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About Market Fresh

Market Fresh is Guelph’s premier independent gourmet grocer focused on local producers and products. We have been in operation for over 20 years and pride ourselves on offering exceptional customer service and quality food. Our full-service grocery store includes a scratch bakery, butcher shop, deli, commercial kitchen, Gourmet to Go Cafe, full kitchen, garden center and giftware area. Market Fresh is a celebration of fine food—making us a destination shopping experience for community members and visitors. Our MF in the Community program seeks to raise awareness and funding for local not-for-profit programs and charities aligned to our mission to buy local, be local, support local.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Duty Manager to oversee the overall store operation during their assigned shifts. This is a unique opportunity for a strong retail leader who enjoys variety, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is comfortable managing multiple priorities at once. Working across all areas of the store, the Duty Manager serves as the primary point of contact for operational decisions, staff support, and customer concerns. You will work closely with department managers and their teams to ensure the store operates efficiently, maintains high standards, and delivers an exceptional customer experience. This is a store-wide leadership role rather than a department-specific management position. Success requires strong communication, sound judgment, the ability to think on your feet, and the confidence to take ownership of situations as they arise.

Key Responsibilities

Store Operations & Leadership

• Oversee the overall operation of the store during assigned shifts, ensuring all departments are operating efficiently and meeting Market Fresh standards.
• Act as the primary point of contact for employees, department managers, and customers, providing direction, support, and guidance as needed.
• Act as a designated key holder, taking responsibility for store access, security, and the proper execution of opening and closing procedures.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on presence throughout the store, regularly checking in with departments and identifying operational needs or areas requiring attention.
• Balance competing priorities and respond to changing operational demands in a busy, multi-department retail environment.
• Support department managers in maintaining appropriate staffing levels, workflow, product availability, merchandising, cleanliness, and overall department readiness.
• Coordinate maintenance, repairs, and other operational requirements to minimize disruption to store operations.
• Complete daily operational reporting, sales documentation, and other required communications for senior management and ownership.
• Assume overall responsibility for the store during assigned shifts, exercising sound judgment and making operational decisions independently while ensuring significant issues are communicated to senior management.

Customer Experience

• Lead by example in delivering exceptional customer service and creating a welcoming, positive shopping experience.
• Maintain a visible presence on the sales floor, engaging with customers, anticipating needs, and ensuring they feel supported.
• Take ownership of customer questions, concerns, and complaints, resolving issues promptly and professionally while escalating when necessary.
• Support and empower employees to deliver outstanding service, providing guidance and assisting with challenging customer interactions.
• Foster a customer-first culture across all departments, encouraging employees to take pride in their work and create memorable experiences.
• Ensure the store is consistently customer-ready, with strong attention to product availability, freshness, quality, merchandising, cleanliness, and presentation.
• Maintain a seamless customer experience across all departments, including grocery, prepared foods, bakery, butcher shop, deli, and café.
• Identify opportunities to enhance the customer experience and communicate feedback, recurring concerns, and operational challenges to management.
• Represent Market Fresh positively, building customer relationships and reinforcing our reputation as a trusted, community-focused independent grocer.

Team Leadership & Employee Support

• Provide leadership, direction, and support to employees across all departments, fostering a positive, respectful, and team-oriented work environment.
• Support department managers in addressing staffing, performance, and employee relations matters.
• Ensure employees understand and follow company policies, procedures, and operational standards.
• Address performance and conduct concerns appropriately, applying company policies and disciplinary practices consistently and in consultation with senior management when required.
• Assist with employee training, coaching, and development, ensuring staff have the knowledge and support needed to perform their roles effectively.
• Promote clear communication and collaboration between departments, helping ensure the store operates as one cohesive team.

Health, Safety & Loss Prevention

• Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable health, safety, food safety, and security requirements.
• Take the lead in responding to critical situations, including employee or customer injuries, emergencies, security incidents, shoplifting, and other unexpected events.
• Ensure incidents are handled appropriately, documented, and communicated to senior management.
• Monitor store security and ensure established loss prevention procedures are followed.

Experience and Qualifications

• 3–5 years of supervisory or management experience in grocery, retail, food service, hospitality, or a similar fast-paced environment.
• Experience with cash handling, cash reconciliation, POS transactions, and daily cash procedures.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage performance, and oversee daily operations.
• Experience coordinating multiple departments or operational areas is an asset.
• Strong organizational, multitasking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize and make sound decisions independently.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead and motivate a diverse team.
• Knowledge of retail operations, customer service, health and safety, and loss prevention.
• Comfortable with POS systems, Microsoft Office, and basic reporting tools.
• Flexible availability, including opening and closing shifts, weekends, and holidays.

What You Get

At Market Fresh, we believe great people make great teams. You'll have the opportunity to be part of a well-established, locally owned business, working alongside a diverse team in a fast-paced and rewarding environment.

• More Manageable Hours: Enjoy the benefit of working in a grocery store that closes at 7 PM!
• Holiday Time Off: Enjoy time with family and friends on select holidays when our store is closed, including Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Family Day, Easter Sunday, and Thanksgiving Day.
• Staff Discount: Enjoy 20% off your purchases at Market Fresh.
• Employee Benefits: Access to our employee benefits program after six months of employment.
• Community Connections: Opportunities to participate in local events, build relationships with local producers and vendors, and get involved in charitable initiatives and community activities.
• Team Events & Celebrations: Management outings and an annual Christmas party to connect, celebrate, and enjoy time together outside of work.

Pay: $50,000.00-$55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Dental care
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Store discount
• Vision care

Application question(s):

• Please describe your general weekly availability.
• How many years of keyholder, supervisory or leadership experience do you have in a fast-paced environment?

Work Location: In person