Regional Coffee Coordinator


Whole Foods Market, Inc. is the leading natural foods retailer in the world. Our mission is to provide excellent products and services to our customers. We fulfill our mission by creating a culture of highly knowledgeable Team Members who are empowered to educate our shoppers - one customer at a time. We now have more than 301 stores and are over 57,000 Team Members strong with sales in excess of $9 billion a year.

Job Description

Summary of position:

This position has dual reporting responsibility to the Vice President of Coffee and Tea at Allegro Coffee Company and the Specialty Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region.

Responsible for all aspects of Allegro's coffee, tea and drinking chocolate programs within WFM. Ensures that all Allegro programs are executed at Whole Foods Market regional level. Ensures that the coffee and tea category and Allegro/365 products achieve Year Over Year sales growth at the region and store levels. Ensures that regional team member training, demonstration, in-store roasting, merchandising, promotion and quality assurance programs are organized and executed in a manner that most effectively benefits Allegro Coffee Company and Whole Foods Market's strategic objectives.

Represents, drives sales and assures quality standards are achieved in all 3 Allegro Coffee's /Whole Foods Channels: Pre-packaged, Bulk In-store Roasted and Espresso Bar.

Responsibilities:

Store Design:

  1. Assist and provide expertise in the coffee channel designs for new stores and redesign for existing stores for Whole Foods Markets in the region.
  2. Support regional architects, store designers, store team leaders and appropriate department team leaders.
  3. Promote Allegro's strategy on design, layout and store placement for all three channels.
  4. Provides advice and champions potential real estate positions within store, layout and design for all 3 channels of distribution. Communicate position and layout to WFM team and Vice President of Coffee and Tea for approval.

Merchandising:

  1. Ensure that the focal point of the grocery coffee and tea sets are Allegro/365 products.
  2. Ensures that other brands within the sets are complimentary to the Allegro/365 brands and the coffee and tea categories through category and sales analysis.
  3. All core items are attractively and prominently displayed.
  4. All signage (branding, promotion, tags, etc) are placed according to plan and in good repair.
  5. Provide merchandising plan (signage, schematic) for all three channels of distribution for review and approval.

Marketing:

  1. Manages in store demo program and budget for region.
  2. Manages and conducts consumer education series.
  3. Assures that all category promotions are executed to plan.
  4. Ensures Allegro brand image is implemented and executed to standard and plan.
  5. Communicate to Store Coordinator marketing or PR opportunities within individual store or region.

Training:

  1. Champions and assists in the execution of team member and consumer training and education for all 3 channels of distributions.
  2. Supports and encourages Allegro training programs.
  3. Utilize Allegro training book, video and other tools to share Allegro's passion for sourcing and roasting the highest quality coffees that offer a unique "taste of place" experience

i. Regional Characteristics
ii. Tasting Terminology
iii. Dedication to Sustainability
iv. Dedicated to Freshness
Train Baristi to ensure consistency in drink quality and freshness.
Train In-Store Roaster to ensure consistency and standards.
Work with store team to ensure training programs are successfully executed.

Quality Assurance:

  1. Conduct at least quarterly "Store Buzz" reviews (announced and unannounced) to establish a benchmark and record improvement for each store.
  2. Work with store team to ensure that equipment is in good working order and calibrated to standards.
  3. Work with Coffee Specialists in bin dating and optimal ordering levels to ensure freshness and availability of products.
  4. Supports regional brewing equipment programs including coordination of equipment purchase, installation and service.
  5. Work with regional distribution centers to ensure optimal order levels, rotation and freshness of all Allegro/365/coffee and tea category products.

Communication:

  1. Motivate and educate regional team, Coffee Specialists, in-store coffee team, Whole Body Specialists on Allegro/365 products.
  2. Build WFM pride in Allegro products.
  3. Provides bi-weekly evaluation and requested information to the Vice President of Coffee and Tea which may be shared with WFM or Allegro.
  4. Communicates wins, opportunities and business issues with Vice President of Coffee and Tea.
  5. Communicates training sessions, store visits and project schedule.
  6. Provides bi-weekly coffee and tea category updates to store.

Financial:

  1. Provide leadership and expertise to achieve Year Over Year sales increases in coffee and tea categories and Allegro/365 products at the region and individual store levels.
  2. Utilizes TCS and The Buzz criteria for evaluating and developing store and regional goals for all 3 channels of coffee distribution and packaged tea distribution to build successful WFM programs: schematics, signage, promotional materials, bin dating, brew times, recipe adherence, cleanliness, price/product mix.
  3. Conducts competitive pricing and retail site surveys. Communicates finding to Vice President of Coffee and Tea.
  4. Provides entrepreneurial spirit to Whole Foods Markets.

Qualifications:

Specialty coffee and barista experience recommended. Knowledge of espresso brewing equipment maintenance desired. Must have a passion for Allegro Coffee Company, its coffee and tea products. Previous management, training and merchandising experience in a retail setting is highly desirable. Must have strategic organizational skills and be able to handle multiple projects simultaneously with high level of energy and passion for excellence. Must have excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) with the ability to work independently and with a diverse range of individuals. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. Knowledge of WFM is a plus. Required travel of up to 70%.

At Whole Foods Market, we empower our Team Members to make their own decisions, thus creating an environment where people are treated with respect and are highly motivated to excel. We mentor Team Members through education and on-the-job experience. As a result, we are able to fill a majority of leadership roles from our existing team member base. We also recognize that there are individuals with talent outside of Whole Foods Market, and have training programs to bring those new leaders into the company.

Our Team Members represent over 50 different nations. We are people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, yet all work together to meet the needs of our customers.

We offer great benefits beginning with a full complement of medical and other traditional group health plan coverage, 401k plan, and a 20% discount at our stores. To learn more, apply your passion today.

We offer equal opportunities for employment.