Produce Lead

Job DetailsJob Location: Moscow Food Co-op Downtown - Moscow, ID 83843Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: High SchoolSalary Range: $18.00 - $20.00 HourlyTravel Percentage: NoneJob Shift: AnyJob Category: RetailJoin Our Produce Team! The Moscow Food Co-op is looking for an energetic, organized, and customer-focused Produce Lead to help lead our Produce Department. This is a hands-on leadership position that combines customer service, purchasing, merchandising, inventory management, and team support. The Produce Lead works closely with the Produce Manager to keep the department well-stocked, fresh, attractive, and running smoothly while supporting department goals for sales, margin, labor, product quality, and customer satisfaction. What You’ll Do Provide exceptional customer service and create a welcoming shopping experience. Help lead daily department operations and support staff when the Produce Manager is unavailable. Order produce from local, regional, and national vendors and maintain appropriate inventory levels. Keep displays abundant, attractive, properly rotated, and fully stocked. Monitor product quality, freshness, pricing, shrink, waste, and inventory. Receive deliveries and maintain accurate purchasing, pricing, and inventory records. Stock, rotate, trim, wash, bundle, and prepare produce alongside the team. Help train, coach, and prioritize work for Produce staff. Maintain clean, organized, and food-safe displays, coolers, prep areas, and backstock. Support department promotions, seasonal changes, inventories, and store-wide initiatives. What We’re Looking For We’re looking for someone who enjoys working alongside their team and can balance leadership responsibilities with the hands-on work needed to keep a busy Produce Department running. Our ideal candidate is: Friendly, outgoing, and committed to excellent customer service. A positive and dependable leader who communicates well and supports their team. Organized, self-directed, and able to prioritize in a fast-paced environment. Proactive and willing to jump in wherever needed. Detail-oriented with strong follow-through and problem-solving skills. Knowledgeable about produce quality, freshness, handling, storage, and rotation. Interested in local, seasonal, organic, and natural foods. Comfortable with purchasing, inventory, merchandising, and basic computer systems. Able to give and receive feedback professionally and contribute to a positive team environment. Schedule & Availability Full-time: 35–40 hours per week Part-time: 20–29 hours per week Flexible scheduling, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and university breaks Must be able to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 pounds Why Work at the Co-op? We're a community-oriented, values-driven workplace offering a supportive environment, living wages, and excellent benefits. In a recent employee survey, staff overwhelmingly said they're proud to work at the Moscow Food Co-op! All employees receive: 20% store discount Employee Profit Sharing 401(k) retirement plan participation Full-time employees also receive: Paid Time Off (PTO) Accrual Medical, dental, and vision insurance Short-term disability coverage Accidental & hospital insurance Telemedicine & mental health support Part-time employees working 20+ hours/week receive: Dental insurance Short-term disability, accidental & hospital insurance Telemedicine & mental health support   Position Summary The Produce Lead is responsible for supporting the Produce Manager in the daily operations, purchasing, merchandising, inventory management, and leadership of the Produce Department. This position plays a key role in ensuring exceptional customer service, maintaining high-quality and abundant produce displays, managing product purchasing and inventory levels, and supporting department staff to achieve sales, margin, labor, and customer satisfaction goals. The Produce Lead serves as a working leader, balancing hands-on department responsibilities with buying, merchandising, and operational oversight. This position helps create a welcoming shopping experience while ensuring department standards for quality, freshness, food safety, and profitability are consistently met. Customer Service Expectations Customer service is the top priority at the Co-op. Staff are expected to create friendly, welcoming, and helpful experiences for every customer. Employees should proactively greet customers (30 second rule), remain approachable and engaged on the sales floor, and respond to questions with professionalism and care.   Staff should demonstrate: Strong communication and interpersonal skills. A positive and solutions-oriented attitude. Patience, professionalism, and respect for diverse customer needs and perspectives. A willingness to learn about products and continuously improve product knowledge. Consistent attention to detail and follow-through.   Customer Service & Leadership The Produce Lead is expected to create a welcoming, engaging, and helpful experience for every customer by: Greeting customers promptly and proactively help. Maintain a positive, approachable presence on the sales floor. Provide accurate product information and recommendations. Handle customer concerns professionally and respectfully. Foster a culture of hospitality and service excellence within the department. Resolve customer concerns professionally and take ownership of finding solutions. Lead daily department operations in the absence of the Produce Manager. Assign and prioritize tasks for Produce Department staff during shifts. Assist with training, coaching, and supporting department staff. Set and maintain expectations for productivity, quality, waste reduction, and customer service. Assist with scheduling, finding shift coverage, and supporting staffing needs. Facilitate department huddles and communicate important operational updates. Make appropriate operational decisions when management is unavailable and communicate actions taken. Purchasing & Inventory Management Evaluate products, customer demand, seasonal trends, and market