Are you passionate about food and customer service? Whole Foods Market in Fayetteville, Arkansas is seeking enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to join our Prepared Foods Team. As a Prepared Foods Team Member, you will play a vital role in creating a positive shopping experience for our customers while contributing to the smooth operation of our prepared foods section. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work in a dynamic environment where you can learn, grow, and make a real difference.
Responsibilities
As a Prepared Foods Team Member at our Fayetteville, AR location, your responsibilities will include:
- Team Supervision and Task Delegation: Assist in supervising and delegating tasks to other Prepared Foods Team Members, ensuring efficient workflow and task completion.
- Training and Development: Collaborate with the Prepared Foods Trainer to effectively train new team members, utilizing learning checklists and training materials to build a high-performing and engaged team.
- Department Operations: Open and close the department according to established procedures, ensuring readiness for daily operations and proper closing protocols.
- Display Maintenance: Oversee and maintain attractive and well-stocked displays of prepared foods, coffee, and juice, ensuring product freshness, proper rotation, and appealing presentation.
- Inventory and Stocking: Keep all cases and shelves clean, well-stocked, and properly rotated, adhering to FIFO (First In, First Out) principles to minimize waste and maintain quality.
- Customer Service Excellence: Maintain awareness of customer flow and needs, proactively directing team members to provide exceptional customer service, promptly addressing customer inquiries and needs.
- Break Management: Ensure all team members receive their necessary breaks in a timely manner, adhering to company policy and labor regulations.
- Communication and Teamwork: Communicate team concerns and observations to the Team Leader and Associate Team Leader, fostering a collaborative and supportive team environment.
- Retail Execution Standards: Set and consistently achieve the highest standards of retail execution, ensuring operational efficiency and visual appeal of the prepared foods section.
- Positive Team Environment: Foster and encourage a positive and respectful work environment characterized by outstanding teamwork, mutual respect, and exceptional morale.
- Team Member Development: Participate in the selection, training, development, mentoring, motivation, and counseling of team members, contributing to a high-performance team and minimizing turnover.
- Performance Evaluations: Provide timely, thorough, and thoughtful performance feedback and evaluations to team members, supporting their growth and development.
- WFM Vision and Goals: Consistently communicate and model Whole Foods Market’s vision and goals, promoting company initiatives and values.
- Health and Safety Compliance: Ensure adherence to all applicable health and safety regulations, including food safety standards and departmental regulatory duties, maintaining a safe and hygienic work environment.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
To succeed as a Prepared Foods Team Member at Whole Foods Market in Fayetteville, AR, you should possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Prepared Foods Expertise: Extensive knowledge of Prepared Foods team procedures and policies, ensuring compliance and efficient operations.
- Organizational and Time Management Skills: Strong demonstrated organizational and time management skills to effectively manage tasks, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
- Interpersonal and Motivational Skills: Excellent interpersonal, motivational, team-building, and customer relationship skills to effectively lead and interact with team members and customers.
- Training and Teaching Abilities: Capable of teaching and training others in a positive and constructive manner, facilitating team member development and skill enhancement.
- Product Knowledge: Comprehensive product knowledge related to prepared foods, ingredients, and culinary offerings to assist customers and maintain quality standards.
- Regulatory and Safety Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of regulatory and safety policies and procedures, particularly related to food handling and hygiene, ensuring compliance and safety.
- Mathematical Proficiency: Proficient mathematical skills for assessing financial performance, monitoring profitability, and managing inventory, contributing to efficient department management.
- Decision-Making and Leadership: Demonstrated decision-making ability, leadership skills, and the ability to prioritize and delegate tasks effectively, supporting team efficiency and productivity.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency with email, Microsoft Office, and operations-related applications for communication, reporting, and inventory management.
Desired Work Experiences
- 12+ months of retail experience preferred, demonstrating customer service skills and operational understanding.
- Previous experience in food service or culinary environments is beneficial but not mandatory.
Physical Requirements / Working Conditions
The physical requirements and working conditions for a Prepared Foods Team Member at our Fayetteville store include:
- Lifting: Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds, handling inventory and supplies.
- Standing/Walking: In an 8-hour workday, expect to be standing/walking for 6-8 hours, requiring physical stamina.
- Hand Use: Frequent hand use for single grasping, fine manipulation, pushing, and pulling, essential for food preparation and handling.
- Body Motions: Work requires bending, twisting, squatting, and reaching, demanding physical flexibility and mobility.
- Chemical Exposure: Exposure to FDA-approved cleaning chemicals during sanitation and cleaning procedures.
- Temperature Exposure: Exposure to varying temperatures including: <32 degrees Fahrenheit (freezing), 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit (refrigerators), and >90 degrees Fahrenheit (cooking areas), requiring adaptability to different environments.
- Wet and Dry Conditions: Ability to work in both wet and dry conditions, typical of a food preparation and retail environment.
- Flexible Schedule: Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays as needed to meet business demands.
- Equipment Use: Ability to use tools and equipment, including knives, box cutters, electric pallet jacks, and other heavy machinery, requiring training and adherence to safety protocols.
- Ladder Use: May require occasional use of ladders for stocking or accessing items.
Whole Foods Market in Fayetteville, AR, offers a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you are passionate about whole foods and thrive in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment, we encourage you to apply for the Prepared Foods Team Member position at our Fayetteville, Arkansas store today! Join our team and contribute to providing the highest quality natural and organic products to our community.
