Warehouse Associate

Retail Operations Specialist

Performs a variety of retail operations functions to ensure sales readiness and customer support at Southern States Cooperative, Inc. (SSC) service and cooperative locations. Job functions vary by location and generally include: receiving merchandise and maintaining warehouse inventory, stocking shelves and supporting merchandising efforts, maintaining showroom appearance, filling customer orders and providing loading assistance, and performing general facility maintenance. Effectively operates a forklift and other industrial equipment. Demonstrates excellent customer service skills.

Essential Job Functions

• Maintain regular communication with store leadership to receive daily assignments and provide timely information regarding receiving and inventory supply, customer orders, showroom appearance, facility maintenance, safety, loss prevention, and other factors critical to daily operations.
• Provide prompt and courteous customer support. Assist customers with filling orders, lifting and accessing products, and loading merchandise into vehicles. Verify invoices to ensure proper merchandise and quantities are loaded. Effectively secure loads.
• Receive merchandise deliveries at facility warehouse according to established procedures. Unload merchandise in various forms including pallets, boxes, bulk, and/or large items utilizing proper equipment (forklift, front-end loader, skid loader, pallet jack, etc.) and manual lifting as appropriate. Count and verify accuracy of delivery by comparing to purchase orders and reviewing shipping documents. Inspect items for damage or defects. Notify supervisor immediately of shipping errors, damage to materials, and product quality issues.
• Safely move merchandise throughout the warehouse utilizing proper equipment, including manual lifting. Perform full pallet put-away, accurately storing merchandise in warehouse racking or other designated locations. Manually stack down mixed pallets, sorting merchandise for warehouse storage or showroom replenishment.
• Perform showroom replenishment. Safely move merchandise to the showroom utilizing proper equipment and/or manual lifting. Stock merchandise ensuring shelves and displays are neatly faced and organized and that items are accessible to customers. Perform recovery according to facility procedures.
• Reconfigure store shelving, build endcaps, and assist with creating merchandise displays. Read and interpret merchandising diagrams (plan-o-grams).
• Deliver bulk and/or packaged merchandise to customer locations utilizing SSC vehicles.
• Fill propane cylinders. Operate all propane-related equipment according to established procedures and safety protocols, and in compliance with training and licensing requirements.
• Assist facility team members in taking physical inventory according to established guidelines.
• Monitor entrances and exits in an effort to promote store security, safety, and to minimize merchandise loss. Request receipt or proof of payment in keeping with facility procedures. Escalate potential security concerns to store leadership.
• Perform regular inspections of forklifts and other industrial equipment according to facility guidelines. Identify and report maintenance needs to supervisor. May assist with maintenance of equipment as needed.
• Perform daily housekeeping duties and general facility maintenance to keep warehouse, showroom, outside lot and display areas neat and safe. Keep aisles and walkways clear of debris. May perform lawn care, snow removal, painting, and a variety of other general maintenance assignments as determined by location needs.
• Work safely as to not cause harm to yourself, customers and property, co-workers, equipment, or inventory. Utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required. Operate all equipment and vehicles according to SSC policy and government regulations. Comply with OSHA regulations, Southern States Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) standards, work rules and policies.
• Perform all other job functions as assigned.

Additional Essential Job Functions

• Provide guidance and on-the-job training to individuals and small groups. Effectively communicate step-by-step procedures to transfer technical knowledge of warehouse and store operations.
• Assist with leading physical inventory.
• Resolve complex issues relating to receiving discrepancies, damaged merchandise, quality control, and customer loading and delivery.

Experience:

Requires two (2) years of work experience in a warehouse environment or performing merchandise receiving and stocking in a retail sales setting. Requires customer-focused communication skills, demonstrated leadership skills, and experience operating industrial equipment including a forklift. Previous Southern States work experience a plus.

Certification: Requires Forklift Certification (or ability to obtain within a given period)

Licenses: Licensing requirements vary by location and are based on state/federal regulations.

• May require Commercial Driver's License (or ability to obtain within given period)
• May require Propane Certification (or ability to obtain within given period)

Skills:

• Able to learn and effectively operate a forklift, front-end loader, pallet jack, skid loader and/or other industrial equipment
• Able to learn, understand and follow safety, quality control and operating procedures at all times
• Able to learn and accurately identify / locate merchandise utilizing labels, barcodes, reports, and other documentation or tracking methods
• Able to apply logic and understanding to carry out instructions provided in written, oral, or diagram form
• Able to add, subtract, multiply, divide and calculate percentages using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals
• Able to effectively communicate with customers
• Attention to detail
• Able to speak, read, write the English language in a proficient manner
• Able to complete paperwork in a legible, organized, and timely manner
• Able to work in a fast-paced team environment
• Able to work extended hours to meet business demands especially during peak seasons

Work Environment:

Performs essential job functions in a variety of settings depending upon location, primarily a warehouse environment (not climate controlled experiencing seasonal temperatures and humidity), a retail showroom, and occasionally outdoors where there may not be protection from weather conditions.

May be exposed to hazards including:

• Drafts, temperature changes and wet floors due to facility doors opening during adverse weather and the merchandising and care of plant material
• Merchandise, supplies and tools with sharp edges or containing hazardous materials
• Dust, odors, fumes and hazardous chemicals associated with sales and storage of dry and liquid fertilizers, crop protectants and other agricultural, residential, animal care and home care products
• Moving mechanical parts and vehicles, vibrations and electric current
• Noise levels where hearing protection is optional per PPE Plan

Schedule requirements will vary based on location. Extended hours and/or alternate work schedules may be required. Ability to report to work on time and in adverse weather conditions is required.

Physical Activities & Requirements:

• Continuously balance, bend, and stack; finger and handle merchandise, tools and controls; reach with arms and hands; stand and walk for extended periods on concrete surface; twist back and neck; utilize hand/eye/foot coordination; Pull, push, lift, carry 10-50 pounds unassisted.
• Frequently crouch, kneel and stoop. Drive motorized equipment. Utilize feet and hands in repetitive motion while driving motorized equipment. Pull, push, lift, carry 50-100 pounds, may be assisted.
• Occasionally climb, sit, shovel and sweep. Pull, push, lift, carry over 100 pounds, may be assisted.

Must be able to hear equipment sounds, warehouse pages, co-workers and radio. Must be able to speak to co-workers regarding production and safety. Specific vision abilities required by this position include: close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

Tools & Equipment:

Hard hat, steel toed shoes required while in the warehouse/merchandise storage facility. Effectively operate industrial equipment including: forklift, front end loader, pallet jack, skid loader. Effectively utilize gloves and other PPE (required or optional), RF scanner, scale, safety knife/box cutter, writing instrument, reports, logs, plan-o-grams, diagrams, computer, printer, telephone.

Southern States is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on their race, gender, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or other protected classification.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, functions and skills required for this job. Functions and requirements may change at any time with or without notice.