conditions to maintain a diverse and attractive product selection. Place purchase orders with local, regional, and national vendors to maintain appropriate inventory levels. Minimize out-of-stocks while avoiding excessive inventory and shrink. Monitor inventory movement and maintain strong inventory turns. Evaluate product performance and recommend additions, changes, deletions, and assortment. Research and develop relationships with new vendors and local producers. Receive product deliveries and verify quality, quantity, pricing, and accuracy. Process invoices, credits, and purchase records accurately and in a timely manner. Maintain accurate product costs and pricing information within store systems. Ensure all department products are correctly priced and labeled. Obtain credit for damaged or unsellable products when appropriate. Participate in inventory counts, cycle counts, and inventory reconciliation. Merchandising & Promotions Plan, build, and maintain attractive, abundant, and fully stocked produce displays. Ensure all displays are rotated properly to maintain freshness and reduce waste. Monitor department presentation to ensure a clean, organized, and appealing shopping environment. Participate in department resets, seasonal transitions, and promotional displays. Collaborate with the Produce Manager on promotional planning, new product launches, and cross-merchandising opportunities. Ensure shelf tags, signage, and pricing information are accurate and up to date. Stay informed on industry trends, seasonal products, and customer preferences. Share product knowledge with customers and staff. Department Operations Ensure produce displays, coolers, prep areas, storage areas, and back stock are maintained according to department standards. Monitor product quality and remove damaged, spoiled, or out-of-date items promptly. Maintain accurate waste and shrink records. Ensure proper rotation, storage, handling, and food safety practices. Maintain cleanliness through daily cleaning routines and scheduled deep-cleaning projects. Monitor cooler temperatures and department equipment to ensure proper operation. Communicate maintenance or repair needs to the Produce Manager. Assist with freight, stocking, trimming, washing, bundling, and preparation of produce products. Ensure department areas meet all health, safety, and sanitation standards. Support department and store-wide initiatives and projects. Complete all other duties as assigned by the Produce Manager. Co-op-Wide Employee Standards Customer Service & Communication Provide excellent customer service by creating friendly, welcoming, and helpful experience for every customer. Remain approachable, attentive, and professional while assisting customers, coworkers, and vendors. Communicate effectively with supervisors and team members regarding customer concerns, product issues, and operational needs. Offer product suggestions and respond to questions with professionalism, patience, and respect for diverse customer needs and perspectives. Maintain a positive, solutions-oriented attitude and continuously build product and operational knowledge. Teamwork & Professionalism Work cooperatively with all departments to support a respectful, inclusive, and team-oriented workplace culture. Demonstrate flexibility by assisting in other areas of the store, including cashier backup and cross-department support as needed. Follow the direction of the Manager on Duty (MOD) and contribute to department and store-wide initiatives. Assist with staff training and participate in Co-op meetings, inventories, and required training. Operations & Accountability Maintain excellent attendance, punctuality, and scheduling flexibility, including arriving on time and following break and time-off policies. Follow established opening, closing, safety, and operational procedures. Maintain accurate use of scheduling and timekeeping systems and assist with shift coverage when needed. Ensure a safe, organized, and professional environment for customers and staff through attention to detail and follow-through.      QualificationsRequired Commitment to the mission and goals of the Moscow Food Co-op. Commitment to the mission, values, and goals of the Moscow Food Co-op. Minimum two years of retail, grocery, produce, or natural foods experience. Previous purchasing, inventory management, or merchandising experience preferred. Strong customer service and communication skills. Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to motivate others. Knowledge of fresh produce handling, storage, rotation, and quality standards. Ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment. Basic computer proficiency and ability to learn applicable software systems. Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. Ability to work independently while contributing positively to a team environment.   Preferred Experience with produce buying and category management. Knowledge of organic agriculture, local sourcing, and natural foods. Familiarity with cooperative business principles. Experience analyzing sales, margins, inventory turns and shrink.   Physical Requirements  Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.  Frequently lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50 pounds. Ability to move carts and product loads weighing up to 200 pounds. Frequent bending, reaching, squatting, kneeling, and climbing ladders. Ability to work in varying temperature environments including coolers and outdoor receiving areas. Ability to safely operate department equipment and tools. Visual acuity sufficient to review invoices, inventory reports, pricing information, and department displays. The job duties, responsibilities, skills, and the requirements and conditions listed in this job description are representative only and not exhaustive of the tasks that an employee may be required to perform. The employer reserves the right to revise this job description at any time and requires employees to perform other tasks such as circumstances or conditions of its business, competitive considerations or the work environment change.