Company description

Located in San Luis Obispo, California, SLO Food Co-op was founded in the late '70s, and is growing today as a model for how business could be used as a force for good in the future. Owned by our community and governed by a democratically elected board, we partner with local farms and producers to strengthen the local food system and bring people together. We focus on people first, develop systems to serve those who operate them, and leverage technology to innovate tools that make work effortless, engaging, and fun. Equity, inclusion, diversity, sustainability, and love for local guide daily decisions—from what’s on the shelf to how we show up for each other. If you’re energized by human-centered leadership and building a better way to do business, you’ll feel at home here.

Job description

Much more than a Grocery Store
We’re building a better way to do business—people first, systems that serve the work, and decisions guided by our values. That requires fresh perspectives. We intentionally seek leaders who have not come up through national-chain grocery. We know those SOP playbooks and openly challenge the assumptions they’re built on. Here, we focus on creating a culture and environment that fosters innovation as we grow, and we explore possibilities in a safe environment where fresh takes outpace old assumptions.

Backgrounds that Lend Themselves:

• CSA / food hub operations
• Food bank logistics / distribution
• Hospitality leadership / operations
• Indie makers with wholesale + storefront
• Farmers’ market / event operations
• Small independent natural grocers
• Small warehouse / last-mile coordinators

Sound like your vibe? Here's a story: Snapshot, it’s December 2025…

You push back from your desk—the new planogram finished for next week’s reset—and step out of the store office. A roll of laughter drifts across the aisles. You pause, eyes adjusting after the screen’s glow, shoulder to the wall as you crack open a can of Liquid Death—the first sip sharp and cold—taking in the floor.

Joslyn taps a best-by date on a jar of pasta sauce. New team member Bella mirrors the motion: one jar off the shelf, three pulled forward, fresh stock tucked behind, older jars faced neatly in front. The lines of planning ease from your face.

You step toward the backroom and slide your left hand under the cheese case air curtain, instinctively checking airflow and temperature—steady and cold against the back of your hand. Down aisle four, Ollie stocks detergent in smooth rhythm while mock-arguing with a regular about garbanzo beans versus chickpeas. The corner of your mouth lifts; the smile sticks.

At the flaps to the backroom you nearly collide with Megan—part of your team, on loan to Produce today—guiding a tall cart of bananas through. You both laugh at the near miss and keep moving.

Still chuckling from the near miss, the hush of the backroom creates space for a pause, where pride settles. Joslyn’s date check turning into coaching; Bella’s mirroring; Ollie steadily stocking, while connecting with a customer; Megan supporting Produce—all of it clicks because of the environment you foster, where people come first and results naturally follow.

Does This Sound Like You?

• You read the room and set a calm, attentive tone.
• You make standards clear and kind, model them, and coach safely.
• You keep things human—quick to listen and to laugh—and build trust so results follow.
• You take quiet pride in creating the conditions for good work.

Let Us Introduce You to the Co-op

We believe work gets lighter and more creative when people are supported to grow, bring their authentic selves, and try small experiments without stigma. We’re intentional about that: teams develop together, mistakes teach, and responsibilities expand with strengths. Systems are designed with people in mind—simple, collaborative, and built to carry the work forward. Results flow because people are the focus.

What You’ll Do

• Build a high-trust team — onboard well, coach in the work, cross-train — with a calm, person-first tone that makes standards feel human.
• Set the daily rhythm — clear huddles, priorities, notes — and communicate simple plans out loud so everyone’s aligned.
• Keep operations flowing — smart schedules, usable SOPs, safe shared spaces — by co-creating simple processes that don’t drift.
• Steward inventory — order, receive, rotate, accurate tags — balancing people, priorities, and resources (judicious tradeoffs).
• Shape categories — curate mix, maintain planograms, time promos — and make values (equity, inclusion, local) visible in choices.
• Use data to learn — sales, margin, turns, shrink, labor, training — pairing numbers with stories; share “you asked, we changed.”
• Partner across the Co-op — align with leadership and other teams — bringing steady energy, organizing clarity, and repairing tension with care.

Why Work at SLO Food Co-op?

Because this is more than a job—it’s a place to grow, connect, and shape something meaningful.

• Purpose-driven team: We’re more than a grocery store—we’re a movement.
• Room to grow: We promote from within and support development at every level.
• Co-op perks & discounts:
  • 20% off all products in the store for you and your family unit.
  • Special orders at 5% above cost.
• Paid time off: Begins accruing after 90 days.
• Staff appreciation & community culture: From team lunches to surprise doughnuts, we show up for each other.
• Growth & innovation: As we scale, you help shape how we grow.

Hope to talk soon!

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

December 01, 2025