Traveling Produce Merchandiser in Portland, Oregon at Organically Grown Company

Description:

Organically Grown Company (OGC), the Northwest’s largest independent distributor of fresh, organic produce, is hiring a Traveling Produce Merchandiser. OGC operates 24-7, and the Sales department has a big responsibility to provide top tier service to our customers. If you have a strong merchandising background and passion for produce, we want to meet you!

Why work for OGC?

As a Traveling Produce Merchandiser, you are the primary liaison between our Sales team and retail partners. You'd ensure that our produce programs are successful at the store level and work in direct partnership with customers to drive sales, elevate visual standards, minimize shrink, and build retail capacity through hands-on training, remodeling support, and relationship management.

Join our team to earn:

• Comprehensive healthcare benefits for you and your family after 30 days of employment
• Competitive Wellness Program!
• Generous Paid Time Off program
• 401(k) retirement program with a 5% company match, capped at $3,500 annually
• Annual profit share - 20% of profits distributed back to employees
• Free and discounted organic produce
• $200 annual fitness reimbursement

Here’s what you’ll do:

• Serve as the primary field liaison between assigned accounts and OGC’s Sales, Buying, and Quality Assurance teams communicating feedback regarding quality, sizing, and supply chain updates in real-time.
• Lead and support retail store resets, department remodels, and new store openings, ensuring optimal product placement and efficient traffic flow.
• Use spreadsheets to track shrink data and credits, analyze store performance trends, and manage merchandising checklists.
• Identify potential waste issues, work internally and externally to find and execute solutions.
• Work directly in-store to provide hands-on merchandising assistance to address priorities identified by account management.
• Set the example for excellence in produce display building, including detailed hand stacking, product placement and proper signage.
• Design and build high-impact promotional displays that drive impulse buys, highlighting seasonal peak crops and ad items.
• Build and document weekly showcase displays to serve as a step-by-step example of promotional display building.
• Execute daily merchandising excellence by ensuring proper color breaks, fresh product rotation, and clear, accurate signage.
• Implement schematic layouts that account for the unique space and storage needs of high-turn and high-value in multiple categories.
• Ensure strict physical segregation and distinct signage between organic and conventional items to maintain regulatory compliance and consumer trust.
• Act as the subject matter expert on product varieties, flavor profiles, OGC’s mission and grower stories.
• Coordinate and execute back-room sampling events for store staff, generating excitement and product knowledge among frontline team members before items hit the sales floor.

Requirements:

Qualified candidates will have:

• 3+ years of experience in retail produce management, wholesale produce merchandising, or a closely related role in the grocery industry.
• Proficiency with MS Office and the ability to learn other software systems.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and listening skills with the ability to coach, influence, and build trust across diverse retail teams.
• General knowledge of local, regional, and international growing seasons for farming practices.
• Understand market trends and be able to report out on changes and updates.

Even better if you bring:

• Knowledge of price elasticity, consumer demographics, and merchandising nuances that separate conventional produce shoppers from dedicated organic buyers.
• Proficient in reading, adapting, and building retail floor plans and shelf schematics to optimize product placement during resets and remodels.
• Deep understanding of USDA Organic certification standards, including cross-contamination prevention, proper storage protocols, and organic handling guidelines at the retail level.
• Safe Food Handler’s card.

Physical Requirements:

This position requires the ability to regularly perform physical tasks including but not limited to lifting, carrying, pulling, pushing, and reaching. Regular heavy lifting up to 50 lbs., standing, stooping, and bending are required. This position may require the ability to sit or stand for long periods of time, hear and converse over the telephone and in person, and on a computer. Requires ability to travel and occasional overnight travel. Ability to meet the above description of position with or without reasonable accommodation.

OGC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

At Organically Grown Company (OGC), we are not only proud to an Equal Employment Opportunity --- we celebrate and thrive on the benefit our diverse workforce brings to our employees, customers, and community. OGC encourages individual differences and makes all employment decision based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion or belief, color, national origin, gender identity, LGBT/ sexual orientation, veteran’s status, physical, mental or sensory disability, age, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status or any other applicable characteristics that makes you YOU! OGC will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

OGC also considers qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.