Vice President of Store Operations

Overview

The Vice President of Store Operations leads and integrates all store-level merchandising, department performance, pricing execution, promotional compliance, inventory management, and operational performance across all company locations. This role ensures effective execution of merchandising strategies, maintains excellent standards, and drives customer satisfaction, sales growth, gross margin improvement, and consistent brand standards.

The VP of Operations serves as the primary liaison between Merchandising, Marketing, Supply Chain, Suppliers, and Store Operations to drive sales, profitability, inventory controls, productivity goals, and an exceptional customer shopping experience. With a significant focus on Fresh business, particular emphasis is placed on Produce, Meat, Seafood, Deli, Bakery, and Prepared Foods performance, presentation, quality, and profitability.

• Lead execution of all company merchandising strategies across all store locations.
• Drive sales growth by enforcing product assortment, pricing, promotions, merchandising standards, and seasonal programs to highest standards.
• Ensure advertisements, displays, planograms, seasonal features, and promotional events expectations are achieved and promoted.
• Collaborate with the merchandising team to maximize sales, gross profit, and customer value.
• Partner with the finance team to measure and evaluate each store and department’s performance and recommend corrective actions and improvements.
• Focus on brand points of difference and other company initiatives to improve growth and maintain competitive advantage.
• Identify opportunities to improve basket size, transaction counts, and customer loyalty.
• Implement merchandising and operational standards for Produce, Meat, Seafood, Deli, Prepared Foods, and Bakery departments and encourage tasteful merchandising collaboration.
• Monitor fresh department sales, gross margin, shrink, labor productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure exceptional product quality, freshness, presentation, and service standards.
• Drive seasonal, local, and specialty merchandising initiatives.
• Support innovation and emerging consumer trends across all categories.
• Champion & encourage merchandising across departments to maximize sales opportunities.

• Lead execution of the Company's pricing strategy.
• Monitor key value item (KVI) competitiveness and market positioning in partnership with merchandising team.
• Ensure pricing consistency and promotional compliance across all locations.
• Evaluate promotional effectiveness and recommend improvements.
• Support initiatives that improve the Company's overall price image and competitive position.

• Establish and maintain operational standards across all stores.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, sanitation standards, labor policies, and operating procedures.
• Monitor customer service, store conditions, and execution consistency.
• Develop action plans to improve store performance and operational effectiveness.
• Support store openings, remodels, and major operational initiatives.
• Drive sales growth, gross margin improvement, gross profit dollars, and overall profitability.
• Analyze sales trends, merchandising performance, inventory productivity, and operating results.
• Develop and monitor store and departmental budgets and performance targets.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and profitability.

• Oversee inventory productivity and replenishment effectiveness.
• Improve in-stock conditions while minimizing excess inventory.
• Lead shrink reduction initiatives with emphasis on Fresh departments.
• Monitor inventory accuracy and compliance with inventory control procedures.

• Recruit, develop, and mentor store leadership teams.
• Establish performance expectations and accountability measures.
• Conduct regular store visits, merchandising reviews, and operational assessments.
• Develop succession plans for key operational and merchandising positions.
• Foster a culture of customer focus, execution excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.