Every grocery store has a frozen food and dairy aisle overseen by a dairy and frozen food department manager. This manager leads operations and trains support staff. The department manager also maintains merchandising standards and handles supply expense management and promotion practices. The manager's main functions consists of achieving sales so the store can increase profits.

Department Management

The dairy and frozen food manager handles all inventory to stock coolers and freezers. The manager guarantees price integrity along with operation procedures, ensuring that company standards are met. When the store owner implements new merchandising programs, the manager makes sure to institute the programs to increase sales. Other duties for this job include ordering inventory, unloading trucks and managing the work schedules of department employees.

Department Assessment

The manager of dairy and frozen goods must review freezer and cooler conditions to ensure operations -- for example, making sure that the storage temperatures remain sufficiently low so that milk doesn't spoil and frozen vegetables don't get soft. The manager also looks for areas that need improvement and develops strategies to improve sales functions. The manager assesses merchandise handling to find ways to increase productivity in the department.

Customer Service

The dairy and frozen food manager discusses customer service issues with staff members to develop solutions. The manager goes over current procedures so that quality service is provided that fulfills customer needs. If the customer has any complaints, the manager tries to resolve them in a timely manner. For example, if a customer complains about short-dated yogurt, the manager exchanges it or gives the customer a free yogurt. The manager also takes steps to improve inventory control so that old products don't stay on display. The job requires superior communication skills to handle customers, department associates and vendors.

Associate Training

The department manager trains the staff members in their job responsibilities, including product knowledge, sanitation and customer service. The manager teaches department standards and policies along with how sales are handled on a seasonal basis. For example, the manager explains that the department will need more inventory of specialty cheeses and ice cream when they goes on sale before holidays. Department employees learn the necessary knowledge about market effect on sales and how to implement selling tactics -- for example, how to suggest a premium ice cream.