Retail Lead, Alexandria VA

Job Description

Job Description

Meet Us: King Arthur Baking Company has been sharing the joy of baking since 1790. Headquartered in Norwich, Vermont, we’re the ultimate baking resource – providing education, inspiration, and the highest quality products, all while fostering connections and community through baking. Our superior flours and mixes are available in supermarkets nationwide, and our direct-to-consumer business – website and retail stores – offers an even wider selection of specialty baking ingredients, mixes, gluten-free products, baking tools, and more. We bring baking education to millions of bakers through our cookbooks, podcast, recipe app, website, and baking school. We’re proud to be 100% employee-owned, which means everyone who works here has a real voice and a shared stake in what we do. This creates a strong sense of community built on trust, teamwork, and love of baking. As a benefit corporation, we’re committed to the best interests of all our stakeholders - employees, our local communities, our broader community of bakers, and our planet. Join us and help spread the joy of baking. King Arthur – where, as an employee-owner, your passion and ideas can truly make a difference.

The Position: The Retail Lead supports the daily operations of King Arthur Baking Company’s retail store. This role provides on-floor leadership to ensure effective merchandising, inventory flow, customer service execution, and operational reliability. The Retail Lead guides retail staff throughout daily shifts, models service standards, reinforces operational processes, including POS and cash handling, and contributes to staff development through coaching and product training. The role partners closely with the Retail Store Manager to execute store priorities, maintain a positive team culture, and uphold the brand experience for all visitors.

The Benefits: Yes, we have the standard "stuff" - medical, dental, vision, company paid short- and long-term disability, life insurance, paid parental leave, paid time off to rest, paid holidays to have fun, a 401(k) with a company match. But here's what makes us different: 40 paid volunteer hours a year, profit sharing*, participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)* and knowing that those working with you are dedicated and engaged co-employee owners that believe in you and your extraordinary abilities to move us all forward.

The Location: Alexandria, VA; onsite daily. This is a full-time role, working 32-40 hours per week.

The Pay: $20.17 to $24.55 per hour worked; commensurate with experience.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise daily store operations, including store opening and closing, merchandising, inventory management, restocking, purchasing, and expense control.
• Lead and supervise Retail staff, including delegating daily tasks, setting break schedules, and responding to needs of the business. Foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead and support product training to develop team sales skills, confidence and product knowledge.
• Partner with Retail Store Manager to set daily priorities for the Retail team, monitor business performance, and regularly provide performance feedback.
• Promote and ensure excellent customer service is provided by all staff members, this includes handling complaints or issues, promoting impactful product merchandizing, providing accurate and relevant product information and ensuring a positive experience for all visitors in support of the KAB brand.
• Coordinate and support baking demonstration and event room programs (as offered), overseeing ingredient procurement, staffing, scheduling, and program execution
• Oversee and deliver Point of Service (POS) training and ensure cash handling procedures are adhered to. Prepare deposits and maintain accurate records. Handle cash transactions, manage the cash register, and ensure accurate accounting procedures are followed.

Minimum job requirements

• 2-3 years of leadership experience in a Retail, Restaurant/Café, or Hospitality role.
• Proficient with point of sale (POS) systems and Microsoft Office
• Experience in a fast-paced retail environment a plus.
• Flexibility: morning, evening and weekend shifts required
• Proficient math and cash-handling skills
• We value those who can demonstrate capability and articulate how prior experiences will help them transition into this role

Competencies

• Leadership: Strong leadership skills, including ability to set clear expectations and communicate effectively with internal business partners and staff. This involves skills such as leading by example, delegating tasks, providing feedback, collaborating and fostering a positive work environment
• Communication Skills: Effective communication is essential for leading staff and responding to customer inquiries. Ability to handle difficult situations with professionalism and tact.
• Organization: Adept at prioritizing tasks, managing time efficiently and maintaining attention to detail.
• Problem-solving and Decision Making: Quick thinking and resourcefulness are valuable traits for addressing unexpected challenges, such as last-minute order changes, equipment malfunctions, or supply shortages. Comfort with making effective decisions under pressure. Ability to seek out and consult resources to assist in decision-making process.
• Customer Service: Uphold a customer-centric approach to ensure outstanding experience, solicit customer feedback and resolve issues.
• Results driven: Holds self and team accountable to meeting and exceeding goals. Approaches their work with curiosity, adaptability, and growth mindset.

Success Factors

• Genuine enthusiasm for the King Arthur’s mission and products and a commitment to living our values
• Is community minded gets involved, volunteers

Physical requirements/work environment

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical requirements

• Ability to handle, stock, and organize packaged dry food products, including lifting and carrying items of varying weights (typically up to 40 pounds), with or without assistance or adaptive equipment.
• Ability to reach, bend, stoop, and squat as needed to stock shelves and maintain product displays.
• Ability to use hands and arms to handle merchandise, operate a point-of-sale system, and use standard retail tools and equipment.
• Ability to visually identify products, labels, and pricing information, with or without corrective devices.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members.
• Ability to regularly work in an environment where food allergens may be present
• Ability to regularly touch and taste food products which may contain allergens

Work environment

• Work is performed in a retail store environment with frequent interaction with customers and coworkers.
• The environment may involve varying temperatures, background noise, and periods of high customer activity.
• The role may require working near stocked shelving, storage areas, and back-of-house spaces.
• Schedule may include weekends, evenings, and holidays based on business needs.

Safety

• Understands that safety is the responsibility of everyone at the organization
• Is responsible for providing a safe and ergonomically sound work environment, identifying unsafe conditions and correcting these conditions immediately
• Engages in safety and compliance training programs and encourage 100% team participation in same

Supervision

• Supervises Retail staff

Travel

• N/A

Other Duties

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive and safe work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers, and vendors. As a proud Benefit Corporation, King Arthur Baking expects our employees to adhere to company-wide green norms and remain educated on company impact campaigns.

There's room at our table for you! Apply today.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors protected by law. King Arthur Baking provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities to allow them to participate in both the application process and during employment. Such individuals are encouraged to seek accommodations to allow them to apply for a position, participate in the application process, and meet the essential functions and requirements of the position.

*Amounts vary based on achievement of financial targets. Participation based on hire date and program entry date.