchisees, clients, and cross-functional teams to improve execution and results
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Experience with POS, ERP, inventory, reporting, or business intelligence systems
Ability to influence outcomes across a decentralized operating environment
Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively across departments
Strong attention to detail and commitment to brand and operating standards
Ability to travel frequently, including overnight and short-notice travel, based on business needs
ServSafe Manager Certification required
8+ years of progressive experience in produce merchandising, fresh foods, field operations, category management, or related operational leadership roles required

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Food Service Management, Supply Chain, Merchandising, Agriculture, or a related field preferred
Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered
5+ years of leadership experience supporting multi-unit operations preferred
Experience working with franchise systems, host location environments, grocery-based operations, or prepared foods programs strongly preferred
Experience in food safety, quality assurance, operational compliance, and field performance improvement preferred
Strong strategic and operational leadership
Excellent business judgment and decision-making ability
High level of accountability and follow-through
Strong analytical and financial acumen
Relationship-building and stakeholder management
Effective coaching and performance development
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
Strong organization and project management skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Adaptability and responsiveness to changing business needs

Responsibilities

May directly supervise field support personnel, trainers, business consultants, merchandising specialists, and other operations team members as assigned.
Provides leadership, coaching, direction, and accountability for field execution and operational performance.
Participates in interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and development of team members within the function.
Partners with franchisees and regional stakeholders to reinforce standards, operational expectations, and business improvement plans.
Lead produce merchandising and operational strategies that support sales growth, gross margin, freshness, quality, and consistent execution across franchise kiosks and host locations.
Support all GBC Food Services programs and initiatives as needed, with a primary focus on assigned regions and field execution priorities.
Develop and maintain merchandising standards for assortment, display, pricing, promotional execution, seasonal transitions, product rotation, and inventory management.
Partner with franchisees to improve in-store execution, profitability, labor efficiency, freshness standards, and overall operating performance.
Build strong relationships with host location clients to support service levels, visual presentation, issue resolution, and ongoing business alignment.
Conduct regular field visits, business reviews, store walks, audits, and operational assessments to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities.
Analyze key performance indicators including sales, margin, shrink, spoilage, waste, inventory turns, labor, customer experience, and compliance metrics.
Develop and execute corrective action plans for underperforming locations, programs, or processes.
Collaborate with supply chain, procurement, culinary, training, finance, food safety, and leadership teams on product launches, sourcing changes, pricing adjustments, and operational initiatives.
Support new kiosk openings, transitions, resets, pilots, remodels, and recovery efforts to ensure successful implementation and adherence to standards.
Create and maintain operational playbooks, scorecards, reporting tools, and field communication processes that improve consistency and scalability.
Identify and lead process improvement initiatives related to forecasting, replenishment, shrink reduction, merchandising execution, client satisfaction, and franchisee support.
Ensure all programs within scope are executed in compliance with food safety, sanitation, brand, and company standards.
Reinforce and monitor adherence to all applicable operational procedures, documentation, and audit requirements.
Provide training, coaching, and field guidance to franchisees and support teams on merchandising practices, quality standards, and operational expectations.
Escalate material operational, client, franchisee, or compliance concerns to leadership with recommended solutions.
Support budget, planning, and performance discussions by providing operational insight and recommendations based on field conditions and business trends.
Represent GBC Food Services professionally with franchisees, clients, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
Travel extensively as needed to support business operations within and outside assigned regions, including overnight travel and travel on varying notice.