Produce/Dept Leader

Kroger•Midlothian, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Produce/Dept Leader is responsible for implementing all company and division policies to achieve maximum sales and profits within the produce departments. This role requires demonstrating the company’s core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion, and safety. Key aspects include developing strong customer relations, assisting in store security, handling customer complaints, and managing all produce department personnel, including recommendations for hiring, firing, disciplining, and evaluating. The leader is also tasked with training employees on tasks like reading scales and price marking, supervising salad bar operations, and collaborating with the store manager on efficient staffing schedules. Additionally, the position involves maintaining department appearance, fostering good communication, planning and directing produce department activities, overseeing receiving, storing, pricing, and merchandising, managing inventory, maintaining records, ensuring cleanliness, and continuously analyzing department operations for improvements. The leader must also promote company initiatives, interact professionally, and demonstrate strong leadership skills, potentially taking charge of store operations in the store manager's absence.

Requirements

Willing to be flexible and work mornings, afternoons, evenings, nights as the work demands.
Willing and available to work weekends and holidays as needed.
Understanding of all key components of department operations (i.e. Managing people, merchandising, computer assisted ordering, inventory management, shrink control, customer services, labor scheduling, expense control, etc.).
Working knowledge of produce and preparation and general knowledge of store operations.
Adept at communication with employees, customers, and supervision.
Constantly alert, because of constantly changing priorities and demands, must be able to react quickly.
Effective written and oral communication skills.
Ability to make intelligent decisions quickly.
Able to tactfully and calmly handle stressful situations and make a positive impression on associates and customers.
Possess abilities and skills for effective production, merchandising and customer services related to sale of merchandise.
Ability to work cooperatively in high paced and sometimes stressful environment.
Ability to manage conflict in a reasonable, nonconfrontational and cooperative manner.
Ability to act with honesty and integrity regarding customer and business information.
Ability to follow directions and seek assistance when necessary to resolve customer and business issues.
Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Produce work experience or similar experience in food preparation.
Past work record reflects dependability and integrity.

Responsibilities

Implement all company and division policies to achieve maximum sales and profits in the produce departments.
Demonstrate the company’s core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion, and safety.
Develop maximum customer relations by produce department personnel through personal example of friendliness and courtesy, and implementation of all company polices.
Be alert and assist in store security.
Be perceptive and handle customer complaints.
Make recommendations regarding the hiring, firing, disciplining, demoting, transferring and evaluating all produce department personnel.
Proper indoctrination of all department employees.
Be sure they can read scales and prices correctly.
Provide adequate knowledge and training of price marking, ensuring the proper emphasis on customer courtesy and productivity is developed and that skills learned are properly utilized.
Supervise all aspects of salad bar operations.
Discuss with store manager the most efficient and practical working schedules of both full and part-time employees for maximum efficiency.
Maintain personable, clean and neat appearance of departmental people, having them properly uniformed and identified.
Maintain good communication with all store personnel.
Plan, organize, direct, and control the activities of the produce department, and may take charge of the store operation in the absence of the store manager (in scope of authority).
Direct the receiving, storing, pricing, and merchandising of all produce products.
Assure adequate stock and supplies by proper ordering, so that department inventories can be maintained at optimum levels.
Maintain and submit required records and reports and use them effectively.
Maintain effective and good house cleaning in all areas: Clean and/or defrost cases according to schedule, Clean floors, Keep a clean, orderly cooler and preparation area, Maintain proper disposal of waste and material.
Keep adequate supplies on hand: bags, pricing and making equipment, etc.
Analyze continuously all aspects of produce department (space allocation, design, display, price marking, rotation, inventories, personnel, etc.) and periodically make changes, or make recommendations to store manager.
Demonstrate the ability and desire to promote, communicate and implement company initiatives and process improvements to direct reports in a positive manager.
Be prompt, tactful, calm, courteous, and professional in all interactions.
Demonstrate an aptitude to manage people and organize workloads.
Perform all duties as assigned by the store manager and/or supervisor.
Provide support and assistance through direct interaction with minors, individuals with special needs, and/or older adults.