Fresh Merchandising Operations Lead - Deli

Coborn's•Saint Cloud, MN

36d•$72,000 - $114,000

About The Position

Join our team as a Deli Merchandising Operations Lead and help bring flavorful experiences to life across Coborn's stores. In this role, you'll support the success of our deli departments by building the tools, programs, and guidance that help teams deliver great food, strong sales, and a consistent guest experience. Working from the Support Center, you'll translate category strategy into real, workable programs for our stores. You'll help shape merchandising plans, build training materials, and partner closely with Store Operations leadership and the Training Lead to make sure new sets, resets, and initiatives are clear, effective, and easy for teams to execute. Your influence comes through collaboration and strong relationships, not direct store authority, so communication and partnership are key. You'll play a key role in making sure every deli program is thoughtfully designed, well communicated, and measured for performance. From quality and freshness to shrink, margin, and presentation, you'll help ensure our stores have everything they need to deliver the deli experience our guests expect. If you love great food, enjoy creating helpful tools and training, and want to make an impact across multiple locations, this role could be a great fit. Apply today and help us keep raising the bar-because we think you might be the missing ingredient.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Merchandising, Operations Management or related field preferred.
Coursework or certification in retail operations, merchandising execution, or food safety preferred.
3-5 years experience in grocery retail merchandising, store operations, or category support, with emphasis on fresh departments.
Proven ability to influence Store Operations and cross-functional teams from the Support Center to achieve execution and compliance results.
Experience managing timelines, coordinating multiple programs, and partnering with Category and Store Operations.
Knowledge of food safety and merchandising standards required.

Responsibilities

Serve as the operational lead and primary support-center contact for the assigned Fresh department (e.g., Produce, Meat, Deli, Bakery, or Floral).
Translate Fresh department strategies into executable plans, ensuring operational readiness and alignment with Store Operations.
Monitor Fresh department performance metrics (sales, shrink, waste, compliance) and drive improvement actions in partnership with the Category Manager and Store Operations leaders.
Manage the end-to-end coordination of Fresh department merchandising programs, including seasonal events, new item introductions, and display transitions.
Develop and distribute clear execution instructions, calendars, and store communication in collaboration with Category, Space, and Marketing teams.
Ensure that all Fresh department initiatives are operationally feasible and aligned with company standards and timing.
Monitor store-level compliance data, audit findings, and exception reports for the assigned department.
Identify execution gaps or recurring issues and partner with Store Operations and Category leadership to develop corrective plans.
Track completion of corrective actions and document improvements for future planning cycles.
Analyze shrink and waste trends within the assigned department and identify root causes tied to merchandising execution.
Collaborate with Finance, Category, and Store Operations to reduce product loss through improved operational practices and display management.
Support the development of tools and guides that improve store teams' ability to manage product freshness and rotation.
Develop and maintain Fresh department category-specific execution tools, visual playbooks, and training materials (job aids, quick-reference guides, videos, and presentation decks) used to communicate program standards to store teams.
Partner with the Training Lead to translate technical and merchandising content into clear, engaging field-training resources.
Ensure that all training content and execution tools are accurate, up-to-date, and aligned with operational processes, food-safety requirements, and merchandising objectives.
Collect feedback from Store Operations and the Training Lead to refine and simplify training content for future use.
Act as the key liaison between the assigned Category Manager/Director and Store Operations.
Influence Store Operations leaders by using data, insights, and clear communication to drive execution excellence.
Partner with cross-functional teams (Category, Space, Marketing, Finance) to ensure program feasibility and store readiness.

Benefits

10% employee discount on grocery items, with additional franchise-specific discounts available at company owned Ace Hardware, Caribou Coffee, Erbert and Gerbert's, and Pet Supplies Plus locations.
Get Paid Daily with DailyPay - for employees who would like access to their pay before payday, we offer this great benefit!
Paid Time Off (PTO/Vacation)
Paid Floating Holidays & time and a half (1 ½) paid for hours worked on a company-recognized holiday!
Sunday Premium Pay - an extra $1 per hour for hours worked on Sundays (some exclusions apply)
Paid Military Leave
Employee recognition programs with monetary rewards including in-store vouchers, years of service, and employee of the month
Employee Health & Wellness Programs, Challenges and Resources - to assist our team members in living a life of wellbeing!
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - unlimited phone access to legal, financial, and work-life services and up to five free in-person counseling sessions, per situation/issue, per year
Access to a national discount marketplace for travel, electronics, auto/home insurance , entertainment and more!
Tools, resources and opportunities for career growth and development
401(k) plan options - we also match up to 20% of the first 5% contributed
Participation in our Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) - yes, we're employee-owned! Our team members benefit from the success of the company through this company-sponsored benefit!
Education benefits including tuition discount and scholarship programs
Additional Voluntary Benefits - such as vision, accident and critical illness insurances
Medical & Dental Insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA)
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Tuition Reimbursement
Adoption Reimbursement
Paid Family Caregiver Leave
company-sponsored Term Life Insurance
Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance!