Director of Merchandising - Produce

If you're someone who has a genuine desire to help people live better and healthier lives, join us as we work to be a trusted resource in our communities, offering real people, real food at real affordable prices across the Midwest. If you are ready to immerse yourself in an environment, that helps shoppers naturally, intuitively, and enjoyably find real, honest, affordable goodness to meet them wherever they are on their wellness journey, we'd like to hear from you. Join us to begin YOUR journey and be a part of the Fresh Thyme Market Team!

Fresh Thyme Rewards

• Weekly pay

• Scheduling flexibility

• Paid parental leave

• Team member discount

• Career growth opportunities

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

* Develops and owns merchandising strategies and tactics that will support long-term business plans and achieve financial goals for the department being supported.

* Ensures that all sales and margin targets for the Department are achieved.

* Establishes Vendor and Inventory Management supplier partnerships that maximize supplier performance and minimize supply chain costs while keeping a keen eye on customer focused processes and products.

* Manages strategies of development for the assigned area of the business.

* Implementation of departmental offerings including product assortment and space to sales allocaton that align with overall market strategies.

* Understanding data, industry trends, competition and customer behavior to help develop and make customer-centric merchandising decisions.

* Responsible for implementation and adherence to specific Federal, State and Company safe food handling guidelines.

* Negotiates and executes every day and promotional plan to drive sales and customer engagement.

* Responsible for proactively initiating ideas and suggestions specific to each market.

* Development and leadership for departmental team.

* Provides forecasting information that ensures exceptional in-stock performance by our vendors and Distribution Center.

* Champions assortment and pricing optimization processes

* Provides creative input in support of new merchandising and marketing initiatives.

* Leads the department team through annual, quarter and period promotional planning.

* Recruits, trains and develops category management team

* Develops succession plan and prepares "high potential" team members for career advancement.

* Collaborates and works with all support functions.

* Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

* Must have 5 years retail experience, preferably in grocery/fresh organization.

* Must have led a team of Category Managers, merchandising and/or sourcing.

* Previous experience in the natural foods industry is preferred.

* Bachelor's degree in a business, merchandising or related field required OR 5-years' experience in merchandising management, buying or grocery retail operations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

* Must always maintain the highest level of customer service.

* Ability to adapt to the ever-changing high-volume retail while working in a cross-functional team environment.

* Must have the capacity to take initiative for making appropriate decisions and have strong analytical and problem-solving skills; use independent judgment to take immediate corrective action.

* Flexibility to adapt in a variety of situations.

* Must have advanced attention to detail with the capability to prioritize and meet deadlines.

* Excellent written communication and documentation skills.

* Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills for maintaining effective business relationships with peers, senior management, customers, and vendors.

* Must have advanced knowledge with MS Office including Outlook, Word, and Excel.

* Ability to multitask and have excellent organizational skills is essential.

* Must be able to lead, support and contribute to team goals.

* Must have advanced knowledge of the grocery retail industry and category management processes.

* Must have demonstrated the ability to build, mentor, motivate, support and lead a team.

* Possess visionary traits and leadership, which identify future opportunities for revenue and profit growth.

At Fresh Thyme, our team members Thrive. We offer competitive compensation, incentive programs, and recognition programs that allows our most successful team members to be rewarded for their passion, dedication, and the results they consistently drive. Therefore, we are committed to offering competitive pay that reflects market standards and ensures consistency within our organization.

The pay range for this position is listed below. The actual rate offered will meet or surpass the legal wage requirement for the job's location.

This pay range represents the minimum and maximum base pay for the position, which is determined by factors such as market data, the qualifications required, the level of responsibilities associated with the role and other roles at this same level. Specific pay rates will be within this range and based on your experience, qualifications, and skills compared to the internal team of this role.

Compensation for this position also includes incentive bonus opportunities that may vary based on individual and company performance. Specific details will be discussed during the hiring process.

Our team members Thrive because we are committed to the whole person. Not only do we offer a comprehensive benefits package for our full-time team members that includes medical, dental, and life insurance, but we also offer a variety of programs designed to support our part-time members as well. ALL Fresh Thyme team members enjoy paid parental leave, our 24/7 Employee Assistance Program, and our 401(k) plan with an employer match. We are dedicated to creating a work environment that promotes work-life balance, long-term health and financial security, and continuous professional development. Come Thrive with us!