Job: Food Pantry Coordinator

Amherst Survival Center

P.O. Box 9629
North Amherst, MA 01059-9629

Company Description:
The Amherst Survival Center connects residents of Hampshire and Franklin Counties to food, clothing, healthcare, wellness, and community, primarily through volunteer efforts.
Salary Range:Location:
15 Per Hour AMHERST MA
Job Type:Category:
Full TimeSocial Services
Education Level:Work Experience:
Associate Degree
Preference: Preferred
2+
Preference: Preferred
Skills/Certifications/Licences:
Bi-Lingual (Spanish, Mandarin or Portuguese) - Preference: Preferred
Description:
Summary: The Food Pantry Coordinator oversees the operations of the Food Pantry, including but not limited to onsite pantry, mobile food distribution programs, special initiatives, supervision of the Pantry Assistant, directing volunteers, purchasing and restocking pantry items, coordinating food drives, and maintaining accurate records and statistics for organizational and funding reports. The Food Pantry Coordinator must have relevant professional or volunteer experience, an ability to work and communicate effectively in a collaborative environment, understanding of food justice issues, knowledge of warehouse and inventory procedures, physical capacity to carry and stock food, as well as competence working in communities of color and with people living with lower incomes. Smooth operations are achieved through regular attendance and consistent, reliable management of pantry team.

Hours: This is a full-time, hourly position. The position is approved for 37-40 hours per week. Some evening and weekend activities are required (current schedule includes Thursday evening and one Saturday morning per month, and occasional additional evening/weekend support as needed).

Working Conditions: Must be able to lift up to 40+ pounds. Frequent walking, standing, use of stairs, lifting and carrying. The Center is a fast paced environment which can be crowded and noisy. Position primarily works indoors, with frequent outdoor exposure to load/unload food, or other related activities.

Direct Report: The Food Pantry Coordinator reports to the Program Director.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Basic Pantry Operations:
• Coordinate Pantry’s food delivery and distribution programs including monthly onsite
distribution to 600+ households, Senior Mobile Nutrition Program, Mobile Food Program and special initiatives.
• Supervise Pantry Assistant, volunteers and interns.
• Keep pantry clean, stocked and well-organized.
• Coordinate food orders and deliveries.
• Effectively monitor and utilize the pantry budget to achieve ASC and pantry goals.
• Provide referrals about other community sources of nutrition.
• Plan and oversee community food drives, track donations and ensure donor
acknowledgement.

Working with Participants:
• Ensure a clean, friendly and welcoming shopping experience for food recipients.
• Navigate challenging situations and deescalate conflicts.
• Provide information and referral to participants as needed.
• Support participants’ successful navigation of Center services.
• Uphold Center’s Code of Conduct.

Record Keeping and Statistics:
• Conduct client intakes, maintain records, track and collate required statistics.
• Prepare monthly reports for internal and funder use as required.
• Maintain accurate records of donations and purchases.

Additional responsibilities:
• Attend weekly staff meetings and supervision meetings.
• Represent the ASC at local food justice coalitions and meetings.
• Complete administrative duties as assigned.
• Demonstrate professionalism at all times, both verbally and in writing when representing the Amherst Survival Center, including appreciating and supporting those you work with, showing respect to all ASC participants, demonstrating professional conduct, acting with honesty and fairness in all of your dealings with others, proactively reducing conflict in the Center as it arises.
• Approach your work with an attitude of continuous improvement. This involves continually examining processes to discover and eliminate problems in order to improve participant satisfaction and to enhance program effectiveness.
• Take leadership of and participate fully in Center-wide projects, development of systems/practices and new programs to ensure fulfillment of the Center’s mission.
• Other duties as assigned by the Program Director or Executive Director.

To apply: Send cover letter & resume in Word or pdf to jobs14@amherstsurvival.org or send hard copy to: Pantry Coordinator Search, Amherst Survival Center, P.O. Box 9629, N. Amherst, MA 01059. No phone calls or visits please.

Application Deadline: Applications accepted until the position is filled. Review to begin on December 11, 2019.

The Amherst Survival Center is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to racial equity and social justice and make a particular effort to recruit people of color to apply for open positions.?We recruit and employ the best qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion/religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or military status.
Requirements:
Job Qualifications:
• Excellent organizational and communication skills and attention to detail.
• Experience and competence working with diverse communities.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, compassionate boundary setting, and strength based approach to working with participants, colleagues and leading teams.
• Strong computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Applications, and ability to enter data and run reports in ACCESS database.
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to be insured under agency automobile policy.
• Strong appreciation for ASC’s mission, values and approach, with a strong commitment to ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of goods.
• Prior human service experience including direct service work strongly preferred.
• Experience supervising volunteers or staff preferred.
• Strong preference for bi-lingual candidates, particularly verbal fluency in Spanish, Mandarin or Portuguese.