Director of Produce Operations - West Coast at GBC Food Services, LLC

Seattle, Washington, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

20 Jul, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

22 Apr, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Produce Merchandising, Multi-unit Operations, Strategic Leadership, Inventory Management, Shrink Control, Food Safety, Business Acumen, Operational Compliance, Franchise Management, Data Analysis, Team Leadership, Performance Management, Project Management, Supply Chain Management, ServSafe Manager Certification, Microsoft Office Suite

Industry

Food and Beverage Services

Description

Description Job Overview The Director of Produce Merchandising and Operations is responsible for leading merchandising strategy, field execution, and operational performance for produce and related fresh programs across GBC Food Services franchise kiosks located primarily in grocery stores and other host locations. This role supports all company programs, with a primary focus on assigned regions, and is accountable for driving sales, margin, freshness, food safety, operational consistency, and franchisee and client satisfaction. This position serves as a key leader between corporate strategy and field execution, partnering closely with franchisees, clients, and internal stakeholders to ensure strong merchandising standards, effective operations, and sustainable business growth. The role requires independent judgment, strong business acumen, and the ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on operational support. Regular travel within and outside assigned regions, sometimes with limited notice, is required to support franchisees, client needs, new openings, audits, training, recoveries, and other business priorities. Supervisory Responsibilities May directly supervise field support personnel, trainers, business consultants, merchandising specialists, and other operations team members as assigned. Provides leadership, coaching, direction, and accountability for field execution and operational performance. Participates in interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and development of team members within the function. Partners with franchisees and regional stakeholders to reinforce standards, operational expectations, and business improvement plans. Key Responsibilities Lead produce merchandising and operational strategies that support sales growth, gross margin, freshness, quality, and consistent execution across franchise kiosks and host locations. Support all GBC Food Services programs and initiatives as needed, with a primary focus on assigned regions and field execution priorities. Develop and maintain merchandising standards for assortment, display, pricing, promotional execution, seasonal transitions, product rotation, and inventory management. Partner with franchisees to improve in-store execution, profitability, labor efficiency, freshness standards, and overall operating performance. Build strong relationships with host location clients to support service levels, visual presentation, issue resolution, and ongoing business alignment. Conduct regular field visits, business reviews, store walks, audits, and operational assessments to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities. Analyze key performance indicators including sales, margin, shrink, spoilage, waste, inventory turns, labor, customer experience, and compliance metrics. Develop and execute corrective action plans for underperforming locations, programs, or processes. Collaborate with supply chain, procurement, culinary, training, finance, food safety, and leadership teams on product launches, sourcing changes, pricing adjustments, and operational initiatives. Support new kiosk openings, transitions, resets, pilots, remodels, and recovery efforts to ensure successful implementation and adherence to standards. Create and maintain operational playbooks, scorecards, reporting tools, and field communication processes that improve consistency and scalability. Identify and lead process improvement initiatives related to forecasting, replenishment, shrink reduction, merchandising execution, client satisfaction, and franchisee support. Ensure all programs within scope are executed in compliance with food safety, sanitation, brand, and company standards. Reinforce and monitor adherence to all applicable operational procedures, documentation, and audit requirements. Provide training, coaching, and field guidance to franchisees and support teams on merchandising practices, quality standards, and operational expectations. Escalate material operational, client, franchisee, or compliance concerns to leadership with recommended solutions. Support budget, planning, and performance discussions by providing operational insight and recommendations based on field conditions and business trends. Represent GBC Food Services professionally with franchisees, clients, vendors, and internal stakeholders. Travel extensively as needed to support business operations within and outside assigned regions, including overnight travel and travel on varying notice. Competencies Strong strategic and operational leadership Excellent business judgment and decision-making ability High level of accountability and follow-through Strong analytical and financial acumen Relationship-building and stakeholder management Effective coaching and performance development Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills Strong organization and project management skills Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment Adaptability and responsiveness to changing business needs Required Skills/Abilities Strong knowledge of produce merchandising, freshness standards, inventory rotation, shrink control, spoilage management, and operational best practices Strong understanding of multi-unit operations in foodservice, grocery, retail, franchising, or other fresh/perishable environments Ability to evaluate business performance using sales, margin, labor, and operational data and translate findings into actionable plans Experience partnering with franchisees, clients, and cross-functional teams to improve execution and results Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook Experience with POS, ERP, inventory, reporting, or business intelligence systems Ability to influence outcomes across a decentralized operating environment Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively across departments Strong attention to detail and commitment to brand and operating standards Ability to travel frequently, including overnight and short-notice travel, based on business needs ServSafe Manager Certification required Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Food Service Management, Supply Chain, Merchandising, Agriculture, or a related field preferred Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered 8+ years of progressive experience in produce merchandising, fresh foods, field operations, category management, or related operational leadership roles required 5+ years of leadership experience supporting multi-unit operations preferred Experience working with franchise systems, host location environments, grocery-based operations, or prepared foods programs strongly preferred Experience in food safety, quality assurance, operational compliance, and field performance improvement preferred Physical Requirements Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer Frequent standing and walking during field visits, store walks, audits, and operational support activities Frequent travel by car and air as required by the business, with varying notice. Occasional bending, reaching, and lifting of up to 30 pounds Ability to work in cold refrigerated environments. Ability to work in retail, warehouse, production, and refrigerated environments as needed Work Environment Combination of corporate office and field-based work environments Regular presence in grocery stores, franchise kiosks, and other host locations Exposure to refrigerated, storage, backroom, and food production areas during site visits Fast-paced environment requiring flexibility, urgency, responsiveness, and strong cross-functional collaboration Schedule may include early mornings, evenings, and occasional weekends depending on travel, client needs, openings, or operational priorities 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.

Responsibilities

The Director of Produce Operations leads merchandising strategy and operational performance across franchise kiosks to drive sales, margin, and freshness. This role involves conducting field visits, managing franchisee relationships, and ensuring compliance with food safety and brand standards.