Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and surrounding communities.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs.  The Center enjoys broad-based community support as well as a sponsored relationship with its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.  St. Joseph Center serves approximately 6,000 individuals annually.

Job Summary

The food pantry assistant will work under the supervision of the food pantry program manager as a team member with several social service professional and paraprofessional staff performing duties and providing support to program staff and clients. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The food pantry assistant’s key areas of responsibility and duties include: 

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Assist with the daily operation of the food pantry
• Assist with daily unloading, shelving, stocking and storing of food donations and deliveries
• Along with pantry staff maintain and manage food inventory and pantry storage space
• Assist and support pantry clients
• Maintain a positive, supportive and constructive attitude and disposition with clients, staff and volunteers at all times both during pantry service and after hours.
• Facilitate pickup of food donations and orders
• Staff and assist with operation of pantry reception desk
• Work with & support pantry volunteers during stock maintenance, pantry setup and operation

Essential Duties:

• Set-up (restock and ensure pantry is clean & presentable) and clean up (put away refrigerated items,  throw away expired items, clean) before and after pantry operating hours. 
• Unload and store food donations and deliveries
• Lift, stack, shelve & move boxes, crates or pallets of food from loading area into pantry storage
• Drive to load and pickup food supplies or donations
• Must be able to drive a small truck, minivan and a mid size truck for food pickups
• Assist pantry staff with daily re-stocking and pantry maintenance
• Run pantry desk during pantry hours, check-in pantry clients, and work with Registration/Admin Coordinator to provide clients with information on upcoming events and closing dates.  Keep the front desk presentable with up-to-date flyers
• Document and distribute emergency food bags for non-registered clients
• Restock shelves and racks during pantry service
• Monthly deep cleaning of the pantry (i.e. sweep and mop walk-in refrigerator, clean milk crates, clean produce racks, and sweep pantry storage)  
• Manage the food pantry inventory and other duties as assigned
• Support Westside Food Bank (WSFB) pickup – assist with shopping, loading food onto truck, and unloading and storing
• Check and respond to voicemails; schedule appointments for new and renewing clients
• Organize and sort new donations, sometimes place weekly orders to Westside Food Bank, etc.
• Assist with rotation and distribution of food in a timely manner.  Keep food pantry office fully stocked in order to make room in the pantry storage for basement stored donations.  Maintain an organized and open space that ensures there is always available storage for drop-off of new donations
• Deescalate and resolve any client issues
• For onsite workshops, collect pantry cards as well as create and distribute receipts.  Provide a list of workshops completed in July and August for clients’ preparation of holiday sign-ups
• Provide assistance with program monthly reports where needed
• Coordinate pantry decorations for the holidays, as well as assist with holiday registration
• Support delivery and implementation of holiday and seasonal programs
• Support occasional catering projects, may include driving prepared food to event locations and assisting with setup.

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to estimate quantity of food needed on a daily and weekly basis in order to determine appropriate amount of food to be ordered
• The ability to meet physical demands of lifting up to 50lbs or more: Must be able to lift and stack boxes, pallets and daily pickups and deliveries
• Must be able to drive mid-size truck and have clean valid driving license
• Excellent communication and relational skills to assist and coordinate with clients, volunteers, and staff
• The ability to deescalate and resolve client issues and grievances
• Positive constructive attitude and disposition is essential.
• Ability to accept and respond to critical feedback and input.
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred. Ability to speak or understand Russian is a bonus.

Experience:

• Prior food service and/or customer service experience is preferred.

Education:

• High School Diploma

Direct Reports:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities. 

Computer Skills:

• Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) or the capability to learn new computer programming
• Ability to use widely supported internet browsers.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

• Valid California Class C Driver License. Must have valid Driver License and clean driving record.  
• Valid automobile liability insurance.

Travel Requirements:

• Local and regional area driving

Status: Full-Time/Non-Exempt

Salary: DOE

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent on completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located here.

Veteran Friendly Employer

 https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf