Overview

The Job in a Nutshell:

This position is responsible for fulfilling the Store Manager responsibilities in existing and/or new stores on a temporary basis.  

 

Applications are accepted by the date below, which may be updated if the hiring timeline is extended.

12/05/2025

Responsibilities

Main Ingredients:

Temporarily assume the position of store manager in store locations which have an unexpected vacancy or are awaiting a new manager to be hired or complete their training

When time allows, support New Store Managers at their location

Efficiently manage the transition of duties to new store manager prior to departure

Provide returning / new store manager a summary of on current store / employee conditions and advisement re: future actions required

Share best practices and be available for consultation or questions

Provide weekly store updates to the Director of Store Operations

Dotted-Line to the Regional Manager

Customer service is the number one priority

Customers are greeted and serviced per company standards of World Class customer service

Customer complaints are handled appropriately and per company policy

The store is inviting and shopable:

Displays are shopable

The store is clean

Merchandising is inviting

All products in displays are in-stock on the shelf

Products customers want to buy are in-stock

New products are brought in on a regular basis to provide customers with new choices and to keep the store fresh

Passive demos are conducted at a minimum of once per month

Special orders are handled appropriately and per company policy

The phone is answered per company standards

Modeling exemplary customer service at all times

Training staff on how to give exemplary customer service

Ensuring staff is held accountable for unacceptable customer service

Viewing the store as a whole and assisting customers in all areas of the store

The Store Manager is responsible for ensuring that the store is meeting and/or exceeding expectations in the following areas:

Store and Department Sales

Average Ticket

Customer Count

Cost of Goods Sold for Produce

EBITDA

Sales per Labor Hour Ratio

Product is ordered from the correct vendors in order to receive the correct discount and maintain margins

In-stock conditions meet company standards

Top 100 sellers per department are in stock at all times unless manufacturer outs

Product mix is monitored, including:

Regular analysis of departments to keep top sellers and discontinue extremely slow movers;

New products are brought in per company policy.

Perishables are rotated and stocked per company standards

Mark-downs and customer returns handled per company standards

Responsible for hiring, training and managing all store personnel per company standards. This includes ensuring the following:

Store personnel are trained, assigned tasks, and held accountable to accomplishing tasks per company standards

Master and daily schedules are accurate, complete and meet store needs. Schedules are posted in a timely manner

Tasks are assigned on a daily basis using company tasks sheets and monitored appropriately

Works with department managers to share staff to accomplish tasks as needed on a daily basis.

Train and monitor the staff to ensure that they view the store as a whole and be prepared to assist customers in all areas of the store

Works with department managers to cross-train staff to accomplish all needed tasks

Works with staff to ensure adequate product knowledge to meet customers’ needs

Training staff on where to find answers to customer questions by utilizing store resources

Completes and conducts all store staff performance evaluations with input from the department managers. Grants wage increases when appropriate in accordance with company standards

Addresses all performance and/or disciplinary issues appropriately and in a timely manner with the assistance of Human Resources

Maintains clear and direct communication with store staff. This includes conducting monthly staff meetings and posting company information and announcements

Contributes and encourages a positive attitude towards the store, the company and the Store Support Center

Responsible for ensuring safety guidelines are followed at all times

Occasionally managing business disruptions to daily business such as loiterers, solicitation, emergency weather situations, bathroom misuse.

Ensures that all UltiPro time edits are made in a timely manner

Effectively trains new store management in proper store and department operations

Encourages staff to increase their nutritional and product knowledge

Works to ensure the store staff is trained on new products and nutrition

Continues to increase their own product knowledge

Answers (and ensures store staff answers) customer questions per company standards and policies, including the use of Structure/Function statements and/or statements of nutritional support

Knows (and ensures store staff know) what store resources to use to answer customer questions, including:

Monitors all departments and holds department managers accountable for store operational duties. 

Conducts "walkabouts" and department inspections, providing feedback to department managers and ensuring any issues are resolved in a timely manner.  

Successfully completes operational responsibilities-daily schedules, checklists, opening and closing store

Ensures store paperwork/reports are completed in a timely manner including Monthly Manager Report

Efficiently and accurately completes the DSR and Manager's Cash

Responds quickly to all Dept. Manager calls when on duty

Assists with coverage for lunches and breaks in departments as needed

Work schedule is based on store needs which includes evenings and weekends. The Store Manager is typically scheduled for 45 hour per week; however, he/she is responsible for ensuring the store is properly covered which may require more hours

Store Managers should be on the sales floor assisting customers, directing staff and attending to all departments at least 75% of the time

Supports decisions made by Store Support Center

Reads and follows communications (memos, faxes, emails) from Store Support Center

Provides suggestions and gives feedback to keep the Store Support Center informed

Takes a positive approach to problems and brings problems/concerns to the attention of The Store Support Center

Takes the initiative to ask the Store Support Center for direction when needed

Remains flexible to changing work demands in order to accomplish goals (customer service, store operations)

 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

All company managers are expected to be professional at all times and provide appropriate leadership for the staff and the store. Leader effectiveness requires treating people decently while at the same time successfully motivating them toward high performance in their work. 

Interviews and hires for store needs with input from department managers.

The Store Manager is responsible for training, coaching and developing store personnel.  This includes ensuring the following:

Proactively hires, trains and develops store staff, department managers and Assistant Store Managers to move into future store management positions (at their own store and at other stores)

 

 

Although this is a general outline of job responsibilities all employees are expected to be “hands on” and do whatever it takes to get the job done and make the company thrive.

