SODO Community Market Volunteer Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The South of Downtown (SODO) Community Market Volunteer Coordinator (SCMVC) position contributes to the mission of Northwest Harvest by effectively administering the volunteer experience at Northwest Harvests SODO Community Market, this can include but is not limited to; volunteer scheduling, orientations, and community engagement and requires extensive information management using Microsoft office and other organizational database systems

This position plays a vital role in engaging with surrounding corporate volunteer groups and other individuals within communities of Western WA.

The successful incumbent in this position will align with the Volunteer Program’s mission; to provide the community with opportunities to engage in the work of hunger response and food justice through volunteer tasks that directly support food distribution operations, advance advocacy work, inspire financial giving, and equity programs. By providing and continuing education to our volunteer constituents, we continuously ensure that our volunteers understand the importance of Northwest Harvest’s mission and the impact they make while volunteering at our Community Market.

Schedule: This position may be required to work occasional off-shift hours as necessary for special events or other duties assigned.

Travel: Be responsive and adaptive to opportunities throughout Washington (WA). This can include but is not limited to local travel and occasional travel to Eastern and Western WA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Program Administration

• Serves as the first point of contact for prospective volunteers; to include but is not limited to recruiting, screening, and scheduling all incoming volunteer applications in Salesforce for SODO Community Market
• Support volunteer placement efforts for Advancement-led events and departmental initiatives by coordinating volunteer assignments and addressing event staffing needs
• Assess and identify volunteer recruitment needs for the markets or market-related events and communicate those with Volunteer Program Supervisor
• Screens all incoming SODO Community Market volunteer applications in Salesforce, collects, and enters all volunteer data, tracks volunteer hours, maintains the volunteer database system
• Coordinates volunteer scheduling and confirmations for SODO Community Market and maintains the volunteer database system for tracking, communication, and scheduling
• Maintain attendance matrices, daily calendars, and other tracking documents to ensure accurate reporting and effective communication with the market team
• Communicate and partner with the SODO Community Market team to ensure volunteer scheduling aligns with the market capacity and operational needs
• Works in partnership with local businesses, schools, and service groups sharing volunteer opportunities at the Community Market
• Connect with the SODO Community Market team during monthly cross-functional team meetings addressing any topics for discussion that improve collaborative daily functions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Oversee inventory of volunteer program break area supplies (coffee, cups, cleaning supplies)
• General upkeep of Volunteer areas (sign-in area, lockers, tables, counters)
• Partner with the volunteer program supervisor to enhance volunteer engagement and communication by collecting content, coordinating newsletter production, and ensuring timely distribution of the Volunteer Newsletter.
• Provide remote coverage and support for coordinators during their absence to ensure continuity of operations and timely response to program needs
• Collaborate with the volunteer program supervisor to identify initiatives that enhance the volunteer experience

Volunteer Experience Relations & Community Engagement

• Builds friendly, professional relationships with all new and returning volunteers by greeting and interacting with volunteers at the beginning of and during each shift
• Greets and interacts with volunteers at the beginning of and throughout each shift, provides orientation for new volunteers, and welcomes returning volunteers in partnership with market staff
• Plans volunteer appreciation activities, events to celebrate volunteer service milestones, listening sessions, and collecting feedback
• Documents any volunteer feedback, complaints, incidents, or problems and reports them to management
• Partners with the SODO Community Market Manager and Volunteer Program Supervisor to resolve volunteer-related issues and respond to volunteer concerns in a respectful and timely manner.
• Assists the regional Events Specialist with community engagement activities, including tabling events, market tours, open houses, food and fundraising events, and interacting with donors, community partners, volunteers and other stakeholders as needed
• Works with the Fruitvale Community Market Volunteer Coordinator and members of other NWH departments to create other pathways of engagement for volunteers when needed for specific projects

Message safety-related information to volunteers working in the market or at NWH volunteer events

Performs other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands:

• Regularly required to stand for extended periods; walk; use hands to handle, grasp, or feel objects; reach with hands and arms; balance; bend; and communicate effectively through talking and hearing
• Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 5 pounds
• Occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds in a team-lift environment or with lifting assistance, with or without reasonable accommodation
• Occasionally required to climb ladders, sit, stoop, kneel, squat, crouch, or crawl
• May be required to operate foot controls or foot-operated equipment
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus

EQUITY AND 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 – Frequent in person contact with site Market management, market staff and remote communication with the Volunteer Program Manager. Communicates with other departments, asks questions, receives, and provide information relevant to the volunteer process.  

