Butcher job description template

Position Identification Details

1. Position Summary

The Butcher cuts, prepares and sells meat at [ORGANIZATION_NAME]. The job runs from breaking down primal and sub-primal cuts into steaks, roasts and chops, to grinding, making sausage, filling the display case and helping customers at the counter. The butcher reports to [REPORTS_TO_TITLE] and works with the shop's band saw, grinder, slicer and knives every day. Good butchers get the most saleable meat out of every piece, keep the case looking full and fresh, and keep the shop clean and food safe.

2. Key Responsibilities

2.1 Cutting and preparing meat (35%)

• Break down beef, pork, lamb, poultry or game into retail cuts by hand and with the band saw, to the shop's cut sheet and thickness.
• Trim fat and silver skin to the shop's standard and save trim for grinding or sausage.
• Debone, tie and stuff roasts, and prepare marinated, seasoned and ready-to-cook items.
• Fill special orders for customers and restaurants, including custom cuts, whole animals or sides where the shop offers them.
• Keep knives sharp with a steel and stone, and use the right knife for each job.

2.2 Grinding, sausage and value-added products (15%)

• Grind meat to the right lean-to-fat ratio and keep grinder parts cold.
• Make sausages, burgers, meatballs and other products using the shop's recipes, and weigh every ingredient.
• Follow allergen and labelling rules for anything with added ingredients, so labels list what is in the product.
• Record batch, date and recipe on the production log.

2.3 Display case and counter service (25%)

• Set up the display case each morning, rotate stock so the oldest product sells first, and keep the case full and tidy through the day.
• Serve customers at the counter: weigh, wrap and price orders and answer questions about cuts and cooking.
• Suggest cuts that fit the customer's budget and recipe, and take orders for holidays and barbecue season.
• Price and label packaged product on the scale, with packed-on and best-before dates.

2.4 Receiving, storage and inventory (10%)

• Check deliveries for temperature, weight and quality, and refuse or set aside product that does not meet standard.
• Store product in coolers and freezers in the right order, with raw and ready-to-eat items kept apart.
• Count stock and help [REPORTS_TO_TITLE] plan orders around sales, holidays and specials.
• Track waste and shrink on the shop's log.

2.5 Cleaning and food safety (10%)

• Clean and sanitize knives, cutting boards, saws, grinders and slicers during the day and at closing, following the shop's sanitation steps.
• Check and record cooler, freezer and display case temperatures at the set times.
• Wash hands and change gloves between tasks, and keep hair covered.
• Report any illness, temperature problem or contamination to [REPORTS_TO_TITLE] right away.

2.6 Safety (5%)

• Use machine guards and push plates on the band saw, grinder and slicer, and never remove them.
• Wear [REQUIRED_PPE], including a cut-resistant glove and mesh apron when boning.
• Unplug or lock out machines before cleaning, as trained.
• Keep floors dry and clear, and report injuries, near misses and broken equipment the same day.

3. Qualifications & Experience

Role Qualification Standards

4. Competencies

Core Competencies

5. Working Conditions & Performance Measures

5.1 Working Conditions and Physical Demands

This is physical work in a cold, wet environment with sharp tools. The table shows what the job normally involves. We will look at accommodation for a worker who needs it, up to the point of undue hardship, as human rights law requires.

Physical Demands and Working Environment

5.2 Performance Measures

Key Performance Indicators

5.3 Career Path

• Typical Prior Roles: Meat wrapper, meat department clerk, deli clerk, meat cutter apprentice, food processing worker, line cook.
• Typical Next Roles: Head butcher, meat department manager, charcuterie or sausage specialist, butcher shop owner.

5.4 Position Acknowledgement

This job description sets out the main duties, working conditions and qualifications for the Butcher role at [ORGANIZATION_NAME]. It is not a list of every task. The job can change as the business changes. If it changes in a real way, we will update this document and talk it through with the employee first.

Employee Sign-Off:

Name: [EMPLOYEE_NAME] Signature: _____ Date: _______

Manager Sign-Off:

Name: [MANAGER_NAME] Title: [REPORTS_TO_TITLE] Signature: _____ Date: _______

What to fill in