Kitchen Department Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Company Overview:

Established in 1929, Heinen’s is a leading, family-owned grocery retailer known for its premium-quality products and outstanding customer service. Now in its fourth generation of family leadership, Heinen’s operates 23 locations—19 in the Cleveland, Ohio area and 4 in the Chicago, Illinois market—supported by two distribution warehouses, a food production facility, and a corporate office located in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

Our culture is rooted in an associate-first philosophy , placing a strong emphasis on the well-being, development, and quality of life of every team member. We offer competitive compensation, professional development and leadership training programs, paid time off, and flexible scheduling designed to promote a healthy work-life balance.

Job Summary:

At Heinen’s, we believe that effective leadership is grounded in a servant leadership philosophy. This approach prioritizes the needs of the team and the department over individual interests, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. We seek leaders who are passionate about developing others, while cultivating a culture of inclusion, accountability, and shared responsibility.

Within the Heinen’s framework, our managers are empowered with autonomy to make key decisions across various areas, including sales, labor management, customer engagement, product merchandising, demonstrations, and team development.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, training, and development to Kitchen associates to support sales targets, profitability, and exceptional customer service.
• Educate team members on department protocols, operational standards, and best practices.
• Prioritize and delegate daily responsibilities to align with fluctuating business demands.
• Oversee the overall performance and direction of the Kitchen team, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
• Facilitate effective communication between the Kitchen team, merchandising, corporate partners, peers, and the sales team.
• Work collaboratively with team members to complete daily operational tasks, including but not limited to inventory management, ordering, stocking, product rotation, and merchandising.
• Prepare and serve a variety of food items while adhering strictly to food safety, temperature control, and sanitation standards.
• Uphold Heinen’s standards for food planning, packaging, and merchandising execution.
• Develop and maintain weekly staffing schedules that align with business needs and labor guidelines.
• Maintain current knowledge of Food Service products, trends, and offerings.
• Promote and maintain a positive and collaborative team culture.
• Lead weekly menu planning and execution with consistency and attention to detail.
• Develop and communicate performance scorecards to track progress and drive improvement within the Kitchen department.
• Utilize department whiteboards and other communication tools to ensure clear and timely team updates.
• Participate in required corporate meetings, vendor calls, and training sessions.
• Perform additional duties as assigned to support business operations.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience in a food production or culinary environment preferred.
• 1–3 years of leadership or supervisory experience strongly preferred.
• Completion of a department leadership development program is a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and motivate a team in a fast-paced, dynamic setting.
• Strong adherence to company policies, procedures, and operational standards.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective time management, organizational, and planning capabilities.
• Ability to train and provide constructive feedback to team members.
• Capable of performing all responsibilities of a Kitchen Associate when required.
• Able to frequently lift and/or move items weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Comfortable working in varying temperature conditions, from 0&degree;F to 90&degree;F.
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, evenings, and extended hours as needed.

Heinen’s, Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Illinois Benefits Information

1. Retirement Plan
   • Company-sponsored 401k plan for eligible full-time and part-time associates. 5% company match.
2. Healthcare Benefits
   • Medical and Pharmacy coverage for full-time associates.
   • Flexible Spending and Health Savings Account options, as well as Commuter Benefit options.
   • Company-provided Dental and Vision coverage for full-time and part-time associates.
3. Paid Time Off
   • Paid Time Off, including paid sick time.
4. Insurance
   • Company-paid life, short and long-term disability insurance.
5. Work-Life Balance
   • Flexible schedules.
   • Biweekly scheduling for better work predictability.
   • Closed on 7 major holidays.
6. Growth and Development
   • Daily professional development and growth opportunities, including leadership development for all associates.
7. Wellbeing
   • Company-provided associate assistance program.
   • Family, Parental and Personal Leave options.
8. Discounts
   • 20% discount on Heinen's products.

Heinen’s, Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Sunday through Saturday work week. Scheduled dates and times vary.
Full-time, 40 hours per week.