The Carlisle Group is conducting a retained search to find the next General Manager of Springfield Food Co-op in beautiful Springfield, Vermont.

This is a fantastic opportunity to run a nearly brand new store with a well-established cooperative you will not want to miss!

Springfield Vermont is located in the Southern Windsor County region of Vermont. It is a four-season, full-service community, with a vibrant & historic downtown area. Springfield is home to Vermont's oldest one-room schoolhouse. Eureka Schoolhouse was built in 1785 and is located on VT Route 11 as you enter town from I-91. Springfield is also home to the Hartness Airport, and the Hartness House & Hartness-Porter Museum. Springfield offers access to many recreational activities throughout the year, including a 3-mile long path known as "The Toonerville Trail" winding along the Black River. The Trail was built from an abandoned railroad corridor for walking, bicycling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

The Springfield Food Co-op has been a community staple for almost 30 years. We are open to all, and work to provide healthy, natural affordable grocery, wellness, fresh produce, meats, and deli items to everyone in our community. We are member-owned by over 2,300 individuals, and we serve anyone who walks through the doors. We strive to support our local economy with excellent jobs, fair prices to local farmers and vendors, accessible food options, and community giving.

The store features expanded bulk and produce departments, a greater product selection, more efficient coolers and lighting, a deli hot bar, and room for indoor and outdoor cafe seating! We continue to prioritize supporting local farmers and producers as much as possible, as well as stocking organic and fair trade options. We are open 7 days a week and are open to all. We look forward to many years of serving this wonderful community in our new store!

Our Mission:

The Springfield Food Co-op operates as a member-owned store that provides healthy natural foods, emphasizing local and organic products in keeping with the International Cooperative Principles and values, and with our Purposes and Aims.

Cooperative businesses are member-owned, democratic institutions. They are controlled by a member-elected Board of Directors and abide by the Seven International Cooperative Principles, which include:

• Voluntary, Open Ownership
• Democratic Owner Control
• Owner Economic Participation
• Autonomy And Independence
• Education, Training And Information
• Cooperation Among Cooperatives
• Concern For The Community

Job Purpose:

To lead our cooperative so that it achieves the ends policies determined by our board of directors, as follows:

The Springfield Food Co-op operates as a member-owned store that provides healthy, natural foods, emphasizing local and organic products in keeping with the International Cooperative Principles and Values.

As a result of all that we do there will be:

• An enriched community life among our members and beyond;
• Accessible wholesome food options as inexpensively as possible;
• An increase in production, consumption and use of local organic and sustainable products;
• A stronger local economy;
• A better-educated community of consumers; and
• A workplace community where employees are valued and treated equitably.

Overview of Responsibilities

The job of the general manager is to ensure achievement of organizational results as defined in ends policies and to avoid unacceptable conditions as defined in executive limitation policies. The general manager has the authority to use any reasonable interpretation of these policies.

The general manager is empowered to make all decisions, create all policies, and authorize all engagements that he or she can demonstrate to be consistent with a reasonable interpretation of board policy as provided for in board/general manager relations policies.

The general manager’s performance will be evaluated through systematic and rigorous monitoring of expectations established in policies on asset protection, financial conditions, business planning and financial budgeting, staff treatment and compensation, treatment of consumers, membership equity and benefits, communication and support to the board, board logistical support, and emergency management succession.

Qualifications

• Retail grocery experience: As at least a store or operations manager. Familiar with how stores operate to meet goals, knows key metrics.
• Financial management: Knows meaning of financial variables, how to find them, and how to place them in a business context
• Financial reporting: Creates and uses meaningful business and financial reports. Creates and manages to a budget (operating, capital and cash budgets)
• Business planning: Takes vision and strategies and turns them into operational plan(s), aligns plans to mission, vision and values
• Building and leading teams: Effectively facilitates the formation of teams by creating a climate of trust and encouraging information sharing.