Operations Manager Position at Bellingham Food Bank

Bellingham Food Bank ● Alternatives to Hunger

This is a mission-critical position that manages nearly all food bank volunteers and directs key aspects of the food bank’s daily operations.  The position is responsible for recruiting, training, inspiring, and managing more than 160 weekly volunteers.  The position helps maintain and enhance a positive, high energy, and respectful environment to be experienced by staff, volunteers, and clients.  The operations manager works as part of a team to make sure food is routinely collected from grocery stores, organized efficiently, and readied for distribution to clients.  The position is also responsible for interacting with food bank clients, enhancing the food bank experience, managing the crowd on distribution days, and overseeing the smooth distribution of more than 250,000 pounds of food each month to hungry families and individuals.  This position ensures that regular and routine administrative requirements are fulfilled. Finally, this position ensures the safety and cleanliness of the distribution center, including spills management and janitorial duties, as needed.

Title: Operations Manager

Hours:
40 hours per week

Qualifications:
Minimum of five years’ experience managing staff and/or volunteers.  College degree preferred. Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).

Minimum of three years’ of customer service or human services experience with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and oral. Able to effectively interact with clients and volunteers from diverse backgrounds.  Strong background in conflict resolutions skills; experience and empathy with food bank
and/or low income populations.

Ability to lead and be a contributing member of teams and work groups.

Able to frequently and regularly lift a minimum of 50 pounds and able to perform physical activities that require considerable coordination using arms, legs, and whole body such as climbing, balancing and stooping.

Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced and unpredictable environment.

Duties: Management and Distribution

• Maintain and enhance a system for recruiting, training, assigning, and managing volunteers. 
• Coordinate food bank’s grocery rescue program and respond to requests from the community to pick up and/or receive other large food donations.
• Establish and maintain a system for sorting all collected food in a timely manner and in compliance with current food handling regulations. 
• Ensure that supplies, space, tools and utensils are clean, available, and in good working order for efficient utilization of volunteer time and effort.
• Ensure food bank distribution room is ready for an on-time distribution for each of the distribution days and evenings.  Work closely with warehouse manager to ensure distribution floor is sufficiently stocked and back stock is ready as needed.
• Manage client behavior and activities on distribution days.  Ensure issues such as parking, line flow, and special need clients are, when possible, planned for and responded to.  
• Solve problems presented during distribution of food to clients.
• Analyze emerging food bank needs and provide staffing and scheduling to ensure that new needs are met.
• Lift and carry loads that exceed the physical limits and capabilities of volunteers.
• Respond to emergencies and special situations by providing solutions as needed.
• In the absence of janitorial support, ensure the cleanliness of bathrooms and distribution area through staffing or volunteers.
• Ensure coverage and back-up for warehouse manager, as needed.

Administrative

• Maintain files (electronic or paper, as needed) for volunteer recruitment, time reporting, etc.
• Develop weekly schedules, and accommodate all changes (illness, no show, emergencies, etc.) by requesting additional volunteer commitment.
• Attend regularly scheduled staff meetings and appropriate trainings.
• Coordinate with agencies and schools for community service hours; provide reports as needed.
• Prepare reports as needed.

Skills Required:

• Excellent communication and customer service skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to create and maintain electronic and paper systems for appropriate record keeping.
• Ability to work independently, to prioritize and effectively manage ever-changing workload.
• Ability to work positively and professionally with people of diverse experiences and backgrounds.
• Must have a valid driver’s license with ability to drive all food bank vehicles (van, box truck, and pick-up truck).
• Ability to cultivate and enhance community resources as appropriate to handle situations arising from being open to the public.

Supervision Received:
Reports to and is supervised by the executive director.

Work Environment: Fast-paced office, distribution, warehouse and human services setting.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

We strongly support equal employment opportunity for all staff members, as articulated by federal, state, and local laws.  Alternatives to Hunger actively seeks to recruit individuals without regard to race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, or age.   Particularly, Alternatives to Hunger and all its staff members will comply with the AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) OF 1990, PUBLIC LAW 101-336, also referred to as the “ADA’ 28 CFR Part 35, which provides comprehensive civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities in the areas of employment, public accommodations, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

Our equal employment opportunity philosophy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, training, promotion, transfer, job benefits, pay and dismissal.

The position also includes medical and dental and has a pension.

Cover letters and resumes can be mailed to Bellingham Food Bank, 1824 Ellis St., Bellingham, WA 98225 or emailed to info@bellinghamfoodbank.org  by May 26th