External – Engage in conversation with volunteers, share Northwest Harvest current events and updates of organization goals to reduce hunger.  Speak knowledgeably about Northwest Harvest’s role in Food Justice and the drive to increase equitable access to food for all in Washington state.

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:

• Proven organizational skills with attention to detail
• Familiarity with safety practices and procedures i.e., safety regulations, observation skills, proper use of tools and machinery, workplace hazards, clean workspace, wear necessary safety gear
• General knowledge of the volunteer experience i.e., program coordination/administration, customer service, and or providing training to volunteer staff
• Proficient in the use of Salesforce and/or other volunteer management software or Database systems is a plus
• Critical thinking by identifying, analyzing, and inclusively solving problems with team members in an inclusive manner
• Works effectively under pressure serving both customers at the market and managing volunteers. This requires a keen understanding of our customers and the information and training our volunteers need to best serve them
• General knowledge or the willingness to learn new systems with Microsoft Office applications; particularly Word, Excel, PPT and Outlook, Teams, and Zoom and ability to work efficiently and effectively with other organizational platforms such as ADP, SharePoint, Microsoft Dynamics NAV systems.

Ability To:

• Understand individuals who have experienced poverty or food insecurity
• Demonstrate interest and commitment to supporting equity and inclusion for members of historically marginalized groups including racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ populations and people living with disabilities
• Adopt the PACI (purpose-driven, anti-racist, connected, and interwoven) framework and practice the Six Agreements (speak truth responsibly, listen to understand, stay engaged, experience discomfort and do things differently, expect and accept non-closure, and honor confidentiality)
• Create and maintain a positive culture of hospitality, generosity, empathy, and graciousness, and model these NWH values for other staff, volunteers, guests, donors, and vendors
• Join Northwest Harvest in its mission to serve this population with dignity
• Communicate both verbally and in writing with proper grammar and punctuation
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and leadership to assure a high degree of mutual accountability
• Ability to work with diverse populations and multitask in demanding situations and tight deadlines
• Ability to anticipate problems and create solutions in advance
• Attention to detail, ability to manage multiple projects, strong written and verbal communication skills, and ability to listen effectively to build collaborative, cross-functional relationships
• Excellent communication skills, ability to speak in front of small or large groups of people
• Efficiency in managing time and resources to meet volunteer program deadlines and objectives
• Strong ability to plan, prioritize, and manage tasks efficiently to coordinate volunteer activities
• Ability to work independently within written SOP’s and guidelines
• Be nimble and curious by asking questions to understand the merits of different approaches, and shift approach in response to demands of a situation
• Have and exercise a sense of humor

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

High school diploma, GED certification and/or a combination of education and experience with a personal orientation as a life-long learner.

EXPERIENCE:

Minimum of (2) + years’ experience that include clerical tasks i.e., data entry, preparing documents, responding to emails, customer service, human services, food bank environment. (1) year experience in a volunteer program setting.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Non- Profit experience is desired but not required
• The ability to speak additional language(s) is desired but not required.

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION:
Northwest Harvest offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package this includes but is not limited to; medical/dental/ vision/ insurance, long term disability insurance, Life/AD&D insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), 401(k) retirement plan, Vacation and Sick leave, 8 paid holidays; New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day, Floating holidays for you to use should you observe a holiday not outlined in Northwest Harvests current observed holidays or at your discretion, and birthday holiday. Employees are eligible to participate in payroll deducted supplemental benefits i.e., Flexible Spending account-HRA and DCE, various AFLAC and New York Life plans.