Area Manager

River Valley, a growing specialty foods and consumable products distributor in Syracuse, NY, is searching for a full time Area Manager.

River Valley Holdings is a family-owned distribution company based in Syracuse, NY, serving retail customers across the northeastern United States. The River Valley family of companies: River Valley Foods, Cavallaro Foods and Garden Spot Foods, distributes a wide range of specialty dry and frozen grocery items and consumable products out of warehouses in Syracuse, NY and New Holland, PA.

The Area Manager supports their team to achieve sales goals and profitable routes, building customer loyalty through developing a high-performing team of Retail Sales Representatives and Merchandisers, and maintaining exceptional service standards and operational excellence. Within an assigned market, the Area Manager achieves profitability objectives and maintains competitive awareness by continuously servicing our stores with the highest level of service possible.

This position is FULL TIME with competitive benefit offerings:

• Medical & Dental benefits
• Life & Disability Insurances
• Supplemental insurance
• Continuing Education Partnership
• 401k & Roth IRA with company match
• 2 weeks of vacation per year
• Employee assistance program
• Employee purchase program
• Protective footwear allowance after 90 days
• Opportunity for advancement

Responsibilities and Duties:

Sales and Service

• Uphold and exemplify the highest level of service for both external customers and internal business partners.
• Lead by example and empower employees to maintain strong execution of merchandising, in-stock, sales, and marketing initiatives.
• Ensure that store conditions are consistently maintained and demonstrate excellence through appearance, operational requirements, and service expectations.
• Provide feedback through the regular completion of store audits, communication of results, and follow up on action items.
• Cover routes and offer extra sales support as needed to maintain service levels.

Team Development

• Engage in effective recruiting, selection, and succession planning and employee development to ensure staffing levels meet business requirements at all times.
• Travel with Retail Sales Representatives and regularly engage in coaching, training, and goal setting activities to ensure effective time management on daily route calls and store level execution.
• Complete biannual performance appraisals with all team members and provide regular positive and developmental feedback regarding performance and opportunities to improve.

Business Management

• Act with a results-oriented approach to consistently meet budgets and achieve goals for both frozen and specialty sales.
• Control liabilities and expenses through management of store level shrink to the assigned percentage and regular review of routes in order to minimize expenses.
• Complete monthly profitability analysis with Field Operations Manager and conduct monthly conference calls with retail sales representatives / merchandisers.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies and procedures; take appropriate action to support employee understanding and accountability through fair and consistent training, coaching and implementation of corrective action.
• Troubleshoot store level concerns and or personal issues and resolve in a timely manner.
• Maintain an uncompromising level of ethics and integrity.
• Perform additional job duties as required.

Requirements and Qualifications

• 5 years Grocery and or specialty foods industry experience
• Able to travel and work varied shifts as needed to cover stores within assigned territory
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work independently and lead a team
• Effective communication, follow up and active listening skills
• Conflict resolution skills
• Strong computer skills – Email/Outlook, Word, Excel, Electronic Ordering/PDA machine
• Strong managerial and interpersonal skills
• Strong verbal, written and analytical skills

River Valley Holdings is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)