How to hire a produce manager

How to hire a produce manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step produce manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a produce manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new produce manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a produce manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The produce manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

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   Hiring the perfect produce manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of produce managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Produce Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Produce Manager		$12-25
   Team Lead/Manager	A team lead or manager is a professional who is responsible for guiding and directing employees so that they can achieve efficient operations within the organization. Team leads manage all the activities of their employees and distribute information to them as well as stakeholders... Show more	$25-69
   Counter Manager	A counter manager is a person who leads a team of employees in the retail departments of bakeries, cosmetics, and delis. Counter managers take both administrative and leadership responsibilities... Show more	$13-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Cleanliness
   • Pallets
   • Customer Service
   • Food Safety
   • Pallet Jack
   • Food Handling
   • Flyers
   • Math
   • Product Knowledge
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Customer Complaints
   • Product Rotation
   • Store Sales
   • Inventory Control

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage receipts, handling of perishables, co-packing and re-packing, maintenance and dispatch of goods.
   • Conduct quality control evaluations to ensure cleanliness and customer satisfaction.
   • Include all bread, ice cream, frozen foods, beer and wine, meat dept.
   • Balance monthly the FTD report, greet and serve the customers.
   • Lead the grocery, frozen, bulk, and beer and wine departments.
   • Break down pallets load with produce and stack them in the cooler where they belong.

   More produce manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your produce manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A produce manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, produce managers' average salary in oklahoma is 53% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level produce managers 50% less than senior-level produce managers.
   • Certifications. A produce manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a produce manager's salary.

   Average produce manager salary

   $37,310yearly

   $17.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level produce manager salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average produce manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$59,762	$29
   2	Arizona	$46,697	$22
   3	Nevada	$46,066	$22
   4	New Jersey	$44,666	$21
   5	New York	$41,583	$20
   6	Connecticut	$40,852	$20
   7	Colorado	$40,418	$19
   8	Utah	$39,276	$19
   9	Texas	$38,272	$18
   10	Massachusetts	$37,895	$18
   11	Michigan	$37,339	$18
   12	Minnesota	$37,070	$18
   13	Pennsylvania	$36,960	$18
   14	Nebraska	$36,722	$18
   15	Oregon	$35,732	$17
   16	Wisconsin	$35,474	$17
   17	Illinois	$35,336	$17
   18	Iowa	$34,619	$17
   19	Montana	$32,439	$16
   20	Oklahoma	$31,230	$15

   Average produce manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Citi	$109,692	$52.74
   2	Apple	$55,061	$26.47	2
   3	Texas Roadhouse	$52,717	$25.34
   4	United Natural Foods	$46,371	$22.29	3
   5	Town & Country Markets	$44,625	$21.45	5
   6	Arden Group	$43,528	$20.93
   7	Vallarta Supermarkets	$43,044	$20.69	5
   8	The Baltimore Life Companies	$42,419	$20.39
   9	Fresh Thyme	$41,817	$20.10	24
   10	Fair Trade Certified	$40,899	$19.66
   11	Food City	$40,759	$19.60	15
   12	Price Chopper Supermarkets-Market 32	$40,493	$19.47
   13	Save Mart Supermarkets	$40,409	$19.43	8
   14	ShopRite Supermarkets Inc.	$40,052	$19.26
   15	PLUM	$39,770	$19.12	24
   16	C&S Wholesale Grocers	$38,940	$18.72	8
   17	Jerry's Enterprises	$38,750	$18.63
   18	Hannaford Supermarkets	$38,521	$18.52	91
   19	Buy For Less	$38,388	$18.46
   20	Supermarket	$38,230	$18.38

4. Writing a produce manager job description

   A job description for a produce manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a produce manager job description:

   Produce manager job description example

   Gelson's was founded in 1951 by brothers Bernard and Eugene Gelson as an extraordinary grocery shopping experience for discerning consumers. Today, Gelson's is recognized as one of the nation's premier supermarket chains. Each of the company’s locations is singularly known as the area's best market for the highest quality produce, meat, seafood, and Gelson’s Kitchen offerings. An unmatched selection of wine and liquor, and exceptional customer service are our top priorities.
   
   Pan Pacific International Holdings Corporation (PPIH), a prominent global retailer, acquired Gelson’s in April of 2021, having recognized this strong brand as a company well positioned for tremendous growth.
   
   We offer competitive union pay rates and exceptional benefits including medical, dental, vision, vacation accrual and union pension benefits. Gelson’s strongly supports career advancement and provides you with the resources necessary for a long term, successful career and have recently earned the distinction of being a Certified “Best places to work”!
   
   The key responsibility of the Produce Manager is to oversee the purchasing, inventory, and overall presentation of the Produce department. You will also be required to supervise department staff to ensure productivity and excellent customer service. This position generally has one or more direct reports.
   
   Develop weekly schedule of Produce department staff and manage hours to ensure maximum profitability while maintaining quality service
   
   You will comply with and implement safety policies and procedures, store rules, and all applicable local, state, and federal regulations
   
   Monitor sales volume, inspect store inventory levels, and maintain in sore promotional materials during promotional periods
   Track and analyze Produce sales trends and utilize information to develop sales projections Control Produce merchandising to maximize product movement, consumer demands and profitability and control stock levels based on seasonal forecasts Monitor inventory for spoilage and ensure proper rotation of merchandise Ensure that produce is adequately stocked and faced at all times and ensure cleanliness in department is regularly maintained Ensure department is in compliance with OSHA and Health department standards Receive and unload Produce orders and verify that vendor invoices match item and quantities received Other related duties and assignments as required Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent, some college strongly preferred Completion of the Retail Management Certification program a plus Three (3) years’ experience in produce department operations Highly effective organizational and time management skills Skilled in independently prioritizing, planning, coordinating, organizing, leading, and monitoring multiple projects of a complex nature simultaneously and quickly adapting to changes Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, gross margins, markup, percentages and to apply concepts of basic algebra Ability to interface with vendors, customers, and all levels of management Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in circumstances where limited standardization may exist Ability to work on own initiative when minimum supervision is provided

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find produce managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your produce manager job on Zippia to find and recruit produce manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit produce managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new produce manager

   Once you've found the produce manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new produce manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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