Co Op General Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

SUMMARY:

In keeping with our organization’s mission, to enhance our community s quality of life by providing wholesome foods and products, a market for local goods and a welcoming place to gather,” the general manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of day-to-day co-op store operations, for supervising bakery/deli operations, and meeting the organizational mobjectives described in the strategic plan as established by the Board of Directors (BOD). The General Manager is empowered through the BOD’s use of Policy Governance, Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation to make all decisions and authorize all engagements that he or she can demonstrate upon BOD request are consistent with a reasonable interpretation of established BOD policies.

The general manager is hired and supervised by the co-op’s BOD. The general manager serves at the BOD’s discretion.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

BOD and Member Relations

• Maintain knowledge of the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and policies of the co-op.

• Understand and promote the seven co-operative principles (below) in daily business practices.

1. Open and voluntary membership

2. Democratic member control

3. Member economic participation

4. Autonomy and independence

5. Education, training, and information

6. Cooperation among cooperatives

7. Concern for the Community.

• Be able to communicate our Cooperative mission to members and customers.

• Supervises Bakery/Deli Manager to achieve BOD goals and objectives, uphold co-op policy and bylaws, and ensure

the co-op is efficiently and effectively managed in support of the membership.

• Work with BOD to prepare for and ensure productive, effective BOD meetings.

• Present clear and timely written reports and proposals to the BOD.

• Submit written reports to the BOD at scheduled BOD meetings.

• At quarterly or special BOD meetings provide an oral discussion of written reports.

• Follow up on BOD concerns and research issues in a timely and effective fashion.

• Report to the BOD Chair or other BOD member, critical information about matters at and in between BOD meetings.

• Work with the BOD to establish systems and procedures that ensure co-op members remain informed about the Coop’s status, needs, and activities.

• Monitor key indicators (Level 2 membership maintenance, % of sales to members vs nonmembers, complaints from members, new membership growth) in the membership arena and support new member recruitment.

• Work with the BOD to develop and implement short and long-term Strategic Plans.

• Implement and enforce BOD personnel policies and procedures that support the co-op’s values.

Customer Service and Assurance of Customer Satisfaction

• Design, develop and maintain a store that is well-merchandised and customer-friendly.

• Evaluate and identify customer service needs and develop necessary employee training to ensure the co-op provides outstanding customer service to its members and customers.

• Communicate clearly and effectively to BOD, staff, and members.

• Monitor key indicators in the service arena to ensure overall satisfaction.

• Ensure customers receive outstanding service by providing a customer friendly environment which includes greeting and acknowledging every customer, maintaining outstanding standards, product knowledge and all other components of customer service.

• Supports staff when customer interactions are negative, seeks mutual resolution when possible, and advises the BOD of problem customers to facilitate prompt action in support of front-line staff.

• Help educate customers about our products and our store and bakery mission.

Supervision, Monitoring, and Organization of Financial Functions

• Maintain accurate financial documentation.

• Create accurate financial statements and distribute as appropriate.

• Ensure that the co-op’s assets are adequately safeguarded from loss.

• Prepare annual budgets, to support financial projections.

• Perform financial analysis to promptly address potential financial problems.

• Plan the co-op’s financial future with the BOD, including use of member equity, financing needs, and future profitability.

• Submit monthly financial reports to the BOD.

• Ensure all deliveries are received and properly inventoried and ensure proper rotation of co-op inventory.

Marketing

• Develop an effective marketing strategy, including analysis of the co-op’s competition and market potential.

• Ensure that the co-op is effectively presented to customers and its local market.

• Use marketing to support long-term stability for the co-op with vendors and customers.

• Assist with vendor recruitment and promotion.

• Monitor and work to improve customer and member satisfaction.

Operations

• Establish practices and procedures for daily operations that will ensure a stable, profitable, and growing business.

• Efficiently and effectively organize the co-op’s operations to ensure consistency and profitability.

• Identify and address operational problems in a timely fashion.

• Plan for the co-op’s ongoing operational needs, including technology, facilities, and equipment.

• Ensure consistent staffing of the store and bakery/deli.

• Manages ordering and inventory, utilizing CoPOS reports and other tools to identify and replace slow-turnover items with more profitable goods. Minimizes product redundancy to maximize product turnover in our small footprint, takes advantage where possible of vendor sales, and ensures the availability of goods for seasonal trends.

• Ensure a schedule and standard of cleanliness is developed for Janitorial staff.

• Ensure consistent daily operations, including ensuring the store is open and fully functioning during advertised hours.

• To ensure consistency of operations, develop and regularly update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to cover routine and standard operations.

• Develop and implement a system for consistent communication of relevant information to all employees and volunteers.

