Responsibilities:

• Observe all store rules and company policies.
• Maintain a neat, well-groomed personal appearance at all times and observe company dress regulations.
• Observe shift operating hours at all times as scheduled or assigned by the store director.
• Adhere to all local, state, and federal health and civil code regulations.
• Ensure compliance with all state, county, and local weights and measures laws and labeling requirements.
• Must be thoroughly familiar with all products carried in the department including being fully knowledgeable in the differences (in price, taste, preparation, or use) between the many varieties and types of produce in every family group.
• Work out a department merchandising plan with the store director and establish goals.
• Follow approved procedures for receiving products, price marking, and restocking cases to ensure quality protection, public image, accuracy, and product rotation.
• Check and verify produce department receiving to ensure that items listed on vendor invoices are all delivered; check products for quality, count or weight, and condition.
• Control department expenses and utilize energy conservation practices.
• Order and maintain inventory control to ensure freshness, product quality, and turnover for maximum sales and return on investment.
• Handle damaged and spoiled products according to company policy and assist in controlling the level of damaged goods.
• Comply with safety policies and procedures and ensure that all department personnel comply as well.
• Participate in the store’s Safety Committee.
• Responsible for ensuring that all department personnel are trained in the store’s method of performing department activities and job functions.
• Maintain good communications in the store and throughout the organization.
• Hire, train, and schedule all produce department staff. The produce manager is responsible for delegating tasks, providing guidance, and ensuring that employees adhere to store policies and safety procedures.
• Create visually appealing displays to showcase fresh produce and other related products. This includes arranging products, ensuring proper labeling and pricing, and maintaining a clean and organized department.
• Assist customers with their inquiries, providing information about produce items, and addressing any concerns or issues. This may involve helping customers make selections, offering cooking tips, or providing nutritional advice.
• Monitor the quality of the produce, following proper handling techniques, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations. Conducting regular inspections, managing spoilage, and implementing measures to maintain freshness.
• Collaborate with store management to develop sales strategies, promotions, and special displays to increase the store's produce sales. This may involve planning seasonal events, coordinating discounts, or implementing loyalty programs.
• A produce manager must stay up to date with industry trends, monitor market prices, and maintain good relationships with suppliers and vendors.
• Be familiar with invoice documents and confirm the accuracy of item descriptions, sizes, quantities, and prices during produce vendor product deliveries.
• Record invoice documents accurately on the department receiving log and place signed invoices in the designated secured area.
• Accurately record markdowns, in-store use of merchandise, voids, refunds, and bad merchandise/spoilage write-offs both company policies
• Ensure that all signs and prices are maintained, accurate and are positioned properly and correctly over each respective product;
• Responsible for ensuring that wet racks are properly maintained and watered;
• Where applicable, ensure that pricing of shrink-wrapped or packaged products includes adequate allowances for tare weights and shrinkage;
• Keep perishable merchandise rotated by the product code dates and pull all out-of-code merchandise;
• Order merchandise and maintain inventory control to minimize out-of-stocks and over-stocks and to maximize sales and turnover;
• Ensure a favorable department image with customers through a clean, attractive, and friendly department.
• Maintain general housekeeping and sanitation standards in compliance with store policy and state and local health regulations on a regular, ongoing basis.
• Maintain full compliance with all state and county government weights and measures laws.
• Check refrigeration equipment for proper performance.
• Use and maintain equipment in good working order.
• Immediately advise the store director or the key person in charge of any maintenance or equipment problems.

Competencies

Education and/or Experience: - The minimum educational requirement is a high school education or equivalent.

• Must be fully knowledgeable about all products carried in the department including differences between the many varieties and types of products in each produce family (e.g., apples, melons, squashes, etc.).
• Must be able to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, gross margins, markup, percentages, ratios, ad loss, and shrinkage;
• Must be able to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, gross margins, and markup, Ability to handle sales transactions, tender correct change, verify vendor invoice charges and counts, and complete required accounting reports including inventory, receiving, and variations in cash or column totals.
• Ability to hear, speak, and understand the spoken word to respond promptly to assistance, accommodate verbal requests from customers for information or assistance, answer telephones, and to be able to communicate effectively with department employees, the store’s co-workers, and customers;
• Ability to read, write, analyze, interpret, and understand the English language with sufficient proficiency to read and understand:
• Ability to compose and write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals including effective departmental memos, employee corrective action notices, and customer signs or sales suggestions.
• Be able to perform all duties and responsibilities efficiently and satisfactorily that meet the minimum standards for productivity, accuracy, cleanliness, harmony, and safety established at the employer’s site (normally measured but not necessarily limited to units of one or more of the following: total transaction throughput, unit time per task, sales per labor hour, and/or cases, units, tasks or pounds per labor hour.)