Responsibilities & Duties: The Produce Manager is responsible for ensuring high grade quality of all produce. This role is accountable for proper adherence to Citarella's quality standards and execution of the produce and cut produce departments. The role manages produce and cut produce operations and is responsible for ensuring and improving the performance, the productivity, efficiency, profitability and manage all logistical aspects of the departments including shipping, receiving, and return procedures
- Performs a physical inspection of all produce received at the Warehouse prior to product acceptance. Inspects for company standards in quality, size, and condition.
- Approves produce delivery when standards are met. Rejects produce when standards are not met and informs Senior Produce Director and staff. Obtains Senior Produce Director approval in some situations.
- Communicates with Senior Produce Director on all quality issues and assists him in determining disposal of items that fail to meet inspection criteria.
- Performs a physical inspection and monitors warehoused produce for quality, shelf life and possible rotation problems. Notifies appropriate staff and vendors for resolution.
- Ensures products are being rotated properly during daily slot checking, monitors for miss rotation and miss picks and communicate any problems with rotation to the stockers and/or supervisors responsible.
- Creates graded metrics to measure success of Produce and Cut Produce team, processes, procedures, efficiency, and execution.
- Develops Produce DM's to train new employees in the Warehouse/stores on produce acceptance standards prior to receiving products from vendors and others.
- Works closely with Produce team to complete inspections on outbound orders ensuring all orders ship with quality product.
- Engage with Produce and Cut Produce Department Managers to prevent and resolve any quality issues in the production floor.
- Ensures quality standards are met by auditing Cut Produce production.
- Responsible for staffing all shifts for Produce and Cut Produce teams
- Responsible for labor cost of Produce and Cut produce departments.
- Assists in procurement functions of the produce department when needed to support the business.
- Perform quality checks, including, but not limited to, label inspections, Lot code inspections, net weight checks, sensory checks.
- Verify equipment calibration (thermometers, scales).
- Verify that specifications for finished products and incoming ingredients.
- Develop and follow hold protocol for any nonconforming ingredients and finished goods
Minimum Requirements:- Minimum of 3+ years' experience in produce management/ inspector role in warehouse/ distribution environment or an equivalent combination of relevant experience
- Extensive knowledge of produce, process controls, product flow, inventory control, quality assurance protocols, equipment optimization and supply chain management.
- Functional working knowledge of all Health Department, FDA, OSHA, Department of Agriculture, Food safety and sanitation, HACCP, and all other related regulations and guidelines as it relates to the produce department.
- Ability to troubleshoot and be a problem solver in order to resolve issues