Human Resources

• Work with the BOD to create necessary job descriptions.

• Post positions as needed and follow Equal Opportunity Employment standards throughout the hiring process.

• Ensure adequate position and safety training for all staff.

• Evaluate all working staff and volunteers and provide feedback annually by November 30, per policy.

• Monitor personnel performance to meet job descriptions and plan for improvement as needed.

Planning and Leadership

• Serve as the primary in-store representative of the Ferry County co-op and Kettle Crust Bakery’s vision, mission, and actions to the community.

• Work with the BOD to ensure adequate planning for the co-op’s future.

• Provide leadership for the co-op through good communications, good business relationships, and good public relations.

• Set an example for co-op employees: consistently be fair with all employees, be fair with hiring practices, discipline of employees, and praise of employees, be on time, dress appropriately and professionally, consistently follow and implement bylaws and policy, be a manager that employees feel they can come to with questions or concerns, and be open to learning, new ideas, and constructive feedback.

• Hold quarterly staff meetings and special staff meetings as needed, presenting the BOD with an agenda and minutes.

Safety and Security

• Ensure that the co-op provides a safe and harassment free work environment for all staff and customers.

• Ensure that all staff are trained in and follow all organizational safety procedures and guidelines. Document records

of all employee training in employee personnel folders.

• Understand and implement required safety programs, including compliance with OSHA Globally Harmonized System protocols for communication of material hazards in the workplace.

• Manage and monitor compliance with applicable federal and state health and safety laws.

• In accordance with Washington State Food & Beverage Workers’ Manual and Washington State Retail Food Code, ensure Food Safety training is current, posted, and practiced by all Store and Bakery-Deli staff and volunteers.

• Ensure the security of co-op assets through a proactive program of financial management checks and balances, employee training and consistent implementation of BOD policies.

• Ensure all employees are trained in procedures for opening and closing.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: This position is responsible for the overall management of all employees and contractors. The GM directly supervises the Bakery/Deli Manager, Financial Assistant, and Janitor and is responsible for performance management and participating in hiring of all employees. All hiring will adhere to the BOD approved Staffing Plan.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform thisjob successfully, an employee must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this Job Description are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 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. While performing duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, and crouching all day. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items up to 25 pounds without assistance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

POSITION TYPE/EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK: This position is part-time, the maximum hours that may be worked in a one-week period is 32 hours. Actual hours are scheduled by the General Manager, with concurrence from the BOD. Standard days and hours are flexible and could occur Monday through Saturday (as needed on Sundays to supervise Janitorial Staff or contractors), typically between the hours of 7:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This position could require weekend and holiday hours.

TRAVEL: Local travel may be required to deliver or pickup products to/from off-site customers.

COMMUNICATIONS: Personal contacts are with the BOD, Bakery Manager, co-op staff, co-op members and members of the general public. Contacts are for the purpose of exchanging information, giving and receiving feedback, coordinating daily and long-term co-op operations, resolving customer complaints and responding to customer requests if feasible. All contacts shall be helpful, courteous, tactful, and respectful and generally be cooperative.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: A high school diploma or GED and at least 2 years of manager experience in a grocery or natural foods store, commercial kitchen or certification from an accredited school ortraining program is highly desired. Knowledge or natural and organic foods preferred. Must be able to demonstrate knowledge of appealing product presentation or be willing to learn. Must be able to demonstrate knowledge of principles of sanitation and principles of safe food handling.

Food Handler’s Card and/or ServSafe card is required to be obtained within 14 days of employment, and continuously maintained thereafter. It is the responsibility of a new employee to obtain and pay for their first Food Handler’s Card, all subsequent card renewals will be paid for by the co-op.

For the purpose of selling beer and wine, the person filling this position must be 21 years of age or older.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: This position requires a better than average mathematical ability. The incumbent is required to apply intermediate math skills to add and subtract, divide with 10s and 100s using units of American money and weight measurements, volume, and distance, and the ability to cost out and price products. Additionally, the incumbent must have a working understanding of financial reports sufficient to provide both written and oral reports, analysis and recommendations to the BOD.

COMPUTER SKILLS: To perform this job successfully, an employee should be highly skilled in the use of word processing programs, spreadsheets, databases, CoPOS Point of Sale software, cloud data management toolssuch as Google Drive and associated apps, accounting programs and social media such as Facebook and simple website building/updating. Must be able to advertise productsthrough paper media, internet and social media. A working knowledge of Point-of-Sale systems is required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: This job operates in a natural food’s grocery, including a commercial kitchen with merchandise displays and items available for purchase in inventory.

A condition of hire is to maintain a Level 2 Membership in the co-op. New employee memberships must be purchased within 14 days of hire.