Prepared Foods Manager

The Prepared Foods Manager is responsible for all aspects of the department, which includes the kitchen, cafe, cheese, and bakery. Responsibilities include overseeing the recruitment, training, and supervision of all department workers; ensuring all food safety standards are met; overseeing the production and execution of prepared hot and cold food items; and monitoring the financial performance of all arms of the department. This position works closely with the Operations Manager in planning and strategizing for future growth and opportunities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - all responsibilities listed are considered essential functions of the position

Personnel management

• Hires, trains, and supervises department staff. Oversees other supervisory roles and ensures that all Co-op policies are followed.
• Schedules all departments according to need and labor budget.

Food Safety

• Follows state, local, and federal food safety regulations to ensure proper sanitation practices, follows all proper food handling procedures, identifies unsafe work practices and takes corrective action.
• Keeps staff appropriately trained on relevant food safety certifications
• Works with Facilities Department to ensure all equipment is in working order and maintained.
• Implements approved safety, sanitation, and housekeeping policies in the department.

Food production

• Oversees all production including hot and cold prepared food, cutting and wrapping of cheese, and baked goods. Leads menu development initiatives with proper staff and proactively builds programming as opportunities arise.
• Works with management team to identify opportunities that decrease food waste and improves margin
• Ensures optimal inventory levels are maintained throughout each day.

Department Oversight

• Oversees a customer-friendly, inviting, and clean cafe and eating environment.
• Ensures a fully-stocked, abundant, well-merchandised, and inviting department for customers to enjoy.
• Builds and maintains excellent relationships with vendors, and ensures they are aware of and following all product policies, safety guidelines, and delivery and invoicing protocols.

Merchandising and Programming

• Oversees the Prepared Foods, Cheese, and Bakery departments and ensures they are abundantly stocked, clean, safe, and attractive. Ensures appropriate product rotation and freshness.
• Merchandising occurs with purpose and promotes increased sales.
  • Works with Marketing Department to ensure accurate and attractive signage.
  • Works with Merchandising Manager to ensure optimal product placement and successful promotional programs.
• Develops programming that meets customer demand.
• Using retail statistics, feedback from staff and customers, price checks, and the manager’s professional observations and experience, identifies sales and margin goals and carries a successful product mix.

GENERAL DEPARTMENT MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES - all responsibilities listed are considered essential functions of the position

Customer Service

• Ensures excellent customer relations by modeling friendly and engaged customer service, and by providing appropriate leadership, technical, and customer service training to all workers. Responds promptly and professionally to concerns, complaints, and requests.
• Ensures that all co-op practices, policies, and procedures are understood by workers and communicated to customers. Makes requests for compliance respectfully and ensures that all communication between workers and customers is respectful.

Financial Management

• Attains maximum operating results for department by developing, implementing, and meeting approved budgets for sales, margin, and labor which are consistent with short- and long-range goals and plans. Maintains a working knowledge of personnel reports, margin reports, weekly sales numbers, and other financial goals.
• Explores programs that benefit department and storewide margin, and communicates those plans to peers and management
• Keeps accurate records including financial history, vendor information, internal forms, and up to date pricing.

Personnel Management

• Selects, trains, and schedules employees. Works closely with Operations Manager to adhere to labor budget. Creates a work environment that encourages and reaches internal promotions and succession plans. Ensures that employees receive proper technical and customer service training. Provides and maintains job descriptions for all department positions. Organizes schedules and daily activities to ensure maximum productivity and efficiency. Ensures coverage of all department shifts.
• Develops and maintains useful departmental training materials, coordinates with trainers to ensure success. Coordinates with HR to ensure proper documentation and records are kept.
• Carries out all supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Co-op policies and applicable laws. Monitors and evaluates employee performance at regular intervals. Recognizes and rewards employees and creates a team environment that celebrates success. Proactively addresses performance and personnel issues in a timely manner and administers proper disciplinary action for employees when necessary. Follows good documentation practices and makes sure all standards are consistently met.
• Fosters staff engagement by communicating department financial goals and successes. Shares policy changes, expectations, and other necessary knowledge to staff in a timely fashion.

Leadership

• Is a contributing member of the Operations Management team. Works closely with other sales and service department managers to ensure storewide sales, margin, and labor goals are met while providing a holistic working and shopping environment for all.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL WORKERS

Essential Functions of all Positions:

• Provides exceptional customer service to internal & external customers, both in person & via phone:
• Responds promptly and honestly to customer inquiries
• Greets customers with a smile and friendly demeanor
• Communicates respectfully
• Wears any required uniform (nametag, apron, chef coat, etc.) so as to be easily identifiable to customers and able to work safely (hair covering, closed toed shoes, etc.)
• Asks for help from co-workers and provides help to customers and co-workers as needed.
• Works efficiently and safely
• Takes initiative and works as a part of a team
• Approaches work with a positive attitude
• Collaborates with others to find solutions and accepts solutions once determined
• Continues to learn and develop knowledge as it relates to the position, co-op, and industry
• Demonstrates regular and dependable attendance
• Follows department procedures and SOPs

----Belfast Community Co-op Worker Benefits include:

• Sponsored Co-op Ownership/ Equity Share
• Generous Store Discount
• In-Store Charge Account
• Paid Sick Time
• Paid/Earned Vacation Time
• Retirement Account with Employer Matching
• Regular Free-to-Staff Food and Wellness Items
• CSA/Farmers Market Reimbursement
• Education Credits (PTO for exploring interests related to work)
• Professional Development & Continual Training Opportunities

Full Time Workers (30 hours or more) are also eligible for insurance benefits including::

• Co-op Subsidized Health Insurance Plans
• HSA plans with Matching
• Dental insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Fully Paid Life Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability

-----Located in the heart of downtown, the Belfast Community Co-op has been serving the community since 1976. Everyone is welcome to shop at the Co-op: it is our mission and our pleasure to bring locally-sourced, reasonably priced, natural products to all. Whether you are looking for a job you'll love or a career you can grow with, Belfast Community Co-op provides the training, benefits, and supportive community to help you be successful.

The Belfast Community Co-op exists so that our member-owners and our community will have:

• A thriving, just, and sustainable local food economy
• A source of healthy, nutritious, affordable food, and water
• An efficiently managed, democratically governed, inclusive cooperative enterprise
• A greater understanding of health, food systems, cooperatives, and economic & environmental sustainability
• An invested, engaged, and empowered staff that thrive in a safe, respectful, inclusive, and equitable workplace

QUALIFICATIONS (knowledge, skills, and abilities)

Preferred:

• Can understand and explain financial concepts
• Experience leading a large team towards a shared goal
• Retail food or restaurant management experience

Minimum:

• Demonstrated skill communicating verbally and in writing
• Previous leadership experience
• Kitchen/prepared foods experience
• Ability to manage multiple time-sensitive tasks simultaneously
• Holds safety certifications or able to obtain one upon hire

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT (in a usual workday)

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to handle, feel, and for fine manipulation. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. This position requires frequent interaction with the public, in person and over the telephone.

Note:

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than the “at will” relationship.

The Belfast Community Co-op is an Equal Opportunity Employer, drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.