Garden Center Department Manager

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  PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• This person is responsible for the overall performance of the Garden Center store departments. They are accountable for the performance of the merchandise categories assigned to that department, the customer checkout function, customer service, and supervisory control of staff in each of those areas. This person will directly contribute to overall division performance and profitability.

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  ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
• Supervises up to 15-30 employees, schedules, and evaluates staff in the store department
• Stands as a customer facing representative of the Berns organization and brand
• Provides and promotes a climate of excellent customer service both directly and via reporting team members
• Resolves customer-oriented problems and disputes
• Trains the store department team and oversees the implementation of department processes and procedures
• Trains the store department team and oversees the implementation of procedures for point of sale and customer checkout
• Coaches the store department team members to provide excellent customer service
• Responsible for the overall performance of the designated product categories
• Creates the overall look and feel of the store department
• Develops and maintains a product mix that fits with the overall Garden Center mix, tracks closely with consumer trends, and delivers maximum sales and profitability
• Utilizes historical sales data and trends to forecast sales and create buying budgets
• Research suppliers and negotiate contracts for product fulfillment processing maintains vendor relationships
• Constantly evaluates vendor performance, offerings, and price; developing and maintaining vendor relationships that deliver value to the store department categories
• Monitors inventory levels both visually and by cost in a way that ensures the departments will achieve sales goals and minimize excess inventory
• Manages inventory items and controls pricing and discounts
• Buys product to maintain inventory levels and controls new items and pricing
• Develops and oversees the process to receive inventory from the time it is confirmed with the vendor thru unpacking and pricing
• Oversees product merchandising and adjusts with seasonality in a way that achieves the overall sales goals, promotes the appropriate product categories, and achieves the desired look and feel in the store.
• Maintains a thorough and ongoing knowledge of the point-of-sale system
• Assists in the development of procedures and policies for the point-of-sale system and customer checkout
• Communicates with the POS Coordinator and other department supervisors to ensure accurate implementation of the point of sale keeping up to date on price changes, discounts, specials, sales, guarantees
• Works with the marketing supervisor to accumulate customer data continuously and efficiently at the point of customer checkout

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  ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:

• Projects labor resource needs and communicates with managers and Human Resources to ensure the department is appropriately staffed
• Oversees general customer service which includes instore customers at the service desk, call in customers, and E-mail customers
• Oversees customer service ensuring customer issues are directed to the appropriate department for resolution and best possible outcomes.
• Is responsible for opening and closing the procedures both for customer checkout and for the main Garden Center gates in coordination with other Garden Center supervisors
• Assists other supervisors and managers in the overall operation of the Garden Centers

This position description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of accountabilities, duties, responsibilities of requirements. Any individual may be required to perform any other job-related activities or functions requested by his or her manager, subject to reasonable accommodation. Berns Greenhouse and Garden Center has the right to modify this job description to reflect changes in essential job duties made necessary by changing organizational needs, subject to reasonable accommodation.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Ethical, dependable, accountable and trustworthy
• Polite, courteous, patient, and the ability to handle difficult situations with tact
• Strong attention to detail
• Effective problem-solving skills
• Positive attitude and the ability to successfully work with a team
• Leadership and training experience required
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide and figure percentages
• Ability to accept constructive feedback and be open minded to new ideas
• Excellent verbal, nonverbal and written communication
• Flexibility with availability in working schedule
• High school diploma or equivalent experience
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs and POS systems
• Experience identifying plant material and diagnosing plant problems a plus
• Ability to see, talk and hear with or without reasonable accommodation
• Ability to frequently lift up to 50 pounds
• Constant walking, bending, carrying, lifting, kneeling, pushing, pulling, etc.

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

VI. JOB ENVIRONMENT:

Up to 70% of this job is performed inside the building and the remaining 30% is outside. There is exposure to all types of weather: heat, sun, high humidity, rain or cold. There are temperature extremes that range from very hot and humid in the summer months to much cooler in the winter. There is exposure to packaged soils and soil amendments, packaged chemicals, pollen, seeds and various types of plants. The tools used in this job include cash registers, calculators, adding machine, computers, fax, copier and pallet jack. The physical demands of this job are moderate to high. While the job requires mostly standing and walking, there is also an equal amount of handling, lifting, carrying, pulling and pushing. This job requires the use of large, heavy carts for transporting plant material or products to the sales areas. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, see and hear.

Berns Greenhouse and Garden Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) with respect to employment opportunities.