Expense Sanitation Sustainability Manager

Kroger•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

Lead enterprise‑wide controllable expense strategy for Retail Operations by partnering with Finance, Division Operations, and Sourcing to develop, execute, and monitor cost‑reduction initiatives across all stores. Leverage and direct the use of lean tools and methodologies to gather, summarize, and analyze data necessary for solution development, testing, rollout, and sustainment. Responsibilities Lead enterprise‑level business process design and execution that improves and simplifies work methods, delivers measurable expense reductions and reinvestment opportunities, and improves the customer and associate experience. Oversee and govern third‑party vendor relationships for sanitation, maintenance, waste, recycling, laundry, and supply procurement, ensuring compliance with contracted scopes of work, service cadences, performance standards, and regulatory requirements, lead audits, performance reviews, and corrective actions Lead corporate sustainability and waste diversion initiatives, including recycling, composting, and repurposing programs; track performance metrics, engage associates, and advance enterprise ESG commitments, including Zero Hunger / Zero Waste objectives. Partner with divisions and external organizations (e.g., Feeding America) to expand and sustain food rescue programs, ensuring food safety compliance, maximizing participation, and strengthening community impact. Build project plans, including training and communication strategies to drive engagement and adoption for long-term sustainment Apply change management and lean methodologies to drive adoption, sustainment, and performance of enterprise expense, sanitation, and sustainability initiatives. Set enterprise goals and performance expectations for expense, sanitation, and sustainability initiatives; provide strategic recommendations on vendor contracts, scopes of work, and program design in partnership with senior leadership Establish and maintain professional relationships with division leadership and associates to ensure consistent execution of enterprise standards, compliance, and performance across divisions Facilitate focus groups and working sessions to lead solution development and drive alignment on expense control, sanitation compliance, and sustainability outcomes Set process modeling and documentation standards and update as needed to support audit readiness, vendor compliance, and sustained performance Partner with the Training and Development COE to develop training modules consistent with enterprise sanitation, expense, and sustainability standards Partner cross‑functionally with Finance, Operations, Sourcing, and Technology to develop business and technology solutions; advise senior leadership on financial, operational, and compliance impacts to enterprise processes Partner with senior leaders to understand and guide the business and its priorities, including setting enterprise goals and performance expectations for expense, sanitation, and sustainability initiatives. Establish, communicate, and enforce enterprise sanitation standards, leading third‑party audits, evaluating new equipment and technologies, and ensuring consistent execution across divisions to maintain safe, compliant, and high‑quality store environments. Travel independently less than 25% to divisions to observe, create performance measurements, and summarize process observations Must be able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation

Requirements

Minimum Bachelor's Degree in business, finance, operations, supply chain, or a related field
4+ years change management/process improvement experience
Experience managing third‑party vendors and service contracts, including performance standards, audits, and compliance with scopes of work
Experience leading cross‑functional initiatives in a multi‑site environment
Experience supporting or leading sustainability, waste diversion, recycling, composting, or food rescue initiatives
Demonstrated ability to develop effective solutions to complex business problems
Ability to communicate effectively and influence key stakeholders
Strong analytical and financial acumen, including experience analyzing expense trends, evaluating cost‑reduction opportunities, and supporting budget discipline
Excellent facilitation skills with the ability to drive toward solutions
Ability to work overnight/unusual hours to perform in-store tasks

Nice To Haves

Any experience as an assistant process change manager
Any Lean/Six Sigma project experience
Black Belt certification

Responsibilities

Lead enterprise‑level business process design and execution that improves and simplifies work methods, delivers measurable expense reductions and reinvestment opportunities, and improves the customer and associate experience.
Oversee and govern third‑party vendor relationships for sanitation, maintenance, waste, recycling, laundry, and supply procurement, ensuring compliance with contracted scopes of work, service cadences, performance standards, and regulatory requirements, lead audits, performance reviews, and corrective actions
Lead corporate sustainability and waste diversion initiatives, including recycling, composting, and repurposing programs; track performance metrics, engage associates, and advance enterprise ESG commitments, including Zero Hunger / Zero Waste objectives.
Partner with divisions and external organizations (e.g., Feeding America) to expand and sustain food rescue programs, ensuring food safety compliance, maximizing participation, and strengthening community impact.
Build project plans, including training and communication strategies to drive engagement and adoption for long-term sustainment
Apply change management and lean methodologies to drive adoption, sustainment, and performance of enterprise expense, sanitation, and sustainability initiatives.
Set enterprise goals and performance expectations for expense, sanitation, and sustainability initiatives; provide strategic recommendations on vendor contracts, scopes of work, and program design in partnership with senior leadership
Establish and maintain professional relationships with division leadership and associates to ensure consistent execution of enterprise standards, compliance, and performance across divisions
Facilitate focus groups and working sessions to lead solution development and drive alignment on expense control, sanitation compliance, and sustainability outcomes
Set process modeling and documentation standards and update as needed to support audit readiness, vendor compliance, and sustained performance
Partner with the Training and Development COE to develop training modules consistent with enterprise sanitation, expense, and sustainability standards
Partner cross‑functionally with Finance, Operations, Sourcing, and Technology to develop business and technology solutions; advise senior leadership on financial, operational, and compliance impacts to enterprise processes
Partner with senior leaders to understand and guide the business and its priorities, including setting enterprise goals and performance expectations for expense, sanitation, and sustainability initiatives.
Establish, communicate, and enforce enterprise sanitation standards, leading third‑party audits, evaluating new equipment and technologies, and ensuring consistent execution across divisions to maintain safe, compliant, and high‑quality store environments.
Travel independently less than 25% to divisions to observe, create performance measurements, and summarize process observations
Must be able to perform the essential job functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation