We are looking for an experienced Grocery Assistant Manager to help lead our fantastic and creative Grocery team. The right person will have a passion for sustainability, a love of local, seasonal and organic produce and the skills to help manage the day-to-day operations of the CERES Grocery and Café. You’ll need to bring your experience managing operations, developing and maintaining processes as well as the desire to work collaboratively across CERES.

CERES Grocery and Café is no ordinary not-for-profit

The CERES Grocery and Cafe is a vibrant space at the centre of CERES Farm community food system. The Grocery supports local organic growers and producers while providing a hub for community to come together to form a positive food culture. The Café serves organic coffee, fresh sandwiches, bakery goods and lots more, made fresh using seasonal produce. The two enterprises work together as one, sharing resources to minimise waste and create the best food experience for our customers.

The Grocery plays a key part in a local food network sourcing food grown either in CERES’ own inner city market gardens or from Victorian farmers before buying from interstate, as well as a range of bulk whole foods, dairy, household items and body products. It trades 7 days a week, 9am to 5pm. The Café operates every day 9 am – 3:30 pm.

CERES Grocery is not just a place for weekly shopping and trade, it is a place for people to come together and create a community surrounding the food that sustains us and is a key social enterprise contributing financially to other non-income generating areas of CERES.

Where you come in

This position is responsible for assisting the Grocery Manager with operations, managing staff, finances and strategic planning of the CERES Grocery and Cafe. The key areas of focus are to manage the enterprises to ensure the smooth running of the business on a daily basis, and to ensure the ongoing financial viability of the 2 enterprises.

• To contribute to the CERES vision, mission and strategic priorities
• To manage the day to day floor operations in the Grocery and Café
• To assist as needed with administrative tasks
• To provide leadership to the Grocery and Café staff
• To build a strong team culture and encourage innovation seeking best practice running of the Grocery and Café
• To position the Grocery and Café to demonstrate the integration of sustainable principles, regenerative agriculture, food, and retail.
• To pursue and achieve financial and impact targets.

Does this sound like you?

This role requires:

• Effective communication and people skills
• Proven management experience in the retail and/or hospitality industry
• Proven experience managing a diverse team
• Strong business acumen
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Extensive fresh produce handling experience
• Experience in small business marketing
• Excellent administration, organisation and time management
• The ability to encourage a collaborative and creative culture

Working at CERES and CERES Grocery and Café is more than just a job

It’s the feeling of knowing that your work is contributing to making the world a better place and working with others who feel the same.

In addition to a connection to social causes you will have access to:

• Collaborative, values-centred and highly supportive team environment
• Generous Award/Non – Award entitlements
• Access to all CERES’ unique environments including the park with strong links to the environment and community
• Generous staff discounts across many CERES enterprises and products including educational programs and café and grocery purchases.

Sound interesting?

We’d love to hear from you!

Please submit your cover letter addressing the Person Specifications in the Position Description to Rae Bock, CERES Grocery Area Manager, and resume as one document by hitting the "Apply Now" button.

Please see the full Position Description attached.

CERES is committed to providing and maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of its employees, consistent with our obligations under Occupational Health and Safety legislation.

At CERES we seek a workforce that is as diverse as our society – in ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, disability, cultures and beliefs – and reflects the communities we work in. We believe diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our culture and core values and we demonstrate this commitment through all our employment practices. Our inclusive workplace culture contributes to making CERES a great place to work. We actively encourage people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ people, people with a disability and others to apply.