Job Description

Job Summary

The food pantry assistant works as a team member with several social service professional and paraprofessional staff performing duties and providing support to program staff and clients.  The food pantry ensures that pantry operation and service is performing optimally.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

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

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

• Operation of food pantry, and supporting food pantry service
• Point person for food donation sources
• Maintain and manage food inventory and pantry storage space
• Assist and manage pantry clients
• Assist and support pantry volunteers or case managers
• Ensure data and documentation is correctly maintained

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Set-up and clean-up before and after pantry operating hours.  Restock and make sure the pantry is presentable.  Put away refrigerated items and dispose of expired items
• Support and help decide on daily distribution amounts
• Support pantry volunteers and delegate specific assignments
• Document and distribute emergency food bags for non-pantry clients
• Update the pantry chalk board and PowerPoint (i.e. closed dates, relevant information, events, and activities)
• Help submit the monthly supply order to the program manager before the order date
• Monthly deep cleaning of the pantry (i.e. sweep and mop walk-in refrigerator, clean milk crates, clean produce racks, and sweep pantry storage)  
• Support Food Forward: Deliver Sunday Farmer’s Market boxes every Friday, Pick-up Farmer’s Market donation every Wednesday, act as contact person for Sunday volunteer drivers, and notify of St. Joseph Center closures
• Support WSFB pickups and stocking at pantry.
• Clean and organize the pantry storage space, as well as sort new donations
• Rotate and distribute 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
• Schedule the renewal and registration appointments for pantry clients
• 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
• Assist with holiday registration and seasonal or special projects

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

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
• Excellent communication and relational skills to assist and coordinate with clients, volunteers, and staff
• The ability to deescalate and resolve client issues and grievances
• Bilingual in Spanish and/or Russian is preferred

EXPERIENCE:

• Prior administrative assistant or food sector experience is a plus.

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)
• Ability to use widely supported internet browsers.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS:

• Valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
• Valid automobile liability insurance.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Twice weekly pickup trips to West Side Food Bank. Occasional donation pickups within LA area.

Additional Information

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.

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