DCY Warehouse Associate

Job Summary:

The DCY Warehouse Associate is a cross-functional team member with the ability to work in all areas of the warehouse. Contributing directly to ensuring food security for every Washingtonian, Warehouse Associates ensure food quality, packaging integrity, and essential deliveries of food. Warehouse Associates also contribute to the overall safety, quality, and consistent arrival of orders. Commitment to our values, food justice, advocacy, and DEI are an integral part of this role.

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining food quality, packaging integrity, and facilitating essential food deliveries.

This role is essential for upholding safety standards and ensuring the timely arrival of orders and puts into practice our six agreements and our PACI values to include but not limited to our commitment to food justice, advocacy, equity & inclusion initiatives, and is integral to this position.

Responsibilities:

Order-filling

• Loads, unloads and moves product by hand or using material handling equipment
• Works in multi-temperature environments such as cooler, freezer or dry
• Receives and fulfill orders
• Reads work orders to ascertain quantities of product
• Labels and wrap pallet loads securely prior to shipping
• Places the products in boxes for delivery and move the completed box to the invoicing area of the warehouse
• Prints invoices for completed orders, verifying the contents of the boxes against the invoice, and sealing boxes and for delivery

Receiving

• Receives shipments, checks for damages and sorts stock for distribution in state
• Keeps record of invoices sent and received
• Monitors supplies and fills them in when needed
• Places orders with suppliers when inventory is low
• Orders packing and shipping supplies when needed
• Packs and crates major components for shipments
• Refuses any product that are not on purchase order and deducts the charge off the invoice
• Receives and processes all incoming shipments
• Uses forklift to unload trucks
• Receives and enters data into system for all incoming items
• Logs maintenance records and inspections into data system
• Ensures accurate quantities of product were received, and compares appropriate paperwork

Put Away/Replenish

• Operate Stock Picker and replenish primary pick locations from backstock locations
• Move materials and items from receiving to primary and overstock locations as needed
• Utilize order selecting software to select orders for distribution, and stage product in packing/shipping locations
• Open bales, pallets, boxes, and other containers
• Record movement of product in warehouse management system
• Ensure proper placement of labels, paperwork, and forms
• Accurately complete daily productivity logs, load plans, and other forms as required

General Warehouse Duties:

• Operates powered order pickers, forklifts, hand truck, electric/manual pallet jacks, stretch wrapping machines and other warehouse equipment in accordance with OSHA standards
• Helps maintain cleanliness of warehouse facilities and performs other general housekeeping warehouse duties as assigned by the supervisor/manager
• Palletizes and works orders for shipping and receiving products
• Maintains inventory control of all incoming and outgoing products
• Assists with loading and unloading of other NWH vehicles if available
• Accountable for loading and unloading of vehicle
• Participates in workgroup and other team activities to improve warehouse operations, participate in Safety Committee meetings, and related business functions

Event/Volunteer Support:

• Prepare and set up for volunteer groups on an as need basis
• Maintain inventory control with product worked
• Delivery and set up for NWH sponsored events
• May be required to work volunteer or event shifts

Performs other duties as assigned by the DCY Warehouse Supervisor.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 75 pounds with an assisted lift or in a team lift environment consistently and repeatedly, with 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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to assist individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. While some absences may be protected by federal, state and/or local laws, regular attendance is an essential function of the job.

EQUITY & INCLUSION:

• 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

RELATIONSHIPS:

Internal: This position encourages relationship building and frequent contact All Staff.

External: This position will uphold Northwest Harvests commitment to ending hunger by acting as an Ambassador to the Northwest Harvest brand by communicating effectively and frequently with vendors, donors, visitors, community members, and other organizational stakeholders

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

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.

Knowledge of:

• Non-profit organizations and issues related to hunger, poverty, and food justice
• General knowledge of basic math skills and demonstrated attention to detail
• General knowledge in warehouse operations and how product moves through a warehouse system
• Experience in a warehouse atmosphere, including operating warehouse equipment – forklifts, pallet jacks, and other equipment
• General knowledge or the willingness to learn new systems such as Microsoft Office applications; Outlook, Teams, Zoom and ability to work effectively with other organizational technology and platforms this includes but is not limited to ADP, SharePoint, Microsoft Dynamics, NAV Systems, smart phones

Ability To:

• Understand and provide empathy to individuals who have experienced poverty or food insecurity
• Demonstrate interest and commitment to supporting equity and inclusion for members of historically marginalized groups, such as (but not limited to): racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA 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
• Integrate equity principles and practices into all functions
• Ability to read, interpret and apply laws, rules, regulations policies and/or procedures
• Communicate and listen effectively, and successfully de-escalate potentially volatile situations
• Flex communication style to multiple cultural environments
• Provide compassionate, trauma-informed customer service in demanding or potentially difficult situations
• Builds a high aptitude for developing trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Capable of working unsupervised in a safe and efficient manner
• 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
• Ability to plan, prioritize, and organize work to meet schedules and timelines

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

High School Diploma, GED Certification or an equal combination of education and relevant work experience with a personal orientation as a life long learner.

Minimum one (1) year experience in customer service, human services, warehouse environment or a food bank environment.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in a nonprofit organization is desired but not required
• Ability to speak a second language or ability to speak Spanish, Vietnamese, or Cantonese is desired but not required

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS:

• Forklift/electric pallet jack certification is desired or can be completed within 30 days after date of hire