Front End Manager

Job Function

To provide and maintain high standards of customer services in the store's front end operations; to supervise and direct all front end activities and operations to ensure that the work shifts of personnel working at the front end contribute to the financial best interests of the store.

Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. General

1. Observe all store rules and company policies;
2. Maintain a neat, well-groomed personal appearance at all times and observe company dress regulations;
3. Observe shift operating hours at all times as scheduled or assigned by store manager;
4. Adhere to all local, state and federal health and civil code regulations;
5. Be qualified, knowledgeable, able and prepare to perform all of the duties of an experienced checker when assigned or requested to do so;
6. Promote customer good will by providing high standards of customer service;
7. Maintain effective work schedules for front end personnel to meet business volume and traffic requirements; minimize customer inconvenience and excessive waiting periods;
8. Ensure that cashiers are assisted with price checks in a prompt and timely manner;
9. Keep store management informed of pricing problem areas or items that are not on file in front end computers or electronic point-of-sale Price Look Up files;
10. Inform store management promptly of cash register or scale problems/malfunctions;
11. Assist checkers and customers with refunds, overrings and other transactions requiring supervisory approvals or overrides;
12. Approve customer checks and assist customer with ESP Card application forms;
13. Handle cash pickups as requested;
14. Handle change order requests and register loans as needed;
15. Handle lottery transactions;
16. Be knowledgeable in and able to recognize or differentiate between all of the various types of produce merchandise carried in the store including differences between varieties of similar classes of products (e.g., apples, lettuces, etc.);
17. Assist customers if required with bulk products that they may have difficulty in handling;
18. Process all of the various types of sales transactions accepted by the store including but not necessarily limited to EFT transactions, WIC Coupons, Food Stamps, manufactures' coupons, gift certificates, etc. in strict accordance with established company policies and procedures including full compliance with any legal requirements or regulations governing same;
19. Maintain a regular and effective housekeeping program of the front end area;
20. Ensure proper bagging procedures by front end personnel including carryout service of all customer purchases to their respective vehicles;
21. Order and control inventory of all front end supplies including proper replenishment, as required, in the checkstands;
22. Assign stocking duties to front end personnel during idle periods;
23. Ensure that return-to-stock items are handled in a prompt and orderly manner with the most immediate attention given to refrigerated and other perishable items;
24. Handle damaged and spoiled products according to company policy and assist in controlling the level of damaged goods;
25. Comply with safety policies and procedures;
26. Control excessive use of utilities and water and observe sound conservation practice;
27. Perform other duties and assignments as directed;
28. Greet all customers and provide them with prompt and courteous service or assistance.

B. Bookkeeping

1. Ring all sales into cash register in accordance with Company cash handling procedures;
2. Verify all customer Ids presented and observe store policies pertaining to the acceptance of checks and the sale of alcoholic beverages;
3. Notify management promptly of any irregularities or discrepancies in the operating results of any applicable work shift if cash variations exceed $3.00 (or the level that has been established by management for your particular store location);
4. Record pricing errors or discrepancies and notify management promptly;
5. Assist in conducting shelf price audits as prescribed by management;
6. Be familiar with invoice documents and confirm accuracy of item descriptions, sizes, quantities and pricing during grocery vendor product deliveries that are brought in through the front door;
7. Record invoice documents accurately on the receiving log and place signed invoice in the designated secured areas;
8. Accurately record markups and markdowns, in-store use of merchandise, voids, refunds and bad merchandise/spoilage write-offs in accordance with company policies.

C. Merchandising

1. Ensure that all front end personnel keep their assigned sections fully stocked and faced to the maximum extent possible according to tag allocation or department standards;
2. Assist in building front end displays for maximum appeal and suggestive selling; ensure that all front end displays are properly signed or the items priced, as applicable;
3. Keep front end merchandise rotated in accordance with store policy and products code dates; pull all out-of-code merchandise;
4. Follow approved procedures for receiving product, price marking and restocking to ensure quality protection, accuracy and product rotation;
5. Order merchandise and maintain inventory control of front end merchandise and products in assigned sections to minimize out-of-stocks and over-stocks;
6. Keep front end as clear and uncluttered as possible to provide maximum eye appeal and customer checkout efficiency.

D. Maintenance

1. Maintain general housekeeping and sanitation standards in compliance with store policy and state and local health regulations on a regular, ongoing basis;
2. Assist in keeping all checkout, sales and storage areas clean, clear and in good order;
3. Inspect sales floor areas hourly during shift hours to ensure that floor is kept free of potential safety hazards such as spills and broken glass or plastic containers that contain liquid products; call for immediate cleanup as required;
4. Ensure that all cash registers, scale and other equipment are in good working order; immediately advise store manager of any maintenance or equipment problems.

E. Security

1. Adhere to company policy pertaining to excessive cash in registers and perform cash pickups in accordance with such policy;
2. Observe security standards by staying alert and being aware of customer actions and behavior; report to manager or security any abnormal behavior;
3. Protect company assets at all times and ensure that all unattended registers are secured or locked when not in use;
4. Keep store manager and key staff members informed of whereabouts at all times.

