Retail Lead, Alexandria

King Arthur Baking Company has been sharing the joy of baking since 1790. Headquartered in Norwich, Vermont, we’re the ultimate baking resource – providing education, inspiration, and the highest quality products, all while fostering connections and community through baking. Our superior flours and mixes are available in supermarkets nationwide, and our direct-to-consumer business – website and retail stores – offers an even wider selection of specialty baking ingredients, mixes, gluten-free products, baking tools, and more. We bring baking education to millions of bakers through our cookbooks, podcast, recipe app, website, and baking school. We’re proud to be 100% employee-owned, which means everyone who works here has a real voice and a shared stake in what we do. This creates a strong sense of community built on trust, teamwork, and love of baking. As a benefit corporation, we’re committed to the best interests of all our stakeholders - employees, our local communities, our broader community of bakers, and our planet.

About the role

The Retail Lead supports the daily operations of King Arthur Baking Company’s retail store. This role provides on-floor leadership to ensure effective merchandising, inventory flow, customer service execution, and operational reliability. The Retail Lead guides retail staff throughout daily shifts, models service standards, reinforces operational processes, including POS and cash handling, and contributes to staff development through coaching and product training. The role partners closely with the Retail Store Manager to execute store priorities, maintain a positive team culture, and uphold the brand experience for all visitors.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise daily store operations, including store opening and closing, merchandising, inventory management, restocking, purchasing, and expense control.
• Lead and supervise Retail staff, including delegating daily tasks, setting break schedules, and responding to needs of the business.
• Foster a positive work environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead and support product training to develop team sales skills, confidence and product knowledge.
• Partner with Retail Store Manager to set daily priorities for the Retail team, monitor business performance, and regularly provide performance feedback.
• Promote and ensure excellent customer service is provided by all staff members, this includes handling complaints or issues, promoting impactful product merchandizing, providing accurate and relevant product information and ensuring a positive experience for all visitors in support of the KAB brand.
• Coordinate and support baking demonstration and event room programs (as offered), overseeing ingredient procurement, staffing, scheduling, and program execution.
• Oversee and deliver Point of Service (POS) training and ensure cash handling procedures are adhered to. Prepare deposits and maintain accurate records. Handle cash transactions, manage the cash register, and ensure accurate accounting procedures are followed.

Requirements

• 2-3 years of leadership experience in a Retail, Restaurant/Café, or Hospitality role.
• Proficient with point of sale (POS) systems and Microsoft Office.
• Experience in a fast-paced retail environment a plus.
• Flexibility: morning, evening and weekend shifts required.
• Proficient math and cash-handling skills.
• We value those who can demonstrate capability and articulate how prior experiences will help them transition into this role.

Skills

• Leadership: Strong leadership skills, including ability to set clear expectations and communicate effectively with internal business partners and staff. This involves skills such as leading by example, delegating tasks, providing feedback, collaborating and fostering a positive work environment.
• Communication Skills: Effective communication is essential for leading staff and responding to customer inquiries. Ability to handle difficult situations with professionalism and tact.
• Organization: Adept at prioritizing tasks, managing time efficiently and maintaining attention to detail.
• Problem-solving and Decision Making: Quick thinking and resourcefulness are valuable traits for addressing unexpected challenges, such as last-minute order changes, equipment malfunctions, or supply shortages. Comfort with making effective decisions under pressure. Ability to seek out and consult resources to assist in decision-making process.
• Customer Service: Uphold a customer-centric approach to ensure outstanding experience, solicit customer feedback and resolve issues.
• Results driven: Holds self and team accountable to meeting and exceeding goals. Approaches their work with curiosity, adaptability, and growth mindset.

Success Factors

• Genuine enthusiasm for the King Arthur’s mission and products and a commitment to living our values.
• Is community minded, gets involved, volunteers.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to handle, stock, and organize packaged dry food products, including lifting and carrying items of varying weights (typically up to 40 pounds), with or without assistance or adaptive equipment.
• Ability to reach, bend, stoop, and squat as needed to stock shelves and maintain product displays.
• Ability to use hands and arms to handle merchandise, operate a point-of-sale system, and use standard retail tools and equipment.
• Ability to visually identify products, labels, and pricing information, with or without corrective devices.
• Ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members.
• Ability to regularly work in an environment where food allergens may be present.
• Ability to regularly touch and taste food products which may contain allergens.

Work Environment

• Work is performed in a retail store environment with frequent interaction with customers and coworkers.
• The environment may involve varying temperatures, background noise, and periods of high customer activity.
• The role may require working near stocked shelving, storage areas, and back-of-house spaces.
• Schedule may include weekends, evenings, and holidays based on business needs.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision.
• Company paid short- and long-term disability, life insurance.
• Paid parental leave.
• Paid time off to rest, paid holidays.
• 401(k) with a company match.
• 40 paid volunteer hours a year.
• Profit sharing (amounts vary based on achievement of financial targets).
• Participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) (participation based on hire date and program entry date).

Pay

$20.17 to $24.55 per hour worked.

Schedule

Full-time role, working 32-40 hours per week. Onsite daily in Alexandria, VA.