CM Director

Central Market is a specialty grocery store that was founded in Austin, Texas in 1994 and has since expanded to multiple locations across the state. Known for its fresh market approach, Central Market offers a sumptuous selection of everything edible. The store is committed to bringing the finest food and drink from directly sourced suppliers worldwide, establishing itself as a food lover’s paradise. With an extensive collection of hundreds of cheeses, thousands of wines, acres of fresh produce, and aisles filled with experts, Central Market stands out as a true foodie wonderland. Beyond just offering food, the company strongly believes that food plays a critical role in uniting families and communities, preserving cultural traditions, and inspiring new ones. Each store operates as a vibrant market, facilitating the exchange of goods, services, and ideas among people who are passionate about food.

The role of Director, Store Leadership, at Central Market is a crucial position designed for experienced leaders in the specialty grocery and fresh food industries. The company seeks exceptional leadership talent passionate about food, hospitality, innovation, and customer experience. This role is particularly geared toward proven operators, merchants, and food industry leaders who thrive in dynamic retail environments where quality, culture, creativity, and execution are all essential. The Director will be responsible for leading large and complex teams while ensuring extraordinary customer experiences at every level of store operations.

Leaders in this position influence and contribute to various operational areas including Fresh and Perishable Operations, Culinary and Food Service Leadership, Center Store and Specialty Merchandising, and Leadership and Culture development. The Director will drive innovation and operational excellence across departments like Produce, Meat, Seafood, Bakery, Deli, Cheese, Floral, and Prepared Foods. They will lead culinary teams focused on supplying restaurant-quality experiences, innovation, hospitality, and manually prepared foods. The role also involves curating compelling product assortments across grocery, beverage, wellness, and specialty categories, identifying market trends, emerging brands, and evolving customer preferences to maintain Central Market's competitive edge.

Additionally, the Director plays an integral role in building and developing high-performing teams and future leaders who are inspired, challenged, and connected to Central Market’s mission. They lead with authenticity, accountability, and a strong customer-first mindset while collaborating cross-functionally across operations, merchandising, culinary, and support teams. This is not a traditional grocery leadership role; it requires a deep curiosity about food, a passion for people, and the energy to create unique customer experiences. Success in this role means engendering highly engaged teams, delivering extraordinary customer experiences on every visit, maintaining exceptional standards for quality and hospitality, balancing innovation with operational discipline, and growing the business while preserving Central Market’s unique food-first culture. The company is eager to connect with leaders who believe food is culture, retail is theater, and leadership is service.