Warehouse Operations Coordinator

Organization Overview

Nourishing Hope, formerly known as Lakeview Pantry, is a dynamic Chicago nonprofit providing food and social services for anyone in need. Founded in 1970, we’re one of the largest and longest operating hunger relief organizations in Chicago. We also provide free, trauma-informed mental health counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance. We strive to serve the needs of the whole person — with respect and dignity, always.

Nourishing Hope offers our neighbors nutritious food using a choice-based distribution model and access to life-changing social services including:

Monthly food distribution and additional produce pickup through five different food access programs;

Home delivery services for older adults, homebound neighbors and neighbors living with disabilities;

Social services including case management, mental health counseling, job search support, domestic violence intervention, referrals and public benefits assistance (SNAP, healthcare, government forms) for anyone in need.

Nourishing Hope serves tens of thousands of people each year, providing more than 4 million meals through our programs, in addition to partnerships with other community organizations. This year, more than 7,000 low-income neighbors will also receive case management and social services.

Position Summary:

The Warehouse Operations Coordinator supports the Warehouse Operations Supervisor and the Manager of Food Operations and Logistics. The coordinator is responsible for day-to-day operations of running a food pantry warehouse including: leading and supervising volunteers, accepting and ensuring food safety of incoming donations, preparing pallets for transport to other locations, managing outgoing and incoming pallets of food, and maintaining warehouse inventory. This position requires the employee to spend most of the day moving around the site and working with and around other people.

Schedule and Locations:

This is a full-time position with the following schedule: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays (some Thursday evenings), Fridays and Saturdays. Typical hours are approximately 8:00am to 4:30pm each day, with occasional days as early as 7:00am. Time will be split between Nourishing Hope’s Headquarters, 1716 W. Hubbard and the Hub, 5151 N. Ravenswood.

Essential Job Functions:

Lead shifts of volunteers, which includes teaching them to stage food for packing, to pack boxes on packing lines, to sort through incoming food donations, to build and wrap pallets, and to organize the warehouses.

Manage deliveries of food going out to other locations; ensure that the correct food is sent in accordance with truck schedules.

Act as an ambassador to incoming individual volunteers and groups, educating them about the mission and functions of Nourishing Hope and giving tours.

Operate a forklift, pallet stacker, and pallet jacks; safely move pallets of food around the warehouses and in/out of trucks/vans. Training on this equipment can be obtained after hire.

Assist the Manager of Food Operations and Warehouse Supervisor in maintaining an inventory of the warehouse and entering inventory into spreadsheets.

Learn, adhere to, and teach Nourishing Hope standards for food safety and quality.

​​Receive and record donations from vendors and from individual donors.

Assist in maintaining the warehouses: report or correct safety hazards and help with day-to-day facility needs. This can include duties such as helping with trash removal, general cleaning, and occasional snow shoveling.

Communicate needs, issues, and schedules with the Manager of Food Operations as well as with other Nourishing Hope staff.

Work with the Warehouse Supervisor, the Manager of Food Operations, and other coordinators to maintain and improve food flow systems and inventory.

Will occasionally drive a cargo van between internal sites occasionally as necessary

Qualifications:

High school diploma or GED required; higher education is a plus.

Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds frequently, and up to 100 pounds occasionally.

Experience training or managing other people. Ability to lead and supervise groups of people working on multiple tasks.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Logistical, organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills.

Ability to efficiently and effectively handle shifting and multiple priorities.

Valid driver’s license, clean driving record and the ability to operate a motor vehicle (cargo van).

Experience operating forklifts, pallet stackers, and pallet jacks or willingness to learn.

Solid computer skills including a working knowledge of Google Sheets.

Previous experience managing logistics or working with food is a plus.

An understanding of, and belief in, the importance of food security for everyone.

Background Check:

Because we are a Medicaid provider all applicants who are offered employment with Nourishing Hope will be subject to a background screening. Offers of employment are contingent on the successful completion of a background screening conducted in accordance with Nourishing Hope policy and federal, state and local law.

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