PRODUCE/ASST DEPT LEADER

The Kroger Co.•New Castle, IN

About The Position

The Produce Assistant Department Leader helps create an outstanding customer experience through exceptional service and maintains a safe, clean environment that encourages customers to return. The role supports the department in achieving sales and profit goals, meeting quality assurance standards, and overseeing Produce department functions and activities. The position demonstrates the company’s core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion, and safety. The role involves supporting associates through communication, scheduling, training, performance development, and goal-setting. It also includes helping customers find products, answering questions, sharing specials and samples, and ensuring product quality and freshness. The assistant leader helps plan and execute department business and promotional plans, manage inventory and pricing, monitor financial results, and maintain food safety, equipment, and workplace safety standards. The position requires cooperation in a fast-paced and sometimes stressful environment and the ability to support customers and community members, including minors, individuals with special needs, and older adults.

Requirements

Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Knowledge of basic math, including counting, addition, and subtraction.
Ability to handle stressful situations.
Current food handlers permit once employed.

Nice To Haves

High school diploma or GED.
Any management experience.
Any produce or retail experience.
Ability to speak, read, and/or write in a second language.

Responsibilities

Promote trust and respect among associates and maintain a positive attitude.
Communicate company, department, and job-specific information to associates.
Establish department performance goals and empower associates to meet or exceed targets through teamwork.
Develop adequate scheduling to manage customer volume.
Train and develop associates and participate in the performance appraisal process.
Help customers feel welcome and appreciated by answering questions, making suggestions, and locating products in the department and throughout the store.
Inform customers about produce specials and offer product samples.
Inspect products for quality and freshness and take appropriate action.
Develop and implement a department business plan to achieve desired results.
Create and execute sales promotions in partnership with store management.
Inform and educate associates about current, upcoming, and special in-store promotions, particularly those affecting the department.
Prepare and submit seasonal critiques for the sales and merchandising supervisor.
Implement the department’s period promotional plan.
Assist management with the store or department budget, expense control, profit and loss reviews, and actions based on financial reports.
Schedule daily, weekly, and monthly price changes by updating shelf tags and promotional signs.
Plan and organize inventory processes; monitor inventory and stocking conditions, note discrepancies, and train associates on inventory, stocking, and Computer Assisted Ordering (CAO).
Ensure proper temperatures in cases and coolers and maintain temperature logs.
Reinforce safety programs, follow safety procedures, identify unsafe conditions, inspect equipment for preventive maintenance, and notify store management of repair needs and customer or employee accidents.
Report safety risks or issues and illegal activity, including robbery, theft, or fraud.
Follow local, state, and federal laws and company guidelines.
Work cooperatively in a fast-paced and sometimes stressful environment.
Manage conflict reasonably and cooperatively without confrontation.
Act honestly and with integrity when handling customer and business information.
Follow directions and seek assistance as needed to resolve customer and business issues.
Provide support and assistance through direct interaction with minors, individuals with special needs, and older adults.
Perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.