Fresh, Local Seafood Retailer
Retail Seafood General Manager
Full-Time | Salaried | On-Site | Reports to: Ownership
About the Opportunity
A well-established, locally owned seafood market with an integrated to-go kitchen is seeking an experienced, hands-on General Manager to lead daily operations. The business is known for high-quality sourcing, a loyal customer base, and a strong service culture. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned seafood retail leader to run a small but complex operation with autonomy and pride of ownership.
Position Summary
The Retail Seafood General Manager oversees all aspects of a fresh seafood market and prepared foods program — including purchasing, inventory control, team leadership, kitchen coordination, and the customer experience. This is an active, working manager role. You will be on the sales floor, in the walk-in, coordinating with vendors, and running the POS during peak service. The ideal candidate brings deep seafood knowledge, strong operational discipline, and a track record of controlling waste while maintaining an exceptional retail presentation.
Key Responsibilities
Purchasing & Vendor Management
- Source fresh, frozen, and shellfish products from boats, vendors, and distributors
- Negotiate pricing, minimums, and delivery schedules
- Build daily and weekly order guides based on sales trends, seasonality, and forecasts
- Inspect all incoming product for quality, count, temperature, and documentation
- Maintain and evaluate vendor relationships for quality and value
Inventory & Cost Control
- Own end-to-end inventory management: receiving, FIFO rotation, par levels, transfers, and counts
- Monitor cost of goods, margins, and retail pricing; adjust as needed to meet targets
- Track and reduce waste through spoilage logs, trim utilization, and shrink analysis
- Reconcile invoices and resolve discrepancies
Kitchen & To-Go Program
- Oversee a small prepared foods/to-go kitchen operation
- Manage production planning, recipe consistency, yields, and packaging standards
- Coordinate retail and kitchen usage to minimize waste and turn short-dated product
- Maintain sanitation, temperature logs, and food safety systems
Retail Operations & POS
- Manage daily POS operations, including menus, pricing, modifiers, discounts, and reporting
- Execute open/close procedures, cash handling, deposits, and sales reconciliation
- Maintain a clean, properly iced, labeled, and fully merchandised seafood case
- Ensure the market is customer-ready at all times
Team Leadership
- Hire, schedule, train, and develop retail and kitchen staff
- Set expectations and coach in real time on service, product knowledge, and execution
- Align staffing levels and labor cost with sales volume
- Foster a positive, respectful, team-first culture
Customer Experience & Food Safety
- Lead from the counter by assisting customers, making recommendations, and managing special orders
- Uphold all food safety, allergen, sanitation, and temperature standards
- Own health inspections and regulatory compliance
What We’re Looking For
- 3+ years of leadership experience in a seafood market, fish counter, or comparable fresh protein operation
- Hands-on knowledge of whole fish, fillets, and shellfish handling and shelf life
- Proven purchasing and vendor negotiation experience
- Strong inventory control and waste management discipline
- Experience managing a prepared foods or to-go kitchen program
- Proficiency with Toast POS or similar systems
- Demonstrated cost control and shrink reduction success
- ServSafe Manager certification (or ability to obtain promptly)
- Physically able to lift 50+ lbs and work in cold, wet conditions
- Availability for weekends, holidays, and peak seasonal periods
Nice to Have
- Existing relationships with regional seafood suppliers
- Culinary background or prepared foods development experience
- Recipe costing, menu engineering, or special order experience
- Familiarity with POS-integrated inventory tools
Compensation & Benefits
- Health benefits
- Paid vacation time
- Paid time off (PTO)