GM is responsible for ensuring

JOB SUMMARY:

The GM is responsible for ensuring the long-term success of the Co-op as defined by the Board of Directors. The GM, with the Board, develops and executes long and short-range plans to guide the direction and development of the Co-op. The GM ensures that all of the organization's business is conducted in a manner consistent with the Board's policies. The GM takes an active role in furthering the awareness and practice of cooperative principles among the Board, Staff and membership, and in the community at large. Under supervision of the Board of Directors, the GM provides leadership and guidance in developing the human resources and activities of the cooperative to reflect the mission statement. Maintains regular communication and collaboration with the staff to set and insure consistent implementation of all operational policies. Facilitates participatory management. Oversees and reviews all operational and supervisory functions. Directly supervises and collaborates with the Store Team Leaders, Membership Coordinator, Human Resources Coordinator, Finance Coordinator, Computer Systems Coordinator, Merchandising Coordinator, Food Service Coordinator and outside consultants. Reports operational, managerial and financial information to the Board of Directors. Responsible for communicating and implementing Board policies. Coordinates development of annual budget. Maintains financial stability and profitability of Co-op. Develops and maintains business plan. Other duties as assigned.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Planning, Vision and Leadership

• Keeps the mission visible and active in every aspect of the cooperative's work.
• Initiates long-range planning for the cooperative including areas of expansion, member and staff education, and working with other cooperates. Works with Board and staff to coordinate planning.
• Provides Board with information and support for strategic planning activities. Clearly articulates opportunities and risks.
• Conduct negotiations as directed by the Board.
• Provides leadership for and coordinates the development and maintenance of business and marketing plans. Responsible for ensuring the participation of Store Team Leaders, Dept. Team Leaders, Coordinators and staff in developing and using the business and marketing plans.
• Set performance objectives for DTLs.
• Set performance objectives for Managers.
• Models leadership based on collaboration, openness, follow through and accountability.
• Coordinate and facilitate central management team meetings.

COMMUNICATION

• Makes self accessible to staff, board and members.
• Foster appropriate mechanism for communication between staff, management, and Board that ensures healthy interactions.
• Listens with an open mind.
• Supports and actively solicits staff participation in decision making.
• Draws people from different areas of the cooperative together in discussion and exchange of ideas.
  

SUPERVISION

• Directly supervises Store Team Leaders, Finance Coordinator. Human Resources Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, Computer Systems Coordinator, Merchandising Coordinator, and Food Service Coordinator.
• Interviews, hires, trains, coaches, evaluates, counsels, and terminates all positions reporting directly to the GM.
• Assist in developing, implementing and maintaining these departments and store missions, job descriptions, orientation, training, cross-training, departmental systems and procedures.
• Encourage and develop team participation and team members.
• Responsible for supervisory/management development.
• Ensures that hiring, promotion and supervision are fair and equitable throughout the store.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable governmental regulations.
• Consults on corrective actions and terminations of supervisors and managers.

FINANCES

• Initiates and coordinates annual budgeting process for capital and operational budgets. Works with the Board of Directors, Finance Coordinator, and store departments and finance committee to develop budgets. Meets deadline in presenting budgets to the Board of Directors for approval.
• Takes action as required to maintain profitability and financial stability of the cooperative.
• Monitors deviations from budget and takes action as necessary.
• Approves capital expenditures of up to $2000.
• Obtain financing as directed by the Board. Coordinate preparation of loan proposals and negotiate with financial institutions for favorable terms. Develop proposals and negotiate for financing as needed.
• Responsible for financial analysis and reporting including:
  1. Quarterly financial letter analyzing and interpreting financial trends.
  2. Monthly review of financial statements and departmental breakdowns.
  Addresses any problems noted.
  3. Development of additional reports needed to manage business.
• Works with Human Resources to develop, solicit input on, and implement wage structure. Ensures that wage structure is equitably applied throughout the store and understood by all members of the staff.
• Provide annual analysis and patronage refund recommendations to the Board
• Is a member of and attends meetings of the Finance Committee.

MARKETING

• Working with Marketing, ensures the development and implementation of Marketing Plan.
• Ensure the creation of a coherent in-store image.
• Ensures that customer and market research is conducted as needed.

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Set and model standards for leadership, communication, fairness, consistency and follow-through.
• Ensure annual review of wage and benefit packages and all personnel manuals.
• Oversee policies, practices and procedures relating to employment and ensure that business is in compliance with internal policies.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

• Working with Human Resources, is responsible for overall staff development.
• Ensures that staff receives training in cooperative history and principles, participatory management and team building.
• Ensures that the evaluation process is timely, goal/development oriented, and based on written job descriptions and job performance.
• Maintains openness to questions, suggestions, and constructive comments from all Co-op staff.
• Support and actively solicits Co-op staff participation in decision making.

MEMBER/COMMUNITY/COOPERATIVE RELATIONS

• Directs and maintains La Montanita as a cooperative business.
• Oversees the continual improvement of relations with members and other customers.
• Works with Membership Coordinator to ensure staff education and input on cooperative and member issues.
• Ensures active member services.
• Ensure implementation of membership increase, promotion, and involvement programs.
• Oversees development of ongoing cooperative and product education programs for members and other customers.
• Maintains a positive profile of the cooperative in the community.

OPERATIONS

• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws: business licenses, permits, health regulations, zoning, worker's comp, employment security, etc.
• Negotiate with landlords for leases and improvements.
• Negotiate with contractors for expansion, remodel and major repair and maintenance projects.
• Ensure co-op-wide maintenance and security plans.
• Ensure obtaining of adequate insurance for all Co-op operations.

BOARD RELATIONS

• Maintains a collaborative relationship between Board and Management.
• Oversees and coordinates implementation of Board policies.
• Advises and informs the Board on current operations.
• Develops objectives, policies and operating plans and submits them to the board for approval.
• Provides necessary technical information to the board.
  Actively assists the Board in its self-development.
  
  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Two years of experience supervising management;
• Three years planning, budgeting, interpreting financial statements;
• Four years of supervisory experience in hiring, training, evaluating, compensation and firing;
  
• Four years retail experience;
  
• Effective communication skills;
  
• Demonstrated experience as a leader;
  
• Commitment to a philosophy comptible with La Montanita's Mission Statement

PREFERRED QUALIFICATION

Bottom line accountability; experience working with a Board of directors; working with Policy Governance; cooperative/natural food experience; computer literacy.

SALARY

Competitive with industry standards

APPLICATION DEADLINE

For best consideration apply by Monday, May 1, 2002. Position open until filled.

APPLICATION

1. Letter of application, to include salary requirements.
2. Resume and La Montanita application.
3. Names and complete addresses of three recommenders.

La Montanita Food Cooperative is a natural foods cooperative with 8000 members and 140 employees, $10million in annual sales, with two stores.

Albuquerque is a medium-sized, multicultural city of 500,000 in a rural, agricultural state. Within an hour's drive of the city limits you can hike on a mountaintop in a national forest, go skiing, ride a horse or mountain bike along the Rio Grande, visit Native American pueblos which date back centuries before the Spanish colonization of the Southwest. Albuquerque is a college town; the University of New Mexico is within walking distance of La Montanita's store at Nob Hill.