Job Overview:
The General Manager is responsible for meeting monthly, quarterly, and annual sales and profitability goals. Provides strong day-to-day leadership to staff to implement sales and marketing initiatives, merchandising goals, expense control, and inventory, as well as overall financial and operational performance of the store. Drives and models the company’s culture of integrity and transparency within the store and the community. Proactively take steps to ensure the Grocery and Café teams focus on delivering exceptional service and shopping experience for the customer. Reports to the Board of Directors.
Requirements:
Responsible for meeting the financial targets set under the annual budget including sales, profits, and managing expenditures. Analyzes variances to budget, and proactively addresses and monitors corrective actions. Communicates financial goals to store team. Reports financials to the Board of Directors at monthly meetings.
Manages the assets of the store, including maintaining the security and safety of the store. Provides overall oversight for cash handling and timely processing of required financial reports working in conjunction with the bookkeeper and accountant to produce reports.
Drive profitable sales through sufficient inventory to avoid “out of stock” situations. The General Manager must work with the grocery manager and café chef to drive profitable sales by ensuring that inbound merchandise is received properly, invoices are processed and that all store staff are educated and trained on the proper handling and care of merchandise. Strength in continued improvements to the retail and administrative systems with a focus on retail IT systems to maximize their use.
Demonstrates exceptional people management and development skills. Experience managing full and part-time staff in a retail environment. Provides disciplined leadership to staff, including setting clear expectations and holding team and self-accountable for results; trains, coaches, nurtures managers and staff to be exceptional leaders within their domains.
Assists grocery manager and café chef in performing responsibilities, including, but not limited to: making employment decisions regarding hiring, promoting, demoting, terminating; conducting performance appraisals.
Reviews store operational requirements with grocery manager and café chef by reviewing scheduling and assigning associates; following up on work results. Maintains operations by initiating, coordinating, and enforcing program, operational, and personnel policies and procedures. Manages and controls labour and overhead costs.
Responsible for maintaining overall store conditions that complies with all legal, regulatory, and company requirements. He/she must ensure that the store meets the expectations of co-op members and customers through monitoring the level of customer service and satisfaction within the store, taking appropriate action as required to address issues.
Monitors merchandizing with a focus on pre-planning according to seasons and trends to ensures availability of merchandise and services by managing approved contracts; maintaining inventories. Advances the store’s competitive position with the Ottawa grocery and food service arena while ensuring proper promotion of local farmers, producers and artisans
Administers pricing policies by reviewing merchandising activities; authorizing clearance sales, monitoring member buying, and understanding competitive pricing pressure.
Demonstrated competency in sales and marketing, ideally in the context of food retail or grocery operations. Ability to lead and direct communications and marketing efforts for grocery and café operations. Including but not limited to events, catering and community engagement to drive additional revenue.
Performs other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.
Qualifications & Requirements:
5+ years of experience in retail management ideally with focus in the retail food, grocery, organic industry.
3+ years of experience managing teams.
Passion for food with focus optimizing and sharing resources between produce, grocery and café departments.
Strong Profit/Loss and financial acumen with extensive knowledge of financial operations and processes.
Understanding of, or willingness to learn about the co-op culture and manage a business that is owned by nearly 800 people. Excitement about the possibilities that this model holds while maintaining the success of the business as a baseline requirement.
Understanding of and interest in environmental and social justice issues especially within the community.
Effective written and verbal communication at all levels of the organization and external customers.
Analytical skills with ability to analyze information, diagnose root cause of deficiencies, and develop and monitor action plans.
Technology skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Social media for marketing.
Assets:
Interest to drive success in the local food sustainability arena
Volunteer management experience
Experience reporting to a board
Experience building community partnerships
Commercial kitchen experience
Working knowledge of Revel Point of Sales System
About:
The West End Well is a co-operatively run grocery, café, and meeting space in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighbourhood. It is a hub for food, learning, and the arts that promotes an engaged, connected, and sustainable community. We envision a healthy and sustainable community that is nourished by our connection to each other, abundant local food, a fair economy, and a creative and vibrant culture.
Please submit a detailed résumé in confidence on or before September 20, 2015 to:
donna@westendwell.ca
We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Following interviews, the start date will commence by mid-October 2015.