Hiring: Food Hub General Operations Coordinator – Food Connects

Food Hub General Operations Coordinator

About Food Connects

Food Connects is an entrepreneurial non-profit that delivers locally produced food as well as educational and consulting services aimed at transforming local food systems. The Food Hub aggregates and delivers from over 80 regional farms and food producers to over 150 buyers in southeast Vermont, southwest New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts. Food Connects’ educational services focus on Farm to School programming. Acknowledged as a statewide leader, the program supports over 30 schools to increase local food purchasing, school meal participation, and food, farm, and nutrition education. Together these core programs contribute to a vibrant local economy by increasing local food purchases by schools and improving students’ nutrition and academic performance. Additionally, Food Connects is frequently hired to provide leadership and consulting services for efforts aimed at transforming local food systems in the New England region.

Position Overview

This position is based in Brattleboro, Vermont.

The Food Hub General Operations Coordinator (FHGOC) will split time between driving delivery routes and coordinating and implementing day to day operations to ensure the safe, timely, and undamaged pickup and delivery of Food Hub Products. To manage this, the FHGOC must be detail oriented with consistently exceptional systems thinking, problem solving, and record-keeping skills.

This is a hands-on position with the expectation that this individual will be flexible and able to jump in where needed to best optimize operations and support other team members. That could mean being out on the road driving, assisting in the warehouse with receiving and picking orders, and other tasks as needed.

The FHGOC will have some weekly driving routes and is expected to be able to cover all routes as needed. While driving, the FHGOC serves as a public face of a community-oriented food distribution network and provides courteous and respectful service to a wide variety of customers and food producers. It is a high-energy position that provides ample opportunities for those with interest in food systems to get to know local food producers and buyers in the Central New England area.

Schedule & Terms

Full-Time, 40 hr/week, non-exempt hourly position. ($18 per hour, paid semi-monthly). Must be generally available 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., although the schedule will vary according to daily fluctuations in the Food Hub distribution schedule. This position does require off-hour availability by phone if vehicles are on the road. Some evening and weekend availability may be required with advance notice.

Collaboration

• The FHGOC reports directly to the Food Hub Operations Manager (FHOM).
• The FHGOC will work very closely with the Food Hub Operations and Warehouse Coordinator (FHOWC), and the Food Hub Operations and Fleet Coordinator (FHOFC).
• The FHGOC will manage the scheduling of the Food Hub Delivery Drivers according to operational needs.

Job Responsibilities 

Food Hub Coordination

• Act as primary point of contact for day-to-day order logistics and distribution, including weekly routing schedules and all distribution paperwork.
• Manage daily operations, maintain daily communications with Food Hub Drivers, and troubleshoot challenges as needed.
• Build optimized driving instructions and coordinate with the drivers over the course of every pick up and delivery day to assist them as needed in product aggregation and distribution..
• Maintain accurate mileage, driver hour records, and operational hour records.
• Prepare weekly order picking, pickup, and delivery paperwork,
• Assist Food Hub team in keeping accurate financial records of food hub purchases; coordinating with the sales team to manage invoice adjustments and accounting in the online commerce site; manage records of distribution; track and report on distribution errors.
• Build and maintain close working relationships with customers, producers, and other distribution partners.
• Coordinate with FHOFC to coordinate regular vehicle maintenance & inspections into operations schedule.
• Coordinate with Food Hub sales team on product substitutions and order adjustments as needed.
• Prepare, analyze, and respond to weekly and monthly operational reports.

Inventory/Warehouse Management 

• Coordinate with FHOWC and FHOFC to manage all stocked inventory including coordinating warehouse operations, stock management, product intake, order picking + preparation, and monthly inventory.
• Actively manage product inventory numbers both at physical storage space and within online commerce system.
• Manage purchase orders for maintaining inventory of stocked items.
• Proactively communicate with producers regarding product availability and supply.
• Ensure all inventory is accounted for and stored safely to preserve product quality. Perishability is anticipated and mitigated.
• Assist FHOWC to ensure all orders contain the correct products, check products for quality, pack safely into delivery order, labeling and loading onto truck to ensure quality, food safety, and personal safety.
• Coordinate with Food Hub staff to manage facility set up and warehouse maintenance programs in compliance with food safety regulations, including sanitation programs.

