About The Team:The Grocery Outlet Recruiting & Training team is tasked with hiring and developing Aspiring Operator Trainees (AOTs). Our AOT's are the crucial pipeline of Independent Store Owners. We have a very rigorous selection and development approach, accomplished by robust sourcing and assessment, facilitating scalable learning and development, cultivating and communicating best practices and leveraging our unique culture. Our goal is to serve the AOT and Operator communities with integrity and accuracy while focusing on continual improvement, collaboration and FUN! The recruiting team is responsible for finding candidates who have a passion for grocery retail and an entrepreneurial spirit. The team fully educates AOT Candidates on the realities of Owning/Operating a Grocery Outlet store successfully, facilitates the relationship between AOTs and their Training Store Operators, provides an opportunity for families to build a business together, and foster the continuing development of an exceptional Operator network. Our training team develops blended training programs includes operator/mentor-lead in store immersion, classroom-based instructor lead facilitation with on-line supplemental learning. Training focuses on developing business acumen, along with leadership, merchandising, and marketing skills.
About The Role: We are seeking an experienced Recruiter to manage the full-cycle recruitment of AOT candidates. In this role, you'll own the sourcing, engagement, assessment, and closing of candidates who are ready to pursue store ownership. You'll partner closely with leadership to meet placement goals, guide candidates through a complex evaluation process, and play a key role in strengthening the long-term pipeline of Independent Operators. This role reports to the Manager - Field Recruiting.
Responsibilities Include: Talent Identification & Outreach
- Source and engage qualified candidates through referrals, direct outreach, job boards, and industry networks.
- Conduct in-depth interviews to evaluate leadership, retail/management experience, financial readiness, and relocation flexibility.
- Effectively communicate the business ownership opportunity and set clear expectations.
Candidate Management & Assessment
- Manage the candidate journey from initial conversation through training assignment and store placement.
- Facilitate assessments, panel interviews, and evaluation checkpoints, consolidating feedback into clear recommendations.
- Maintain accurate candidate pipelines and documentation in CRM (Salesforce).
- Address questions related to business ownership, investment, and relocation to support candidate decision-making.
Recruiting Marketing & Relationship Building
- Represent Grocery Outlet at industry events, webinars, and networking functions.
- Travel within the market to support in-person needs i.e. candidate meetings, networking events, operator connects, and corporate functions. Travel frequency will vary based on market activity and business needs
- Build lasting relationships with candidates, referral partners, and industry contacts to strengthen pipeline flow.
- Collaborate with Marketing to support campaigns that attract diverse, entrepreneurially-minded talent.
Collaboration & Process Improvement
- Partner with recruiting leaders and cross-functional teams to forecast pipeline needs and meet annual AOT placement targets.
- Share insights and best practices while supporting continuous improvement of recruiting processes and tools.
- Contribute to team knowledge-sharing and help elevate recruiting standards across the organization.
About The Pay:- Base Salary Range: $95,000 - $110,000 Annually
- Annual Bonus Program
- Equity
- 401(k) Profit Sharing
- Medical, Dental, Vision & More!
- Final compensation will be determined based upon experience and skills and may vary based on location.
About You:- 3-5 years of recruiting experience in a corporate or agency environment; franchise or leadership recruiting experience a plus.
- Proven success in managing full-cycle recruiting and closing candidates.
- Strong business acumen and comfort discussing financial readiness, relocation, and ownership opportunities.
- Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to influence decisions at multiple levels.
- Proficiency with CRM/ATS systems (Salesforce preferred) and recruiting technology.
- Highly organized and adaptable, able to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Maintain a consistent, high-quality candidate pipeline aligned to market demand.
- Move candidates efficiently through the evaluation and closing process.
- Keep CRM data accurate and current to support pipeline visibility and reporting.
- Meet annual AOT placement targets and Dept. KPIs set in partnership with leadership.
