Director Retail Productivity And Standards

Food Lion•Salisbury, NC

About The Position

The primary purpose of this position is to drive Sales and Profitability through tactical support of all stores per respective Brand through the implementation of: cost containment / cost saving programs; improved operations methods, and oversight of the Brand's direct labor budgeting & forecasting responsibilities. Specifically, this position is responsible for acting as the primary Operations representative related to Brand specific communications, implementation and sustaining performance improvement programs based on central standardized best practices, retail technology roll-outs and implementation. This role also advises and makes recommendations to Brand Leadership on the impacts, risks, and opportunities with regards to decisions that impact labor costs.

Requirements

Extensive retail management experience
Thorough understanding of store operations and business processes and best practices.
Significant related work experience
Ability to maintain confidential information
Excellent interpersonal skill. Demonstrates good judgment solving problems and making decisions.
Ability to influence people and organization
Experience in Retail Operations
Computerized software programs used for Workforce Management Applications
Proficiency with Microsoft Office software applications.
Experience in process improvement methodologies
Bachelor's Degree
10+ years
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in all situations with solid interpersonal skills.
Ability to identify and develop talent and proactively plan for future staffing needs.
Ability to bring people together across organizational boundaries to achieve results as a team and share best practices.
Ability to anticipate future challenges, risks and opportunities and create plans to address them.
Ability to adapt to a dynamic environment with multiple priorities and shifting demands.
Strong cognitive skills, including problem-solving analysis, decision-making and financial analysis.
Demonstrated ability to lead, influence and support change effectively.
Performs bending and reaching to both ground level and overhead; Lifts, carries, pushes, and pulls up to 25 pounds; Must be able to review plans, on-site layouts, construction progress, etc.; Must possess ability to utilize computer keyboard and/or mouse.

Responsibilities

Develop & evolve the company's business Strategy for Sales & Labor Forecasting, Industrial Engineering, Systems, In-Store Labor Scheduling, In-Store Scheduling Optimization, Workforce Complement Optimization, and Labor Performance Metrics Evaluation.
Lead the annual budget planning process and give appropriate guidance and recommendations that reflects the goal of continuous improvement.
Participate in RBS implementation strategies including communication and end to end project plans for key operational initiatives across all Brands.
Define the standard professional process to develop the company's direct labor forecasting methods. Ensure standard, common processes are followed and maintained, provides back up support and developmental guidance as needed.
Provides the enterprise professional expertise for use and direction of in-store labor scheduling across all store departments; comprehensive knowledge of all scheduling rules & assignments to optimize scheduling efficiency, labor use, and cost optimization. Provides the Brand/Market/District management with single source of standardization, training, and expert use. Provides oversight and guidance to Brand Field Training on Scheduling Optimization.
Principal responsibility in the company to improve all store operations work streams and associated methodologies, processes, forecasting, planning, budgeting, and metrics performance for the Brand every day all year long, as well as, sophisticated analysis of complex interactive labor cost drivers (processes, methods, technology, consumer demand patterns, promotional programs, mix, store layout, workflow, motivation programs, mgmt. influences) in order to develop new, innovative labor cost solutions. Responsible to train and support the Brand. Ensure consistent processes and approaches are used to develop, manage, communicate and measure Brand labor requirements and results
Participate as the labor subject matter expert on cross functional teams to understand, model and define any resulting labor changes required to support new initiatives or strategies (i.e. Precut cheese, Rx Central Fill, case ready meat). Collaborate with Finance teams to ensure complete alignment between labor projections and budgeted expectations. Including new store, new initiative, and contractual assumptions.
Provide weekly and period exception reporting by dept., rolled up to Food/RX and Gas. Summarize into the Business hierarchy for Wage related KPIs, (CPLH, IPLH, AIV, Wage %, SPAH, Efficiency %, and sales and items trends). Analyze Average Hourly Rate improvement opportunities through FT/PT, Sunday, and Overtime Crew Complement in order to ensure efficient wage spend and to limit AHR increases year over year across divisions/union locals/states. Determine if and where opportunities to reduce spend might exist and work with Brand to execute.
Work with Brand to conduct pro-forma analysis of new stores, replacements, and remodels, project labor dollars, wage%, AHR, and productivity trends for new stores. Ensure consistency in approach and expectations. Review assumptions and approach with Operations Lead. Use data to determine profitability and viability of new sites as needed.
Work with Brand Lead and controllers to translate sales forecasting updates into AIV and Unit Growth trends and projections for the purpose of defining labor requirements by dept. by period for each individual store. On a period basis formally review Period Projections with Operations Lead and Brand Controllers to ensure alignment of expectations with Central Budgeting and Finance team.
Provide on-going business support to Brand as subject matter expert on wage budgeting and labor impact analysis. Provide ongoing input regarding improvement opportunities to RBS WFM Lead. As needed provide CPLH (Cost per labor hour) analysis and wage expense cost modeling in support of Labor negotiations strategy proposals. Formally present to Senior Leadership operational wage results on a weekly and period basis. Identify improvement opportunities between brands based on peer modeling.
Drive implementation and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedure to ensure stores operate effectively and efficiently Work with key business partners to assess feasibility, agree to strategy and then formally propose new business solutions and/or processes improvements to Brand leadership. Work collaboratively with sub-functions and Brand leaders to implement new/revised processes and track success. Seek best practices in the industry and within Brands to create a singular approach to standards of operation for the stores in the Brand. Ensure technology and controls are adequate to achieve business objectives Act as Brand liaison to various parts of the business and assist in the implementation and execution of various initiatives and programs