 

Qualifications

Recipe for Success:

High school diploma, GED or equivalent experience is required

Minimum of 3+ years of experience as a Natural Grocers Store Leadership (ASM or SM)

Successfully demonstrate the ability to transfer knowledge and best practices in an adult learning environment

Familiar with Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage policies and procedures

Must be proficient with SAP and able to transfer SAP proficiency to new store manager

Ability to obtain forklift certification

Able to manage changing priorities

Possesses a sense of urgency in the completion of tasks

Possesses excellent customer service skills

Is highly organized with great attention to detail

Ability to stay focused with the task at hand

Ability to give direction and follow through with employees

Must be cashier trained

Proficient in MS word, excel and outlook

Ability to travel on short notice on a frequent basis – approximately 75% or more

Excellent communication skills at all levels of the organization

Ability to effectively deliver feedback in a training /mentoring environment

Must live near a major airport.  Does not need to reside in the Denver metro area.

 

This job description is not an employment contract.  It does not guarantee a job or that the above listed duties are the limit of responsibilities.  The job and job description are subject to change with and without notice.  Employees are required to accomplish any and all tasks assigned to them by their Manager and/or other Store Support Center manager that might not be listed in this job description.

 

Here’s an overview of the benefits we offer our good4u Crew to help ensure the health and wellbeing of you and your family, now and well into the future:

  

All Crew Members

• Birthday Bonus Pay 
• Vitamin Bucks (up to $2,080 earned as store credit annually) 
• Holiday Pay for 5 Holidays – Stores Closed
• Paid Time Off (sick days and vacation) that Increases with Tenure 
• Paid Nutrition Education 
• good4u Crew Member Discount  
• {N}power Program (customer appreciation and rewards program) 
• Regular, Scheduled Pay Increases  
• Advancement Opportunities and Career Development 
• Health and Wellness Program  
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)   
• Employee Referral Program

 

Full-Time Crew Members (30+ hours/week)

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance 
• Paid Parental Leave  
• Paid Medical Leave (through company paid short-term disability insurance) 
• Company Paid Short-Term Disability Insurance  
• Company Paid Life Insurance 
• Voluntary Benefits Including Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Term Life Insurance   
• Retirement Savings Plan (401k) with discretionary Company Match  
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)  
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match 

Diversity Statement

At the heart of Natural Grocers' commitment to our community and crew is this belief: All people should be empowered to experience health and wellbeing! We cannot be true to this conviction without honoring diversity and cultivating inclusion throughout every aspect of our organization.

At Natural Grocers, we honor our differences, embrace diversity, and cultivate inclusion because both individual and societal health are rooted in these principles. Our Crew is diverse not only in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, abilities, and age but also in cultural backgrounds, thoughts, and ideas. Celebrating our diversity refreshes, expands, and shapes our perspective, energizing our mission of equitable access to health and wellness for all. We welcome everyone who would like to join us in this mission, with gratitude for the unique life experience each person brings to the table. We’re committed to nurturing an ecosystem of diversity and inclusion in which our Crew can continue to thrive.

 

Physical Capabilities and Environmental Demands:

 

N = Never

O = Occasional; 1-33% of time

F = Frequent; 34-66% of time

C = Constant; 67-100% of time

 

Physical Requirements:

• Must have the ability to constantly lift or carry up to 10 lbs., frequently lift or carry 11-20 lbs., and occasionally lift or carry 21-50 lbs. Must also have the ability to occasionally lift or carry 51-100 lbs. with a team lift.
• Must have the ability to frequently push or pull up to 15 lbs. and occasionally push or pull 16-100 lbs.
• Must be able to occasionally use the computer for data entry and use of mouse.
• Must be able to constantly walk, stand, use fine motor manipulations, grip, bend, twist, turn, and reach outward for the duration of the work shift.
• Must be able to frequently to reach above chest.
• Must be able to occasionally sit, squat, kneel, and climb as needed.

 

Environmental Requirements:

• Must be able to frequently work with sharp tools and equipment, dust, fumes, and congested worksite.
• Must be able to occasionally work with noise, cold, heat, wet, humid, outside, heights, and contact stress.

#SSC

Benefits

Here’s an overview of the benefits we offer our good4u Crew to help ensure the health and wellbeing of you and your family, now and well into the future:

  

All Crew Members

• Birthday Bonus Pay 
• Vitamin Bucks (up to $2,080 earned as store credit annually) 
• Holiday Pay for 5 Holidays – Stores Closed
• Paid Time Off (sick days and vacation) that Increases with Tenure 
• Paid Nutrition Education 
• good4u Crew Member Discount  
• {N}power Program (customer appreciation and rewards program) 
• Regular, Scheduled Pay Increases  
• Advancement Opportunities and Career Development 
• Health and Wellness Program  
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)   
• Employee Referral Program

 

Full-Time Crew Members (30+ hours/week)

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance 
• Paid Parental Leave  
• Paid Medical Leave (through company paid short-term disability insurance) 
• Company Paid Short-Term Disability Insurance  
• Company Paid Life Insurance 
• Voluntary Benefits Including Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Term Life Insurance   
• Retirement Savings Plan (401k) with discretionary Company Match  
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)  
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match 

Diversity Statement

At the heart of Natural Grocers' commitment to our community and crew is this belief: All people should be empowered to experience health and wellbeing! We cannot be true to this conviction without honoring diversity and cultivating inclusion throughout every aspect of our organization.

At Natural Grocers, we honor our differences, embrace diversity, and cultivate inclusion because both individual and societal health are rooted in these principles. Our Crew is diverse not only in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, abilities, and age but also in cultural backgrounds, thoughts, and ideas. Celebrating our diversity refreshes, expands, and shapes our perspective, energizing our mission of equitable access to health and wellness for all. We welcome everyone who would like to join us in this mission, with gratitude for the unique life experience each person brings to the table. We’re committed to nurturing an ecosystem of diversity and inclusion in which our Crew can continue to thrive.

Min

USD $90,000.00/Yr.

Max