F. Personnel

1. Supervise and schedule activities of front end personnel to ensure consistent application of courtesy and service to customers;
2. Assign tasks and responsibilities to checkers as prescribed by store management;
3. Conduct training programs to ensure accuracy and compliance with procedures;
4. Review performance standards and conduct checking accuracy audits of front end personnel on a regular basis;
5. Be observant and alert at all times and enforce store policies as they relate to front end operations, assist management with discipline of front end associates who fail to abide by front end policies and procedures;
6. Notify store manager of personnel situations or policy violations having an adverse effect on store operating performance or of situations requiring disciplinary action or that may potentially require such action.

Requirements and Conditions (Essential Functions)

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform all of the duties described in the preceding in an efficient and competent manner. The requirements and conditions listed below are representative of the minimum levels of knowledge, skill, experience, and/or ability required. Some requirements may be modified to accommodate individuals with disabilities:

Education and/or Experience:

1. High school education or equivalent combination of education and background;
2. Must have at least three years experience in the grocery industry; some background in accounting and supervisory or management experience also desired but not necessarily required.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

1. None Required

Mathematical Skills:

1. Must possess the math skills (tenth grade level) necessary to supervise and handle sales transactions, tender change, verify vendor invoice charges and counts, calculate gross margins and ad losses, estimate labor requirements based on sales volume projections, and be able to balance cash receipts or troubleshoot errors or discrepancies in cash or column balances.

Language Skills

1. Ability to hear, speak and understand the spoken word in order to respond promptly to pages for assistance, to accommodate verbal requests from customers for information or assistance, to answer telephones, and to be able to communicate effectively with department employees, the store's co-workers and customers;
2. Ability to read, write, analyze, interpret and understand the English language with sufficient proficiency in order to read and understand:
   1. instructions for operating electrical equipment and tools
   2. company handbooks, policies and procedures and
   3. other written job-related documents including postings on company bulletin boards;
3. Ability to compose and write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals including effective employee memos and information bulletins.

Reasoning Ability

1. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in circumstances where only limited standardization may exist;
2. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in diagram, oral, schedule, or written forms.

Other Skills or Requirements

1. Be fully knowledgeable and thoroughly familiar with the nature and duties of every staff position in the department including procedures, policies and operations;
2. Be able to pass a standard drug test and qualify as being drug-free under the legal and medical guidelines permitted by the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988;
3. Be able to perform all duties and responsibilities in an efficient and satisfactory manner that meets the minimum standards for productivity, accuracy, cleanliness, harmony and safety established at the employer's individual site (normally measured but not necessarily limited to units of one or more of the following: total transaction throughput, unit time per task, sales per man-hour, and/or cases, units, tasks or pounds per man-hour).

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Some requirements may be modified to accommodate individual with disabilities:

1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; stand; and use the hands to handle, finger, or feel objects, tools or controls;
2. The employee must frequently walk, talk or hear, and reach with hands and arms; occasionally, the employee must crouch or kneel;
3. The employee must occasionally exert or lift up to 50 pounds carrying boxes of records and forms and frequently exert or lift negligible amounts of weight;
4. Successful performance requires specific vision abilities that include close vision and the ability to adjust focus including having sufficient visual acuity to verify invoices and other written documents;
5. Be able to lift up to 55 pounds at least once per shift, carrying bulk dog food, cartons of milk or beverages, trash containers, etc.;
6. Be able to climb a ladder to retrieve inaccessible items for customers located above freezer cases or from stockrooms and other storage areas;
7. Have sufficient physical mobility or agility to be able to respond quickly to fire or other emergencies such as cleanup requests (due to accidental spills or breakage of glass or plastic containers having liquid contents), shoplifting and other security assistance requests, customer accidents, etc.;
8. Be able to work with fresh fruits, vegetables, House plants and flowers without suffering negative allergic consequences that impact performance;
9. Be able to tolerate amounts of dust and chemical fumes from common household cleaning agents suck as ammonia during routine housekeeping duties;
10. Be fully familiar with and able to perform the duties of an experienced checker.

Work Environment

The work environment conditions described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. It may be possible to modify some circumstances to accommodate individuals with disabilities:

1. The work environment includes occasional exposure to temperature extremes in refrigerated cooler and storage areas as well as cooking areas;
2. The work environment includes occasional exposure to noisy conditions in machine and compressor rooms;
3. Access to break rooms, offices and all employee restrooms require ascending/descending a flight of stairs; there may be no restrooms at street level nor may there be any public restrooms available elsewhere on the premises;
4. Typically, the noise level in the work environment is moderate;
5. There are no other unusual environmental conditions.

Important Disclaimer Notice

The job duties, elements, responsibilities, skills, functions, experience, educational factors, 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 to require employees to perform other tasks as circumstances or conditions of its business,