Director of Deli Bakery

 Job Title: Director of Deli/Bakery

Location: Houchens Food Group – Merchandising Department

Reports to: Senior Director of Fresh

Objective:

To hire an energetic individual to develop categories within our growing retail stores. To increase and grow sales and category goals for our expanding grocery business. This individual should be flexible to the ever-changing environment of the retail landscape. The position will manage multiple categories within the deli/bakery department, which will have different gross profit and sales goals for each category and sub-category within the multiple retail formats. The position will need great interpersonal skills to work with all levels of operations and organization. The position will need to be able to give clear direction to assistants, operations, and store teams as needed.

Our Mission

Proudly empowering employee-owners, serving customers, and supporting communities!

Our 5 Rules

1. Do Your Job
2. Be Kind
3. No Surprises
4. No Drama
5. Protect The Brand

Our Values

1. Listening and reacting to customers
2. Fair and Honest dealings with all.
3. Operating profitably to enhance our future.
4. Innovation and action without fear of failure
5. Open communication with all employee-owners

 Core Responsibilities

• Responsible for identifying, developing, and procuring products to drive the success and performance of their assigned banners/channels/categories/departments (i.e., their “assigned responsibilities.
• Responsible for all financial and assortment planning activities for their assigned responsibilities. Ensures plans align with the Category Strategy and business objectives, and that buys align with assortment targets.
• Responsible for conducting Weekly Business Reviews of their assigned responsibilities. 
• Responsible for the Monthly P&L Performance Reviews of their assigned responsibilities.
• Monitor competitor pricing to ensure stores are competitive within their respective channels.
• Store visits as needed to review category and store needs, weekly at minimum.
• Responsible for identifying potential Merchandising business and systems improvement initiatives.
• Communicate with Merchandising Operations Teams and Store Teams to ensure selling plans are executed.
• Receive feedback and create action plans to resolve concerns/opportunities.
• Lead the strategic direction for all food service departments, including deli, bakery, and prepared foods, to drive brand differentiation.
• Own enterprise-level P&L performance, including sales, labor, food costs, and shrink reduction.
• Set and maintain food safety, sanitation, and regulatory standards across all store locations.
• Partner with marketing team to develop new products, seasonal programs, and attractive in-store displays.
• Negotiate high-level contracts and manage supplier relationships to optimize margins and ensure product quality.
• Directly lead and mentor regional leaders or department managers, creating talent pipelines and succession plans.
• Additional projects/duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• 3-6 years of experience in Grocery Channel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to create, analyze, interpret, and report analysis results. 
• Strong analytical and statistical skills.
• Able to handle multiple deadlines in a changing environment with a sense of urgency.
• High level of creativity and leadership qualities.
• Exceptional time management, prioritization, and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Must be highly motivated as well as team-oriented.

Knowledge/Additional Skills/Aptitude

• Possess excellent oral and written communication, organizational, analytical, and multi-tasking skills. 
• A self-starter with proven ability to work independently as well as in a team environment. 
• Must demonstrate flexibility, initiative, good judgment, a sense of urgency, and a strong attention to detail. 
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint). 
• Must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously and be able to manage constant organizational changes.

 How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their application through Paylocity.

Houchens Industries is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.   

Notice of AI Use in Job Application Review

As part of our commitment in creating a fair, efficient, and consistent hiring process we may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help our recruiting teams organize, summarize, and analyze information provided by candidates, including resumes, application responses, and other materials submitted during the application process.AI may be used to identify patterns, highlight relevant skills, and experience, and assist in comparing a candidate’s qualifications with the requirement of a specific role. These tools are to improve efficiency and consistency while supporting more informed hiring decisions, which will ultimately be made by the hiring team.