Driving & Delivery Coordination

• Inspects and verifies the complete contents and quality of all Food Hub products during picking and quickly communicates shortages or other issues.
• Modifies order slips at customer drops, as needed, and collects customer signatures and paperwork with each delivery.
• Coordinates directly with producers and customers as needed to communicate ETAs and order status.
• Keep detailed records of driving shifts, including product issues, mileage, hours worked, etc.
• Compile transportation costs into monthly logistics cost report for FHOM
• Assists with product receiving as needed.
• Assists in training of new drivers as needed.

Business Development

• Coordinate with Food Hub Team to work towards third party food safety certification, ensuring food safety compliance and planning and supporting adherence to regulatory guidelines, while supporting smooth daily operations. This may include performing and monitoring regular food safety-related processes pertaining to inventory tracking and warehouse maintenance, and keeping required food safety records.
• Assist FHGM & FHOM with implementation of new inventory management and customer ordering software.
• Assist FHOM with general system and SOP development and implementation.
• Assist FHOM to develop new routes and explore new operational technology to improve logistics, data management, and distribution systems.
• Assist FHOM to identify ways to improve all aspects of the food hub and its distribution operations, and help put those strategies into action.
• Assists Food Hub Management with meetings and events.
• Represent Food Connects in opportunities for Food Hub education and outreach.

Qualifications 

Required Qualifications

• Proactive, self-starter with systems thinking and proven time and stress management skills with an eagerness to learn and take on new challenges.
• Bachelor’s degree in applicable subject or equivalent experience. Master’s degree encouraged.
• At least 1 year of operations experience or equivalent experience.
• Commitment to excellence and high level of accuracy, with an ability to manage multiple, competing priorities with flexibility when priorities change.
• Ability to work well within a team environment as well as independently manage priorities and work plan.
• Ability to quickly assess a situation and make necessary decisions; skilled in creative problem-solving. Ability to remain calm under pressure and in the face of quickly changing demands.
• Comfortable with change; proactively developing and improving upon current systems to manage continued growth.
• Strong proficiency with general internet and computer use, spreadsheet development, databases, Google Drive and Microsoft Office suites. Comfort with learning new software platforms.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills, both written and verbal: in person, over the phone, email, text.
• Excellent interpersonal and team building skills.
• A sense of humor, a positive can-do attitude, and the humility to regularly incorporate the feedback of others into work processes.
• Strong organizational skills and natural proclivity for keeping detailed records.
• Cheerful, professional, mindful presence.
• General knowledge of veggies, fruits, and other locally-produced items.
• Reliable private vehicle for occasional regional travel.
• Personal smart phone with a data plan.
• Familiarity and alignment with Food Connects’ mission and organizational culture.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in warehouse and/or inventory management.
• Experience with food systems, food wholesale, food retail, and/or farming.
• Existing relationships with local food producers.
• Familiarity with the geographical area of our delivery services (Windham County, VT; Windsor County, VT; Cheshire County, NH).
• Experience driving box delivery trucks or other comparably-sized vehicles.
• Familiarity and comfort using equipment and tools necessary to address minor facility and automobile repairs.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit at a desk and work in an office setting to execute job responsibilities.
• Ability to repeatedly lift and move product (cases up to 50lbs) throughout the workday.
• Ability to drive continuously for a full workday, which includes loading and unloading product for delivered and climbing in and out of delivery vehicles.
• Ability to work and drive in adverse weather conditions.

Please send Cover Letter and Resume to info@foodconnects.org