Produce Department Manager

Hy-Vee • Iowa City, IA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Produce Department Manager at Hy-Vee is responsible for making the produce department shine by setting the standard for freshness, quality, customer service, and team performance. This role involves managing all aspects of department operations, from building displays and writing ads to developing the team and driving profitability. The leadership in this role has a direct impact on how customers experience Hy-Vee every day. This is a fast-moving role where things stay busy and engaging, working in the produce department with frequent exposure to temperature extremes and dampness, as well as possible equipment movement hazards from a pallet jack, electrical equipment, and cleaning chemicals and solvents. Safety is always a priority, and training is provided to help ensure a safe and supportive work environment.

Requirements

• Commitment to Hy-Vee's mission and a genuine passion for delivering an outstanding customer and team experience
• Ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team while maintaining high standards in a fast-paced retail environment
• Ability to solve practical problems and make sound decisions with a variety of variables and limited standardization
• Apply math skills including fractions, decimals, and percentages to pricing, sales analysis, and inventory tasks
• Communicate clearly and professionally through written correspondence, interviews, and daily interactions with customers, employees, and vendors
• Analyze sales data and trends to make informed decisions about product, promotions, and department operations
• Handle confidential information including employee compensation, sales and profit sheets, inventory reports, and warehouse pricing with discretion
• High school diploma or equivalent experience
• On-the-job training plus produce and sanitation courses required
• Ability to frequently lift, carry, push, or pull objects weighing 100 pounds or more, with or without mechanical assistance
• Continuously stand and walk on hard surfaces for extended periods
• Ability to operate pallet jacks, forklifts, or similar material-handling equipment (required operator certification must be completed prior to independent use)
• Work in cooler or freezer environments for extended periods
• Ability to safely use sharp knives and blades to cut, trim, or grind product
• Ability to operate a cardboard baler or compactor
• Perform repetitive motions associated with dough mixing, scaling, and proofing
• Ability to unload, lift, stock, and rotate incoming truck freight and merchandise

Nice To Haves

• Over one year of related work experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Set the standard for customer service, employee relations, cleanliness, sanitation, professional appearance, and overall department profitability
• Create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere by modeling great customer service and encouraging your team to do the same
• Greet customers warmly, assist them with their needs, and handle and resolve customer concerns promptly and professionally
• Recruit, hire, train, supervise, evaluate, and develop all department employees
• Determine department goals in partnership with the Store Director and establish weekly schedules and daily work plans
• Supervise salad bar employees by planning, scheduling, and overseeing the overall operation, including conducting inventory
• Inspect signage, displays, and merchandise for quality and quantity; order product for replenishment and ensure competitive pricing
• Analyze weekly and monthly sales and trends, prepare ad projections, and write ads
• Plan displays, promotions, and determine pre-orders to drive sales and customer engagement
• Manage department bookkeeping, including extending and posting invoices and overseeing financial procedures
• Conduct department inventory and ensure proper temperatures and storage procedures are maintained to guarantee freshness and control shrink
• Understand and troubleshoot department equipment and ensure maintenance is performed as needed
• Unload trucks, check in delivered merchandise, and place product in appropriate storage areas
• Approve employee discipline and recommend transfers, discharges, and salary changes
• Attend meetings, seminars, and continuing education as assigned
• Answer the phone promptly and provide friendly, helpful service to customers who call, including taking product orders
• Follow Hy-Vee's dress code, hygiene standards, and all department and company guidelines
• Pitch in with departmental duties and other tasks or special projects as they come up

Benefits

• Salary

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: High school or GED