Entry Level Produce Buyer Jobs

Position Purpose: To direct the operation of the produce department, including supervising and training personnel. Ensures customer service and product quality, freshness, safety and selection.

• Champions Company and Division customer service programs to meet or exceed Division customer service goals. Handles customer relations in a positive manner, including effective resolution of customer complaints. Promotes Albertson’s philosophy of personalized service in the produce department.
• Supervising the day to day functions of the produce department to achieve customer service, and sales and profit objectives.
• Supervises, motives, directs, trains and in the hiring of produce personnel. Monitors associate performance and recommends personnel actions such as hiring, firing, layoff and disciplinary actions. Schedules personnel to ensure adequate coverage and service levels and to meet department budgetary objectives.
• Conducts daily inspections of all produce sections and initiates corrective measures to ensure compliance with product freshness and quality. Rotates products, discards outdated or spoiled product and maintains in stock conditions, sanitation and safety requirements.
• Assists with all produce duties such as: receiving, cleaning, trimming, cutting, watering and displaying.
• Implements effective promotional and seasonal displays. Controls shrink and expenses. Accurately completes and monitors daily log sheet, purchase report, and sales and labor and other required paperwork and logs. Maintains records on ad items movement.

• Orders, checks, receives and controls inventory to ensure adequate proper inventory level, product quality, eye appeal and freshness. Checks for and prevent the sale of out-dated or spoiled products. Takes periodic inventories, processes administrative paperwork and maintains accurate department records. Maintains and organizes Produce Department work area and cooler.
• Ensures produce quality, freshness and quantity standards are met.
• Ensures proper merchandising of product by understanding and implementing schematics, merchandising of advertised items, proper signing procedures and monitoring product flow. Complies with retail labeling laws, federal and state regulations and Company policies. Complies with all federal, state and local health and food safety standards.
• Creates effective promotional and seasonal displays. Checks competitors for comparisons on prices, product variety and merchandising procedures.
• Assists customers by making product suggestions and engages in suggestive selling. Makes intercom announcements.
• Ensures cleanliness and sanitation of sales floor and work area, cooler, equipment, wet boxes and cases.
• Assists with answering and responding incoming calls appropriately. Receives and appropriately resolves customer complaints and reports to the Store Director as appropriate.
• Assists with implementing emergency procedures in the event of equipment and computer software malfunctions.
• Ensures that all associates are trained and instructed in the proper performance of work duties. Monitors associate performance and reports observations to the Store Director. Resolves associate complaints and reports to the Store Director as appropriate.
• Maintains confidentiality concerning associates, store sales and other Company information.
• Responsible for performing all job duties and responsibilities safely, accurately and with honesty and integrity.
• Other necessary and required duties.
  
  
  Skills and Physical Requirements:
  
  
• Requires working knowledge of all job duties within the Produce Department including trimming, cutting, displaying, watering, building produce displays, rotating and discarding outdated or spoiled product.
• Requires strong communication skills, good leadership and interpersonal skills, the proven ability to manage people and the ability to maintain composure in dealing with customers and co-workers.
• Requires knowledge of employment laws and workplace practices.
• Requires a good understanding of overall company practices and Produce Department policies and procedures. Requires the ability to judge and react to business activity.
• Must have knowledge of produce variety, standards, perishability, food safety, food handling and sanitation procedures and department policies and procedures.
• Frequently reaches, lifts, stacks and maneuvers objects of varying dimensions and weights up to approximately 75 lbs. Bends, stoops and reaches frequently and occasionally climbs ladders. Pushes and pulls fully loaded hand trucks, six-wheel carts and pallet jacks. Performs repetitious arm movement to prepare and package products.
• Manual dexterity and good eye-hand coordination are necessary.
• Mental alertness is necessary to ensure safe and accurate completion of work activities. Requires knowledge of basic mathematics and weights and measures. Must have knowledge of produce variety, standards, perishability, food safety, food handling, sanitation, labeling and department policies and procedures.
• Operates computer software and electronic ordering devices to order products, plan sales, input inventory and schedules, and print labels.
• Operates scales, wrappers, compactors and garbage disposals. Utilizes cleaning supplies and equipment. Utilizes knives and safety cutters. Requires use of latex gloves.
• Extensive knowledge of profit and loss statements.
• May be required to work nights, weekends and holidays. Scheduled hours will vary. Good attendance is required.
• Exposure to potential hazards exists with respect to equipment and work aids necessary to perform job duties.
  
  
  Work Environment:
  
  
• Hands are frequently exposed to water, ice and cleaning agents.
• Exposure to 35˚ Fahrenheit while handling products in cold cases and 28˚ Fahrenheit while handling products in cooler.
• Working conditions consist of a temperature controlled store environment.

Safety – Sensitive Position:

Job responsibilities include tasks or duties that could affect the safety or health of the employee performing the task or others.

DISCLAIMER:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work performed by employees assigned to this job. If you have questions regarding your ability to physically perform the listed job duties and requirements – e.g. lifting, standing, bending, etc. - please speak to your Store Director. All team members must comply with Company, Division, and Store policies and applicable laws. The responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified may vary within each store and from store to store.