Full Time Cheese Master

About the position

The Cheese Master is responsible for creating a unique customer cheese experience that embodies food passion, cheese knowledge, interactive customer service, team leadership, and industry-leading merchandising that is uniquely Murray's Cheese. This role involves working closely with Fresh Foods Merchandising and District Staff, as well as direct reports, to create an environment of outgoing, personal, theatrical cheese retailing within the store. The Cheese Master will model proactive selling and superior product knowledge to drive sales in a targeted manner.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain the Murray's Cheese experience: interactive customer service, ongoing product education, effective cross-selling, merchandising, pushing and promoting designated products.
• Maintain knowledgeable, efficient, friendly staff fully trained in Murray's operations and products.
• Ensure all Harris Teeter and Murray's policies, operating standards, and procedures are communicated effectively, maintained, and followed at all times.
• Ensure that staff adheres to all Food Safety, HACCP and Sanitation Procedures.
• Place orders and maintain inventory.
• Responsible for setting up weekly in-store selling events (cross-departmental tastings, classes, dinners).
• Contribute to store goals for increasing sales and improving profit.
• Effectively control shrink and waste by following Murray's and Harris Teeter's best practices.
• Control labor expenses through appropriate scheduling.
• Meet and/or exceed budgetary goals for the Murray's Cheese Shop.
• Offer product samples to help customers discover new items or products they inquire about.
• Inform customers of Murray's Cheese specials.
• Provide customers with fresh products that they have ordered and the correct portion size, or as close as possible to the amount ordered, to prevent shrink.
• Adequately prepare, package, label and inventory ingredients in merchandise.
• Check product quality to ensure freshness.
• Review 'sell by' dates and take appropriate action.
• Label, stock and inventory department merchandise.
• Adhere to all local, state, and federal health and civil code regulations.
• Comply with all state, county and local weights and measures laws and labeling requirements.
• Ensure proper temperatures in cases and coolers are maintained and temperature logs are maintained.
• Reinforce safety programs by complying with safety procedures and identify unsafe conditions and notify store management.
• Practice preventive maintenance by properly inspecting equipment and notify appropriate department or store manager of any items in need of repair.
• Notify management of customer or employee accidents.
• Report all safety risks, or issues and illegal activity, including: robbery, theft or fraud.

Requirements

• Management experience &/or Food Retail Experience &/or 2 year Culinary Degree.
• Willing to taste cheese, in accordance with company policies.
• Supportive of cheese business initiatives.
• Able to inspire, motivate and train staff while ensuring successful completion of all assigned tasks.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Able to stand for long periods of time.
• A strong desire to learn, enthusiasm for the product, and an interest and willingness to try new and innovative approaches.

Nice-to-haves

• Exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to participate in and successfully complete required training.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos in English.
• Ability to write simple correspondence in English.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations.