Vice President, Produce

Heritage Grocers Group•Ontario, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

At Heritage Grocers Group, we are seeking an experienced and strategic Vice President of Produce to lead our produce division across all Heritage Grocers Group banners. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the fresh produce industry, including sourcing, supply chain management, and merchandising. This role is responsible for driving sales growth, ensuring product quality and freshness, and developing a team of professionals to achieve and exceed business goals.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, Agriculture or a related field
10+ years of merchandising or category management experience
Minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership role within the retail grocery industry
Strong business acumen and financial management skills
Excellent negotiation and communication abilities
Proven track record of driving sales and profitability
Exceptional leadership and team-building skills
In-depth knowledge of produce quality control, food safety regulations, and supply chain logistics
Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment

Nice To Haves

Master's degree preferred
Bilingual in English and Spanish a plus

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for the produce department that aligns with the company's overall business objectives, including setting sales targets, managing budgets, and identifying growth opportunities.
Oversee the sourcing and procurement of all produce items, establishing and maintaining strong relationships with local and national growers and suppliers, ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality, fresh, and seasonal products.
Lead the development of effective merchandising plans, including product assortment, pricing strategies, and in-store displays, ensuring operational excellence across all stores, focusing on inventory management, waste reduction, and maintaining department cleanliness and safety standards.
Stay abreast of market trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activities to inform strategic decisions and maintain a competitive edge.
Work cross-functionally with operations and other parts of the organization in a highly matrixed environment, building close relationships with the executive team to drive innovation and alignment across operational efforts.
Accelerate performance through cohesive planning and execution.
Meet the expectations of internal and external customers.
Ensure company is in full compliance with Company, Federal, State, local regulatory safety, labor, workers compensation and health requirements, including compliance of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Recruit, train, and mentor a high-performing team of produce managers and associates, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Manage a successful team that allows individual team members opportunities for professional growth.
Cultivate a culture of high performance and accountability, setting clear performance expectations and following up with timely performance evaluations and development plans.
Embrace positive employee relations through consistent and fair application of company policies and leadership values.
Maintain a positive work environment and ensure fair and consistent treatment of all team members.
Motivate, inspire and create engagement with the Executive and Senior Team, exemplifying the desired culture and values of the organization (high ethics, integrity, trust, respect, loyalty and humility).
Effectively manage stress and remain calm under pressure, cope with change and lead company's new programs across the organization, and be assertive when dealing with conflict and maintain responsibility for outcomes.
Make recommendations to effectively resolve issues, using sound judgment that is consistent with company standards, practices and policies.
Ensure P&L company results get delivered.
Analyze financial data in her/his area of responsibility to determine areas of opportunity and develop plans to resolve performance gaps.