River Valley Co-op Our Mission: River Valley Co-op staff members are all empowered ambassadors for our cooperative’s mission of creating a just marketplace that nourishes the community.

 Cooperative values and the larger cooperative movement inspire us to work together for a more sustainable and just future. As a team, we work to leverage our grocery retail's economic impact for positive social change in the food system, our environment, and our community. We are committed to social justice and developing our anti-racism and multicultural skills throughout our organization.

 Our cooperatively-owned business values working together in partnership with our local food producers, other vendors and service providers, community organizations, employees, and our customers to serve our community food needs in ways that sustainably support our mutual needs and aspirations. We prioritize building and sustaining our business operations capacity to generate positive impacts for our employees, business partners, customers, local economy, the common good of our community, and the environment.

 Our friendly store operations specializing in fresh, local, organically grown, and natural foods, builds community resilience and grows our local economy. We work hard and have fun doing it, act with honesty, kindness, and respect, and strive to improve every day

Position: MEAT & SEAFOOD TEAM MEMBER

Full-time 35-40 hours. Requires open availability, including evenings and weekends.

Status: Reports to Meat & Seafood Assistant Manager

Pay Level: II, non-exempt.

Location: Northampton, MA

Purpose: To provide prompt, friendly, courteous customer service and to help cut, wrap, and display fresh meat and seafood to meet department objectives.

Responsibilities

PRODUCTION

• Grind meats and produce sausage to maintain adequate supplies of each flavor.
• Prepare and/or wrap meat, poultry, and seafood value-added products following established recipes and standards for appearance, size, weight, and wrap.
• Cut and/or wrap meat, poultry, and seafood following established guidelines and instructions from the Meat & Seafood Assistant Manager or Lead Cutter.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Assist customers with product questions, in a prompt, friendly, courteous manner, referring them to other staff when necessary.
• Offer suggestions for purchases and ways to use products.  Offer tastes and samples.
• Cut and wrap poultry and seafood and wrap meat to order (if authorized for requested cuts).
• Help customers place special orders.
• Maintain fully stocked, attractive displays, while maintaining proper storage conditions.
• Label items accurately with price tags or signs as needed.
• Report customer suggestions, comments, and complaints to the Meat & Seafood Assistant Manager.

DEPARTMENT MAINTENANCE

• Pull short-dated or low-quality items, record, and dispose of them following established procedures.
• Keep coolers, food prep, and storage areas in clean, sanitary conditions, meeting health department standards.
  • Sweep and mop the floor as needed and take out the trash.
  • Scrub and rinse blocks, floors, walls, and cases following established procedures.
• Participate in periodic inventory counts.
• Monitor cooler and freezer temperatures. 
• Advise the Meat & Seafood Assistant Manager of equipment repair or replacement needs.
• Assist with receiving as needed.  Check deliveries for damage, quality, and accuracy, and notify the Meat & Seafood Assistant Manager of discrepancies.  Rotate deliveries into storage.

ALL STAFF DUTIES

• Attend and participate in department and storewide meetings.
• Perform other tasks assigned by the Meat & Seafood Assistant Manager.

Qualifications

• Some retail fresh meat/seafood cutting experience is preferred.
• Experience serving the public.
• Ability to project a friendly, outgoing personality.
• Ability to handle multiple demands.
• Ability to lift up to 60 lbs.
• Manual dexterity with hazardous equipment.
• Ability to stand for long periods.
• Ability to work in cold conditions.
• Regular, predictable attendance.

River Valley Co-op is an equal opportunity employer encouraging excellence through diversity.