• Center the human dignity of Market shoppers, volunteers, and visitors
• Provide excellent customer service to our Market shoppers, volunteers, donors, vendors, and visitors, assisting with access to NWH services, and accommodating special needs and requests as appropriate
• Ensure a safe and friendly Market environment, and maintain an orderly and timely flow through the Market space
• Model appropriate crisis prevention and de-escalation skills when interacting with shoppers in volatile situation of need
• Provide education to peers on identifying when a client may be about to escalate or is in crisis
• Assist shoppers in identifying and connecting with appropriate community resources in the area, including organizations using the Northwest Harvest Community Resource Room
• Assist the SCM Manager and SCM Coordinator in providing support, direction, and appreciation to volunteers as they distribute, re-package and sort food, or other assigned tasks
• Assist with leading volunteer orientations, team huddles, and information dissemination
• Set up and break down the Market work areas before and after projects

• Coordinate food receipts and distribution, ensuring proper temperature control, sanitary conditions, FIFO rotation, documentation, and appropriate handling
• Ensure all inventory protocols are tracked and observed (weights, receipts, inventory counts, data entry, etc.)
• Work with the SCM Manager and SCM Coordinator to ensure proper maintenance of facility and equipment
• Assist with loading and unloading delivery vehicles from NWH’s Kent Warehouse, as well as the vehicles of vendors and individual donors
• Operate NWH forklifts, electric pallet jacks, and other warehouse equipment in accordance with OSHA standards (NWH provides SCM employees forklift certification classes, so certification can be earned after hire)
• Adhere to OSHA and WISHA safety requirements to ensure a safe working environment
• Set up food displays in the Market, and move food from storage to displays

• Work collaboratively as a SCM team member to ensure Market standards are met or exceeded in supplying food to the public by following a systematic routine schedule
• Create and maintain a positive culture of hospitality, generosity, empathy, and graciousness, and model these NWH values when interacting with other NWH staff, volunteers, guests, donors, and visitors
• Attend team, department, and all-staff meetings, and participate in ad hoc committees as appropriate (Safety, Equity, SCM Cross-Functional Team, etc.)
• Participate in equity, strategy, and visioning initiatives
• Maintain a valid food worker card

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift and/or move up to 5 pounds.
• The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to lift 50 pounds consistently with an assisted lift or in a team lift environment and repeatedly, with or without reasonable accommodation when needed.
• The employee is regularly required to stand for long periods of time; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; balance; bend and reach with hands and arms; use feet to operate foot pedal operation; and talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to climb ladders, sit, stoop, kneel, squat, crouch, or crawl.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

• Demonstrate the initiative to learn and enhance skills that promote anti-racism, cultural competency and an understanding of oppression and its impact
• Participate in intentional learning efforts, including events relating to understanding and dismantling institutional racism and building cultural competency

• Internal: This position encourages relationship building and frequent contact with staff of the SODO Community Market, Auburn Warehouse, Learning & Impact Department, and All Staff.
• External: This position will uphold Northwest Harvest’s commitment to ending hunger by acting as an Ambassador to the NWH brand by communicating effectively and frequently with Market shoppers, volunteers, vendors, donors, visitors, community members, and other NWH stakeholders.

• A combination of the real-life experience, education, and training listed below which provides an equivalent background to perform the work of this position.
• Successful completion of a Background check is required.

• Non-profit organizations and issues related to hunger, poverty, and food justice
• General knowledge of food inventory operations to support the SODO Community Market
• General knowledge or the willingness to learn new systems such as Microsoft Office applications; particularly Word, Excel, PPT and Outlook, Teams, and Zoom and ability to work efficiently and effectively with other organizational platforms such as ADP, SharePoint, Microsoft Dynamics, NAV Systems

• Understand individuals who experience poverty or food insecurity
• Integrate equity principles and practices into all functions
• Communicate and listen effectively, and successfully de-escalate potentially volatile situations
• Flex communication style to multiple cultural environments
• Work directly with diverse populations that include members of historically marginalized groups, such as (but not limited to): racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ populations, people living with disabilities or chronic illnesses (including substance use), people experiencing homelessness, and people who do not speak English as their primary language
• Provide compassionate, trauma-informed customer service in demanding or potentially difficult situations
• Quickly organize, prioritize, and lead multiple tasks
• Anticipate problems and create solutions in advance
• Builds a high aptitude for developing trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• High attention to detail and ability to ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency
• Ability to respond quickly to inquiries and issues; customer service skills are essential
• Ability to take initiative and think critically by identifying, analyzing, and solving problems
• Ability to clearly communicate information in writing and verbally so others will understand
• Ability to work independently in a dynamic environment of change, challenge and multiple deadlines/priorities demonstrating organization, flexibility, efficiency, follow-through, and diplomacy
• Ability to work with a wide variety of people both internally and externally, in a skilled, helpful, and positive manner
• Be nimble and curious

• Minimum (1) year experience in customer service, social services, human services, or in a food bank setting
• Experience working in a nonprofit organization is desired but not required
• Ability to speak, communicate and/or translate information to other languages such as Mandarin and/or Cantonese is desired but not required

• High School Diploma, GED Certification and/or equal combination of education and relevant work experience

• Certification in (or ability to obtain):
• WA State food worker card certification is desired or can be completed within 14 days after date of hire. A food worker card can be obtained by visiting https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov/. Cost of food worker card will be reimbursed by Northwest Harvest
• Forklift/electric pallet jack certification is desired or can be completed within 30 days after date of hire
• De-escalation and conflict resolution training to be completed within 30 days after date of hire

Northwest Harvest is Washington’s leading hunger relief agency – supporting a statewide network of 375 food banks, meal programs, and high-need schools. Focused on improving equity in our food system, Northwest Harvest believes everyone in Washington should have consistent access to nutritious food that feeds the body, mind, and spirit. In addition to making sure those who suffer from hunger are being fed, Northwest Harvest aims to shift public opinion, as well as impact institutional policies and societal practices that perpetuate hunger, poverty, and disparities in our state. Learn more about our organization and our open positions at: https://www.northwestharvest.org/about-us/careers/