Food Server - Institution jobs in Pittsfield, MA

Food Connects is seeking a Warehouse Coordinator to join the Food Hub Operations Department to support the rapidly increasing flow of regionally sourced products moving through our warehouse. The Warehouse Coordinator will employ their technical experience to lend vital backend support to the Warehouse Team. We are hoping to hire for full-time hours (32-40 hours per week), but for the right candidate, a part-time schedule may be available.

Position Title: Food Hub Warehouse Coordinator (FHWC)

Supervisor: Food Hub Warehouse Manager (FHWS)

Employee Status: Hourly (Full-Time), Non-Exempt

We value diversity in all forms and strive to have our employment practices reflect that. We are an equal-opportunity workplace and will not discriminate based on disability or other legally protected categories. If an employee has a disability that makes it difficult to perform their job duties, they are encouraged to notify us to engage in a discussion about reasonable accommodations. 

About Food Connects

Food Connects is a dynamic and quickly growing nonprofit organization based in Brattleboro, VT delivering local and regionally produced food and educational and consulting services aimed at transforming regional food systems. Founded in 2013, Food Connects (FC) catalyzes food systems change by connecting the next generation with their food, regional farmers with new markets, and school chefs with regional food. 

The Food Connects Food Hub delivers source-identified, regional food from over 125 farms and value-added producers to over 280 wholesale customers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Western Massachusetts. Currently, we have vehicles on the road for pickups and deliveries 5 days per week. The Food Hub (FH) is experiencing rapid growth and will expand operations, infrastructure, and delivery schedule over the coming year.

Position Summary

The Food Hub Warehouse Coordinator (FHWC) assists in the warehouse, helping to coordinate day-to-day warehouse tasks in the Food Connects Food Hub facility. This role helps ensure the warehouse is optimally utilized and in compliance with all applicable regulations and contributes to the safe and timely flow of Food Hub products. The FHWC must have consistently exceptional organizational, systems thinking, problem-solving, and record-keeping skills. They should be adept at thinking and planning spatially and have a high level of attention to detail. This is a hands-on position with the expectation that this individual will be flexible and able to jump in where needed to optimize operations and support other team members. The FHWC is supervised by the FH Warehouse Manager and collaborates closely with the FH Operations Team. 

Depending on the applicant, the FHWC may be trained to operate the Food Hub fleet vehicles and to cover delivery route shifts as needed. 

Core Competencies

• Attention to Communication: The ability to ensure that information is passed on to others who should be kept informed.

• Task Management: Can prioritize tasks and work toward their completion through tracking details and progress and, when needed, toggling between different projects or assignments.

• Time Management: Can organize time for optimum efficacy with regard to deadlines, collaboration, competing priorities, and personal work style.

• Fostering Teamwork: As a team member, the ability and desire to work cooperatively with others in a team environment.

• Flexibility: Openness to different and new ways of doing things, willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things. 

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Food Hub Warehouse Coordination

• Assists FH Warehouse Manager with day-to-day warehouse operations, including order picking and labeling product, sorting orders and ensuring they contain the correct products, staging orders in delivery order, and helping load orders onto delivery vehicles to ensure quality, food safety, and personal safety.

• Coordinates with Operations Team to ensure food safety compliance, planning, and adherence to regulatory guidelines, while supporting smooth daily operations.  

• Assists with coordinating cross-dock requests and product flow, as needed.

• Assists with inventory management, ensuring that all inventory is received accurately, accounted for, and stored safely to preserve product quality. Perishability is anticipated and mitigated.

• Assists with monthly inventory processes.

Fleet Loading

• Assists with loading products on and off delivery vehicles to ensure a safe and efficient delivery process as well as maintaining product quality during transit.

• Coordinates last-minute order changes, paperwork updates, and route details between Food Hub delivery drivers.

• Assists FH drivers with questions as needed.

Warehouse Compliance & Sanitation

• Assists with facility setup and warehouse maintenance programs in compliance with food safety regulations to maintain a clean & hazard-free warehouse.

• Ensures compliance with food safety processes, including temperature tracking on incoming product and outgoing vehicles, allergen handling, product handling and storage, and temperature control in all food handling zones. 

