Can you go from one department as just a regular clerk to another department as a head? Ex: Meat clerk to head produce. I know they're different contracts and yada-yada.
Of course it varies by contract, but usually you have to be a backup department head first. To do that, you have to wait for a position to open and apply for it. The job usually goes to the person with the most seniority but they do take experience into account too. For example, if a deli clerk with 5 years experience and a checker with 10 years experience both apply to be a backup department head in the deli, the deli clerk will be more likely to get the job even though the checker has more seniority.
As above poster said, yes because of skills and ability.
The best thing you can do is become proficient at using the CAO, scanning backstock and ordering. Then apply that knowledge to the produce department.
While our meat department might get 3 pallets on any given day, produce might get 9 pallets on the same day. I have never really looked at case count for each but I suppose produce cases are bulkier.