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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Meat Assistant Department Manager

💰 $40,000 - $65,000

RetailGroceryManagementFood Service

🎯 Role Definition

The Meat Assistant Department Manager supports the Department Manager in running a high-performing meat department that delivers safe, fresh products, outstanding customer service, strong sales and consistent profit margins. This role blends hands-on butchery and product preparation with people leadership, inventory control, merchandising, compliance with food safety regulations, and daily operational decision-making. The ideal candidate is a skilled meat cutter with supervisory experience, strong communication skills, and a track record of driving sales, reducing waste and coaching hourly team members.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Meat Cutter / Butcher
  • Grocery Clerk or Stock Associate with meat department experience
  • Shift Lead or Crew Lead in a grocery or foodservice department

Advancement To:

  • Meat Department Manager
  • Grocery Store Assistant Store Manager (with multi-department oversight)
  • Specialty Meat Buyer or Retail Operations Supervisor

Lateral Moves:

  • Seafood Department Assistant Manager
  • Deli Department Assistant Manager
  • Merchandising or Inventory Planner roles within retail operations

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and supervise the meat department team by creating daily work plans, assigning tasks, and monitoring performance to ensure efficient operations and a high level of customer satisfaction.
  • Oversee product preparation and butchery operations including cutting, trimming, portioning, grinding and packaging to meet quality, yield and presentation standards while minimizing waste.
  • Maintain strict adherence to food safety, sanitation and temperature control procedures (HACCP, local health codes, USDA guidelines) to ensure products are safe, properly labeled and stored.
  • Assist the Department Manager with labor scheduling, timekeeping, and shift coverage to balance service levels and labor cost targets while maintaining proper staffing for peak periods and special promotions.
  • Manage inventory control activities including receiving, inspecting, rotation (FIFO), backstock organization and conducting regular cycle counts to prevent shrink and maintain accurate on-hand quantities.
  • Execute ordering and replenishment strategies by monitoring sales trends, seasonality, and vendor lead times to maintain proper stock levels without overbuying.
  • Implement merchandising and pricing strategies on the shop floor, ensuring attractive displays, accurate shelf labels, and competitive pricing to maximize sales and gross margin.
  • Train, coach and develop meat department associates on knife skills, portion control, product knowledge, safety protocols, and customer service best practices to build a skilled, cross-functional team.
  • Enforce loss prevention and shrink mitigation tactics, investigating discrepancies, monitoring waste logs, and implementing corrective actions to protect margin.
  • Support promotional planning and execution with the marketing calendar, preparing promotional packs, signage, and in-store samples to drive traffic and conversion.
  • Monitor department P&L metrics and support cost-control initiatives by tracking food cost, labor percentage, yield, and markdowns with the Department Manager.
  • Ensure compliance with company policies and local, state and federal regulations by maintaining records, documentation, and readiness for health inspections and audits.
  • Provide exceptional customer service by resolving escalations, offering product recommendations, handling special orders, and building repeat customer relationships.
  • Operate and maintain meat department equipment including slicers, grinders, saws, wrap machines and temperature-control units, coordinating preventive maintenance and repairs when necessary.
  • Coordinate with suppliers and receiving teams to manage deliveries, verify quality and specifications, and escalate supplier issues to maintain product standards.
  • Prepare and maintain accurate production and prep schedules for daily cutting, portioning and case-ready production to align supply with forecasted demand.
  • Drive continuous improvement by analyzing sales and waste data, recommending process changes, and piloting new initiatives to increase efficiency and profitability.
  • Maintain a clean, safe and ergonomically sound work environment by enforcing sanitation schedules, PPE requirements and safe handling protocols for knives and machinery.
  • Support special projects such as seasonal offerings, value-added programs (marinated or pre-seasoned items), and community events to increase department visibility.
  • Assist with onboarding and performance management tasks including hiring interviews, probation reviews, disciplinary actions, and creating development plans for hourly staff.
  • Coordinate cross-department collaboration with deli, produce and bakery teams to support shared promotions, unified merchandising, and store-wide events.

Secondary Functions

  • Prepare weekly reports and KPI summaries for the Department Manager to inform purchasing, pricing and staffing decisions.
  • Participate in vendor negotiations and product assortment reviews to introduce new items that meet customer demand and margin goals.
  • Maintain accurate temperature logs, cleaning checklists, and sanitation check records for audit readiness and compliance verification.
  • Support the company’s loss prevention team by investigating discrepancies and implementing corrective action plans based on root cause analysis.
  • Assist in developing and delivering in-store training modules, safety briefings and skill assessments for new and existing meat department associates.
  • Help coordinate charitable donations and community outreach events involving department product donations and in-store sampling.
  • Provide input on capital equipment needs and replacement schedules to support business continuity and operational efficiency.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced meat cutting and butchery skills including primal breakdown, portioning, deboning, grinding and case-ready packaging.
  • Deep knowledge of food safety systems and certifications such as HACCP, ServSafe (preferred), USDA regulations and local health department standards.
  • Inventory and ordering expertise: demand forecasting, par-level management, FIFO rotation and cycle counting to reduce shrink.
  • Proficiency with point-of-sale (POS) systems, basic store management software and Microsoft Excel (inventory spreadsheets, pivot tables).
  • Yield optimization and cost-control techniques, including trimming specifications, portioning standards and waste tracking.
  • Equipment operation and maintenance for slicers, grinders, band saws, vacuum sealers and refrigeration systems.
  • Merchandising and pricing skills: planogram execution, promotional setup, shelf tag accuracy and visual display best practices.
  • Knowledge of labeling, traceability and allergen declaration requirements for packaged meat products.
  • Basic supervisory skills for scheduling, timekeeping, labor budgeting and performance documentation.
  • Safety and sanitation program management including HACCP documentation, temperature monitoring and sanitation audits.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and team development capabilities to motivate, coach and retain hourly associates in a fast-paced retail environment.
  • Excellent customer service orientation with the ability to resolve complaints, handle special requests and build loyal clientele.
  • Clear verbal and written communication skills for directing staff, documenting incidents and liaising with vendors and store leadership.
  • Problem solving and decision-making aptitude to address supply disruptions, staffing shortages and quality issues quickly and effectively.
  • Attention to detail and organizational skills for maintaining accurate inventory records, labels and compliance documentation.
  • Time management and prioritization to balance production, customer service, stocking and administrative responsibilities.
  • Adaptability and resilience in a dynamic retail setting with fluctuating volumes and seasonal demands.
  • Coaching and instructional ability to teach knife safety, portioning standards and service techniques to new team members.
  • Ethical conduct and integrity in handling cash, inventory and confidential employee information.
  • Collaborative mindset for cross-department coordination and supporting store-wide initiatives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent is typically required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or vocational certification in culinary arts, butchery, food management or related field is preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Culinary Arts / Butchery
  • Food Safety Management
  • Retail Management
  • Supply Chain / Logistics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years of progressive retail meat department experience with at least 1–2 years in a lead or supervisory role.

Preferred:

  • 3–5+ years of combined meat cutting and supervisory experience in grocery or food retail, with documented success in inventory control, team development and food safety compliance.
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