Charlie's Produce is a privately owned wholesale produce company. We are the largest privately owned produce wholesaler on the West Coast, with distribution centers in Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Anchorage, Boise, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The secret to our 40 years of success in this industry is PEOPLE! We strive to hire the best and we reward them with a working environment that fosters loyalty, stability, innovation, and growth.
Charlie's provides a healthy employee stock ownership program, competitive Medical/Dental/Vision and Life Insurance plans. And our newest benefit offers Pre-Paid Fully Funded College Tuition to our employees and the dependent children of our employees after 1 year!
Charlie’s Produce Total Compensation Package includes:
- Medical/Dental Vision
- Holiday/Vacation/Sick Pay
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
- Employee Assistance Program
- 50% Subsidized ORCA Pass
- 100% Employer Paid College Program
- 401(k) available
The Job:
Fresh & Prepared Foods Program Manager will execute sales plans and prep-foods and fresh produce product programs developed with Retail Deli Sales teams within Seattle, WA; Portland, OR; Spokane, WA; and Boise, ID divisions. The sales plans will include product programs (category management, product development, sourcing from and ingredients for 3rd party suppliers, achievement of gross margin targets), promotion and Ad plans, marketing materials, packaging and private label programs. Responsibilities include product merchandising and marketing strategies, category management, sourcing ingredients for 3rd party suppliers, retail deli sales, gross margins, product mix, and new customer development. The Program Manager will collaborate with the sales teams of each division to support sales growth, new account development, new initiatives and provide category performance reports to Division Presidents/GMs and Sales Managers. The Program Manager will work closely with the General Manager of CP Fresh and 3rd party suppliers to coordinate forecast demand, recipe development and product innovations required from collaborating with each division. Quarterly travel to each division will be expected to visit with key customers, review retail execution, competitive assessment and coordinate efforts with sales teams.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities:
- Category management of all prep-foods products
- Corporate seasonal promotional and Ad planning and unique programs for chain specific requirements
- Coordination with procurement teams from CP Fresh and division procurement teams for solutions to sourcing needs (demand planning, specifications, pricing, etc.)
- Sales planning, forecasting and budgeting with division retail deli sales teams
- New fresh and prepared food product development
- Coordination with marketing team to develop and execute promotional materials, product packaging, e-marketing, in-store aids, etc.
- Culinary expertise and knowledge of food trends
- Competitive market assessment
- Monitors and follows up on operating performance of each division with specific regard to sales and profit performance of all existing and new products and programs.
- Maintains current knowledge of market conditions through periodic reviews of customers’ needs and competitive offerings.
- Understands and comprehends all financial reports needed to manage the business.
- Works with all levels of management for program and strategy design through implementation including areas such as loss prevention, human resources, finance etc.
- Assist/develop special ad events, corporate wide and chain/store specific with knowledge of ad profitability and effect on department sales and gross.
- Maintains contact with 3rd party suppliers concerning customer response, promotional programs, and general scope of market conditions.
Desired Minimum Experience and Education:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred with 10 years professional experience, including 7+ years as a food sales manager or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Experience working with fresh food products, preferably fruits and vegetables, with a background in new product development preferred.
- Advanced understanding of how to lead and develop teams by building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
- High level of analytical skills and organization skills.
- Good negotiating and management development skills.
- Ingenuity and creativity.
- Ability to travel throughout area.
- Minimum five (5) years’ experience in all aspects of the fresh food sales trade.
- Minimum two (2) years relevant experience in a leadership role with proven track record of success.
- Thorough knowledge of wholesale produce and retail purchasing, pricing, gross margin, merchandising, and inventory management principles.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience with warehouse management and purchasing AS400 systems preferred.
- Outstanding organizational skills – capable of handling many tasks at once and strong attention to detail.
- Ability to handle stress while maintaining a high level of productivity, organization, and communication tasks.
- Ability to effectively use Microsoft Word and Excel experience a plus.
- Understanding of prep-foods terminology and trade standards.
- Ability to perform physical requirements of the position.
- Flexible schedule – ability to work early mornings, weekends, and take late night calls.
Supplemental Information
This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration and if necessary the Department of Homeland Security with the information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.
Charlie's Produce is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
As an essential employer and key contributor to our community’s food distribution chain, we will follow all state and federal guidelines on vaccination mandates, allowing for an accommodation for those that qualify.
