Packaged Merchandiser

Overall Objective - As the Packaged Merchandiser for our sustainable local food cooperative, you play a key role in developing and implementing strategic and innovative merchandising solutions that align with our Ends statement of creating a vibrant sustainable food marketplace by attracting potential owners, retaining current owners, increasing profit, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.You and the Merchandising Department are responsible for driving the growth and success of our cooperative through enhancing customer satisfaction, growing our market share, and optimizing the appeal of the unique Weaver Street Market experience.Your purchasing and vendor decisions build a vibrant and inclusive food value chain using food to create positive community and economic development.

Primary Duties

1. Product Sourcing:
   1. Create the best center store product selection in the region. Champion inclusivity in product offerings, educating brand owners on developing successful regional brands while transparently balancing trust-building and retailing needs.
   2. Introduce successful new products by monitoring sales for opportunities, and balancing customer needs for quality, variety, and competitive price.
   3. Leverage producer and distributor relationships to source the best products at competitive cost, ideal delivery frequency, and consistent promotional opportunities.
   4. Set prices to meet business and margin goals while creating a positive price image with shoppers. Compare prices with our competition and adjust accordingly.
   5. Develop and monitor a product mix and sales plan for packaged, bulk, refrigerated, frozen, body care, and dietary supplement areas.
   6. Utilize purchasing programs from National Cooperative Grocers to curate the best mix of national brands, private/controlled labels, and promotional frequency.

1. Product Promotion and In-store Presentation
   1. 1. Increase staff and customer knowledge of our unique products through signs, articles, videos, and other media.
      2. Develop exciting promotions and innovative thematic product tie-ins.
      3. Foster collaboration with stores by creating sales forecasts, encouraging staff to maximize sales, and by communicating results.
      4. Generate insightful presentations on Weaver Street Markets mission and its impact on the local food system.

1. System and Process Development:
   1. Integrate purchasing and fullfillment systems that optimize collaboration and effective product flow between stores, cross-dock facility, and vendors.

1. Be responsible for regular and consistent communication with the stores using communication channels and while making periodic store visits.
2. Maintain ordering and other retail systems to maximize effectiveness and ensure product availability.
3. Maintain accurate and timely records in point-of-sale system and other databases. Audit price and cost, vendor, produce attributes, country of origin, nutritional info, etc.
4. Partner with Community Food Partnership to source healthy foods at the best value and reduce food waste.
5. Source product for Weaver Street Market food production departments.
6. Collaborate with NCG to maximize product and operational effectiveness.

Essential Skills

Leadership Skills:

Analyze Needs and Think Strategically: Identify and understand business issues and client needs, problems, and opportunities; be knowledgeable of industry trends; compare data from different sources and choose outcomes with a business perspective; take action that is consistent with available facts and constraints. Project and plan for future needs of the department and the cooperative.

Achieve Results. Take initiative to identify what needs to be done and do it, learn it or seek out assistance. Develop challenging but realistic goals and implement effective plans to achieve them. Overcome obstacles to achieving goals.

Build the Team: Contribute to a workplace climate that motivates and develops employees, fosters teamwork and collaborative decision making to accomplish goals.

Core Organization Skills:

Customer Service Orientation: Put the interests of customers first and demonstrate them in work activities. Respond to customers promptly and courteously in all situations. Anticipate customer needs and meet them.

Judgment: Make sound decisions that benefit the customer, other workers, and the business in all situations, including rush periods and unusual situations.

Teamwork: Work cooperatively with other team members, both within unit and other units and departments, to achieve best possible results. Be flexible and willing to assist others and give extra effort to meet department and company needs.

Reliability/Dependability: Arrive at work on time and able to work each day. Perform duties as assigned and seek help when appropriate. Work effectively in a variety of environments. Be dependable in the absence of immediate management. Take on extra responsibilities when needed.

Attention to Detail: Complete all aspects of task, even when pressured by time or conflicting demands. Manage multiple priorities, adjusting priorities to meet organization needs. Follow or establish procedures to insure consistent results.

Communication: Be positive and professional in all interactions with others, both internal and external. Present written and verbal information so that it is clear and compelling, adjusting style to audience. Develop communication strategies to inform and build support. Exhibit good listening skills, be able to negotiate outcomes, mediate and resolve conflicts.

Desired Education, Certifications and Technical Skills:

Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Proven sales/merchandising experience, and a minimum of three years previous experience in professional/management capacity in restaurant or food retail establishment is required.

Experience with point-of sale systems, inventory tracking, and margin reporting.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information about promotions, displays, and products.

Must have experience in finance and cost accounting, sales, product development, and management.

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

High level of facility with Microsoft Office Suite (Office365) applications.

Physical requirements

• Office environment
• Indoor work in office or store with exposure to extreme cold (coolers and freezers) or heat (kitchen environment)
• Periodic work in outdoor environments at events or during particular sales periods such as Thanksgiving week, Co-op Fairs, or Tasting Events
• Lifting: describe type, weight of objects, and frequency
• Bending and twisting
• Standing and walking
• Climbing stairs
• Pushing and pulling - describe below
• Typing, writing and similar activities
• Fine motor skills for cutting, mixing, stacking, food prep and similar activities
• Driving skills necessary for motor vehicle
• Assist with production and store operations as needed training, stocking, customer service, loading and unloading, displays, sampling, etc. to support operations. Requires standing and walking for long periods. May involve working outdoors. Work in areas exposed to noise from mechanical equipment. Able to write reports, articles, emails and items of a similar nature with a computer and by hand.