Fresh Merchandiser

About Grocery Outlet:

• Our Mission: Touching lives for the better
• Our Vision: Touching lives by being the first choice for bargain-minded consumers in the U.S.
• Our Values & Behaviors: Achievement, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Family, Fun, Integrity & Service

About The Team:

Our Sales and Merchandising team's mission is to build a strong foundation of Independent Operator talent, coach and develop our Independent Operators, and assist their efforts in maintaining overall productivity and success in their store. Our team is collaborative and authentic as we promote open and respectful relationships between Independent Operators and Grocery Outlet. Successful members of our team use their analytical ability and drive to complete store operations projects on time and provide excellent customer service to team members, GOI employees, operators, and vendors.

About The Role:

The Fresh Merchandiser is a field-based leader responsible for elevating the execution, quality, and profitability of all fresh departments across Grocery Outlet locations. This role provides hands-on operational support, merchandising expertise, and data-driven guidance to ensure consistent standards in produce, meat and seafood, floral, and other fresh categories. As a subject-matter expert in perishables, the Fresh Merchandiser helps strengthen capability, improve performance, and deliver a customer-ready fresh experience. The role combines operational leadership, business analysis, field coaching, and cross-functional partnership to drive long-term success across all stores in the region. This role reports to Director of Sales and Merchandising.

Responsibilities Include:

• Fresh Operations & Merchandising Leadership

• The Fresh Merchandiser ensures that all assigned stores deliver high-quality, visually compelling, and operationally sound fresh departments by:

• Leading execution of merchandising standards across produce, floral, meat/seafood, and other fresh categories

• Guiding on weekly and seasonal presentation, adjacencies, and product flow

• Ensuring consistent rotation practices, accurate culling routines, and high freshness levels

• Supporting planogram adherence where applicable and offering creative solutions based on product mix

• Providing coaching during store visits, including hands-on resets or adjustments when needed

• Helping stores prepare for seasonal peaks, promotions, and key merchandising events

• Business Performance & KPI Management

• The Fresh Merchandiser uses data, reporting, and store observations to drive actionable improvements. Responsibilities include:

• Analyzing sales, margin, shrink, and inventory reports to identify opportunities

• Helping build ordering disciplines that balance in-stock conditions with shrink reduction

• Identifying root causes of freshness issues or low turns and creating targeted improvement plans

• Partnering to improve profitability through better mix, pricing execution, and operational routines

• Monitoring and influencing key KPIs across stores, including freshness, shrink, labor efficiency, and in-stock health

• Coaching & Capability Development

• Participate in regular training in-store to learn latest practices on ordering, receiving and merchandising. Translate learnings into coaching for teams

• Provide hands-on coaching at the shelf, cooler, backroom, and receiving areas

• Train teams on all SOPs related to product handling, quality control, storage, and food safety

• Support onboarding for fresh operations

• Train on merchandising fundamentals and best practices

• Follow up on store action plans to ensure improvements stick

• Food Safety, Quality, & Compliance Leadership

• Reinforce all food safety standards, temperature controls, receiving protocols, and sanitation expectations

• Ensure adherence to credit, receiving, and pricing maintenance procedures

• Identify and escalate product quality concerns from the field

• Monitor adherence to regulatory requirements and company policies

• Support creating safe, compliant, and audit-ready fresh departments

• Cross-Functional Partnership & Field Insights

• Provide field feedback to buying teams on product quality, pack size fit, availability, and assortment gaps

• Support the execution of promotional programs and company-led initiatives

• Collaborate cross-functionally with trainers, Purchasing, Merchandising, Marketing, and Operations

• Escalate systemic issues (supply chain, quality, or operational roadblocks) with clear, data-backed insights

• Competitive & Market Awareness

• Monitor local competitors for freshness standards, assortment trends, pricing, and display innovation

• Identify opportunities for differentiation within each store's trade area

• Use market observations to inform store strategies and internal feedback loops

• Project Leadership & Store Support

• Assist with new store openings, remodels, resets, and special projects

• Lead or support regional fresh-focused training or improvement programs

• Partner with stores on event-week execution and seasonal transitions

• Help train backroom organization and product identification systems

• Relationship Building & Communication

• Build credibility with Operators and Store Managers through expertise and follow-through

• Communicate clearly, professionally, and respectfully with Operators, Store Managers, vendors, and GO partners

• Manage sensitive conversations tactfully, especially regarding performance gaps

• Collaborate with peers to share insights, learnings, and best practices

About The Pay:

• Annual Bonus Program
• 401(k)
• Medical, Dental, Vision & More!
• Final compensation will be determined based upon experience and skills

About You:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 3-5 years of previous or similar retail merchandising experience
• 5-10 years in the perishables industry with a minimum of three years in a management position
• Independent, self-starter, resourceful, ability to resolve issues and recommend timely solutions
• Effective communicator, positive attitude, detail-oriented, organized and tactful
• Thorough knowledge of the retail food business, thorough knowledge of perishable department operations, merchandising skills, must be able to make timely and effective decisions
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, financial statements, government regulations and legal documents
• Ability to write presentations and present information effectively to top management, public groups, suppliers and operators
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
• Comfortable to use and leverage technology in daily work; proficiency in MS Office with high proficiency in MS Excel and MS Word
• Must have a valid Driver's license, reliable automobile and road warrior! Travel is up to 80-90%

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