• Assists with warehouse sanitation tasks, including completing and maintaining all required warehouse sanitation logs

Additional Responsibilities

• Fill in for other staff when needed. 

• Assist with training new employees, as needed.

• Occasional paid off-hours meetings and events (with plenty of advance notice).

• Attend regular one-on-one check-ins with FHWS to seek and provide proactive and constructive feedback for mutual improvement and the general betterment of the FH. 

• Engage in annual self-review. 

• Participate in annual peer-review processes for employees as required.

• Other duties as needed to assist Food Connects in fulfilling its mission.

Food Hub Deliveries

There is opportunity in this position to cover Food Hub delivery and pick-up routes. Please indicate in your cover letter/resume whether driving a delivery vehicle is something you would be interested in and able to do. Not wanting to, or being able to, drive as part of the job will not affect your consideration for this position.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

Food Connects will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals to perform the essential functions of their work to the degree we can do so.

Schedule:

The ideal candidate has availability during the hours below and is available to work between 35 - 40 hours per week. This position is likely to work 5 regular scheduled shifts, ~8 hours each. 

• Monday: 7:30AM-5PM

• Tues: 9AM-5PM

• Weds: 7AM-5PM 

• Thurs: 7:30AM-5PM

• Fri: 7AM-5PM

Work Conditions: 

• The position is based in the Food Connects Food Hub facility in Brattleboro, VT.

• The duties for this position occur in a combination of a warehouse environment, delivery vehicles, and office/desk workstation.

• Evening and weekends may be required but will have plenty of lead time for planning.

• Some federal holidays may require at least part-time work. Adequate advanced notice will be provided.

• As a hands-on position, this role requires onsite work, with minimal opportunities to work remotely. 

Physical Demands - Required: 

• Ability to repeatedly lift and move products (up to 50 lbs) as needed.

• Ability to operate pallet jacks and lift trucks in the warehouse, as needed.

• Ability and willingness to drive delivery vans and trucks, as needed.

• Ability to work and drive in variant weather/temperature conditions.

• This position entails some use of a desktop or laptop computer, sitting or standing at a desk workstation.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications 

• At least 1 year of experience in one or more of the following types of roles: 

  • Warehouse operations

  • Distribution operations 

  • Farming/Manufacturing 

  • Other applicable experience

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal: in person, over the phone, email, text.

• Strong organizational skills and natural proclivity for keeping detailed records. 

• Reliable transportation for getting to headquarters in Brattleboro, VT.

• Reliable cell phone with data plan.

• Enthusiastic ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Comfortable with change and growth and the ability to jump in where needed to optimize operations. 

• Cheerful, professional presence. A sense of humor and a positive, can-do attitude.

• At least three professional references.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in logistics and/or food distribution. 

• Knowledge of basic food safety regulations.

• ServSafe Certified.

• Experience operating pallet jacks and forklifts. 

• General knowledge of veggies, fruits, or other locally-produced items.

• Familiarity and alignment with Food Connects’ mission and organizational culture. 

• Existing relationships with local food producers.

• Familiarity with the geographical area of delivery services.

• Experience driving box delivery trucks / straight trucks or other comparably-sized vehicles. Note that our trucks DO NOT require a CDL. 

• Some mechanical knowledge/familiarity with diesel trucks.

• Applicants intending to operate Food Hub delivery vehicles must be at least 21 years old (legal requirement for operating DOT-registered vehicles). 

• Applicants intending to operate Food Hub delivery vehicles must have a driving record free of serious infractions in the last three years.

• Ability to drive continuously for a full workday.

Compensation

• This is an hourly, non-exempt position.

• Beginning at $20.00 hourly. Negotiable depending on experience.

• The following benefits are offered after a 90-day introductory period:

  • Paid time off: vacation, sick, personal, and holiday leave

  • Short-term disability insurance 

    (for employees working 20 hours p/week)

  • Life insurance 

    (for employees working 20 hours p/week)

  • Access to vision and dental insurance

  • 15% employee discount on food purchases. 

  • 2% retirement contribution