Central Market (Preston Royal) Food Demo Lead - Full time

Central Market Job

Central Market is a specialty grocery that started in Austin, Texas in 1994, and has grown to multiple locations across the state. What makes Central Market one of the freshest markets in the country - Try a sumptuous selection of everything edible, for starters. We go straight to the source to bring you the finest food and drink the world has to offer. With hundreds of cheeses, thousands of wines, acres of produce, and aisles of experts, Central Market is a foodie's wonderland. Our commitment beyond the plate is another reason we're a cut above. We believe food is a way of uniting families and communities, of preserving cultures, and of starting new traditions. Each of our stores is a market in the truest sense and is a place to exchange goods, services, and ideas for those really into food.

Responsibilities

Job Summary: Provides a service to customers and demonstrates and sells product through educating customers in product uses and location. Works under minimal supervision and duties are varied and moderately complex. Helps NP Director direct the work flow of the Demo and Foodie Partners. Applies advanced skills in areas of customer service, food preparation, ingredient knowledge, uses and substitutions. Use of specialized and advanced subject matter knowledge required. May adapt procedures, techniques, tools, materials and/or equipment to meet special needs. Assist in orienting, training, assigning and checking the work of Demo and Foodie Partners. Serves as a resource to others in the resolution of complex problems and issues. Role models excellent proactive customer service and communication skills are required for customer engagement. Key responsibilities & essential functions:

• Work with NP Director to establish weekly demos and selling goals, etc. for Demo / Foodie Team
• Conduct Ops Ex LFTF Walks daily to ensure all demo stations are manned and Foodies are proactively selling
• Assist NP Director with scheduling, inventory and planning, new Demo/Foodie Partner training and shares knowledge and expertise with Managers periodically through Manager Meetings, Selling Team Meetings, etc.
• Works with the NP Director to ensure Demo and Foodie Partners have the tools and resources to be successful in their position
• Facilitates the effective interaction and contribution of team members
• Ensures product used in demo stations and Foodie hand/floor-sampling is accounted for and recorded as known shrink. Monitor and measure usage and return on investment
• Assist in orienting, training, assigning and checking the work of the Foodie Team
• Removes obstacles in order to move the work forward and serves as a resource to other / demo Partners in resolving complex problems and issues
• Must meet criteria for Foodie and is responsible for all the duties of a Foodie Partner in addition to the responsibilities listed above
• Oversee day-to-day work flow for Demo and Foodie Partners
• Role models and demonstrated superior customer service
• Appropriately handles customer complaints or elevates to next level as necessary
• Uses suggestive selling techniques to maximize sales
• Educates Customers through recipe suggestions, preparation methods and cooking techniques. Has extensive food, food preparation, and store product/location knowledge
• Actively examines each customer's basket to assess additional items to suggest and recommend. Stimulates IPC growth
• Answers customer's questions about product and explains merits to influence customers purchase. Assist customers in physical need of assistance
• Keeps abreast of current food trends through books, magazines, articles, cooking classes, and other avenues and proactively reviews PartnerNet's "New Items" site and other avenues of communication
• Exhibits strong interest/knowledge in cooking to include knowledge of ingredients and preparation
• Maintains food safety and sanitation in the department
• Viewed as subject matter expert by the Selling Team

The responsibilities and essential functions outlined above describe the general nature and level of work assigned to this position. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Duties and responsibilities may be modified at any time based on business needs. Employees may be required to perform other job-related tasks as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodations.

Qualifications & Key Requirements

Work Experience:

• Typically requires 5+ years of related experience in selling and customer service
• Extensive food knowledge and experience

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of parings and flavor profiles
• Exhibit strong interest, knowledge, ability in food preparation and cooking
• As a Foodie Lead, the Partner must attend a minimum of six Cooking School classes annually on an on-going basis and attend a minimum of 90% of available on-site Vendor Training classes each year in an effort to maintain their knowledge of food and cooking techniques and trends.
• Successfully complete the Foodie Selection Process and maintain on-going requirements
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as weights, discounts, percentages, and volume
• Ability to manage multiple tasks throughout the store

Education:

• Preferred culinary, or related, education

Licenses/Certifications:

• Food safety certification

Physical Demands & Working Conditions:

• Exposed to moving mechanical parts; small, confined spaces; cleaning chemicals and airport particles
• The noise level is moderate
• Lift moderately heavy loads up to 50 lbs. individually with potential for heavier loads when team-lifting.
• Ability to bend, reach, kneel, twist, and squat
• Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time
• Ability to push/pull heavy loads of 75 lbs.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to small, confined areas and may be exposed to a variety of cleaning chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The environment is fast paced and requires long periods of time standing and walking with a moderate amount of repetitive hand motions.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Partner encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Last revised: 10/01/2012