Director of Produce/Floral Operations - Merchants Distributors, LLC

Major Functions:

Position MDI's produce/floral department to be the leader in our marketing area. Create a produce team that is
best in class in procurement and sale of produce and floral related products. Strategically assemble MDI's
produce/floral departmental programs and establish strong relationships with both customers and vendors that
offers positive results in the marketplace and for MDI. Reviews and constructs department policies and
procedures to achieve budgeted sales, budgeted gross profit, proper variety mix, vendor programs, customer
service, service level, and thought processes to grow the business within the area we serve.

Accountabilities:
• Lead a procurement organization and deploy a set of common best practices in areas of category governance,
performance management and category strategy development and implementation. Develops leadership and
skills in co-workers to support the vision statement and strategic plan for MDI and subsidiaries of Alex Lee.
• Designs effective marketing plans and vendor programs to achieve departmental sales and budgeted gross profit
dollars. This includes processes to determine what options are available to create produce/floral programs by
commodity group to present our variety in options that are best suited to drive the business model.
• Responsible for leading departmental buying through market analysis and communication to ensure that all
produce/floral products are managed with designed inventory management and service level requirements.
• Stay informed and strategically react accordingly to market fluctuations, marketing news, industry happenings,
and retail counselor information in order to provide retailers a program to succeed through continuous review
and improvement of how we go to market.
• Coordinates Produce Merchandising Shows, Physical and Virtual.
• Direct negotiation of "Special Spot Buys" and special promotions with vendors and Produce Merchandisers to
help meet needs and options of retail groups.
• Helps develop overall plan for produce/floral to ensure support to all banners and helps implementation of
programs and products that follow the guidelines for: Products, Placement, Pricing, Promotion and
Procurement.
• Lead all produce/floral buyers/category managers, quality control inspectors, produce assistants and customer
service personnel to generate a team that is knowledgeable, innovative, and driven to produce results that live
up to Alex's Lees values. Our Mission is to provide exceptional value and quality.
• Develops Local/Small Guy vendors for part of the overall Alex Lee, Inc. Strategos program.
• Negotiates annualized produce vendor contracts and business reviews with vendors/produce directors.
• Pilot and cultivate proper product variety, signature items, and signature programs. These items and programs
are unique to MDI or unique in our marketing area.
• Works closely with vendors, quality inspector, and warehouse to produce highest level of quality for all inbound
and in-house produce/floral. Maintain quality control of all outbound produce/floral products and analysis and
reaction against date control specifications.

Desirable Qualifications:
• Four-year degree preferred.
• Must have successfully managed a produce department, produce merchandiser, produce buyer, and
department manager.
• Have 5 to 7 years’ experience in produce department procurement operations and related area.
• Excellent communication skills

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