Prepared Foods Lead (Deli / Kitchen Specialist)

Prepared Foods Lead (Deli / Kitchen)

Lead a Team. Create Great Food. Make a Difference in Your Community.

The Merc Co op is looking for a Prepared Foods Lead to help guide our Deli and Kitchen team.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys great food, supporting teammates, and keeping a busy kitchen running smoothly. You'll work alongside the Kitchen Manager to coordinate daily operations, train and support staff, maintain food quality standards, and help ensure every customer has a great experience.

If you've worked as a lead cook, kitchen supervisor, shift lead, deli lead, assistant manager, or team leader and enjoy coaching others while staying involved in the day-to-day work, we'd love to talk with you.

What You'll Do

• Help lead daily deli and kitchen operations
• Prepare soups, salads, sandwiches, grab-and-go items, hot foods, and other prepared products
• Support, train, and coach team members
• Prioritize work, delegate tasks, and help keep production on schedule
• Maintain food safety, sanitation, and quality standards
• Assist with inventory, ordering, receiving, and product rotation
• Help create a welcoming experience for customers and coworkers
• Serve as a department leader when the Kitchen Manager is unavailable

Qualifications

• Strong customer service and communication skills
• Dependability and a positive attitude
• Ability to stay organized and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Leadership, lead, or supervisory experience preferred
• Food service, deli, restaurant, grocery, catering, or kitchen experience preferred
• Availability to work weekends and some holidays
• Ability to regularly lift up to 50 pounds and remain active throughout the shift

Pay & Benefits

• $16.32-$22.03 per hour
• 20% employee discount
• Up to 8 hours of paid community volunteer time annually
• Paid community volunteer hours 
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (30 hours per week)
• Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance (30 hours per week)
• Pet insurance options
• 401(k) with up to 3% company match
• Birthday and service anniversary recognition

Why The Merc?

At The Merc Co op, we're more than a grocery store. We're a community-owned cooperative focused on making fresh, local, and healthy food accessible to everyone. Our team members help create a welcoming place where customers, owners, and staff work together to strengthen the community we serve.

Whether you're helping prepare a meal for a busy family, training a new teammate, or supporting local food producers, your work helps make healthy food more accessible and our community stronger.

Internal Job Title: Deli/Kitchen Specialist

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Merc Co op is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We believe our differences make us stronger and encourage candidates from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.