Dairy Department Manager

Company Overview

Established in 1929, Heinen’s is a leading, family-owned grocery retailer known for its premium-quality products and outstanding customer service. Now in its fourth generation of family leadership, Heinen’s operates 24 locations – 19 in the Cleveland, Ohio area and 5 in the Chicago, Illinois market – supported by two distribution warehouses, a food production facility, and a corporate office located in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

Our culture is rooted in an associate-first philosophy, placing a strong emphasis on the well-being, development, and quality of life of every team member. We offer competitive compensation, professional development and leadership training programs, paid time off, and flexible scheduling designed to promote a healthy work-life balance.

Job Summary

At Heinen’s, we believe that effective leadership is grounded in a servant leadership philosophy. This approach prioritizes the needs of the team and the department over individual interests, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. We seek leaders who are passionate about developing others, while cultivating a culture of inclusion, accountability, and shared responsibility.

As the Dairy Department Manager, you’ll lead a dedicated team to ensure our cases are always stocked, organized, and filled with the products our customers trust. You’ll manage daily operations, oversee inventory and product rotation, and maintain exceptional standards of quality, safety, and freshness. If you’re a hands-on leader who values teamwork, organization, and customer satisfaction, this is a great opportunity to grow your career.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, train, and mentor department team members to achieve sales goals, maintain margin objectives, and consistently deliver exceptional customer service.
• Coordinate and facilitate team training on departmental best practices, operational procedures, and product knowledge.
• Deliver exceptional service to customers, associates, and vendor partners while fostering a positive and productive work environment.
• Provide strong leadership through effective delegation, performance management, and communication.
• Partner and communicate regularly with the Dairy & Frozen team, merchandising staff, and corporate departments to ensure alignment with company objectives.
• Prioritize and delegate daily tasks based on business needs, ensuring smooth operations and effective workflow management.
• Communicate clearly and proactively with team members, merchandisers, corporate teams, and peer departments to ensure alignment and collaboration.
• Participate actively in daily operations, including shrink management, ordering, stocking, rotation, and merchandising to support team success.
• Develop and manage bi-weekly labor schedules that reflect business needs and optimize productivity.
• Maintain current knowledge of products, promotions, and merchandising standards.
• Implement merchandising plans and utilize performance scorecards to monitor and drive results.
• Ensure clear and consistent team communication through tools such as whiteboards and team meetings.
• Uphold all food safety, sanitation, and company compliance standards.
• Attend required corporate meetings, training sessions, and department updates.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support departmental and store success.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year of grocery or retail experience required; 1-3 years of leadership experience preferred.
• Completion of a recognized leadership development program preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and related business systems.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, communication, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, train, and provide constructive feedback to team members.
• Ability to perform all Grocery Associate responsibilities as needed.
• Flexibility to work a varied schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as business needs require.
• Willingness to work additional hours during peak periods.
• Ability to work in varying temperature conditions, including refrigerated and freezer environments.

Heinen’s, Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.