Allocations Coordinator

Position Summary: The Allocations Coordinator supports the daily movement and allocation of perishable and time-sensitive food across the CFB network, including produce, bread, dairy, frozen, refrigerated, and short-dated products. Under the direction of the Allocations Manager, this role places product on orders, monitors flow, supports communication across teams, and serves as the primary backup for routine perishable allocation duties. The position follows established allocation, food safety, compliance, and documentation requirements.


Key Responsibilities

Allocation Support & Order Management

• Support daily allocation execution by placing produce, bread, dairy, frozen, refrigerated, short-dated, and other perishable or time-sensitive products on agency, mobile, resource center, and program orders according to established frameworks and direction.
• Monitor available product, product condition, dating, temperature sensitivity, order needs, agency or mobile capacity, resource center needs, and timing to support accurate and timely product movement.
• Assist with routine allocation adjustments related to product availability, quality, dating, timing, quantity, and operational capacity.
• Help ensure perishable allocation practices are consistent, equitable, documented, and aligned with food safety requirements, program priorities, and operational realities.
• Follow FIFO and FEFO practices to protect food quality, reduce waste, and maintain compliance expectations.
• Serve as a backup for routine daily perishable allocation duties when the Allocations Manager is unavailable, following established guardrails and escalation expectations.

Product Flow, Receiving & Cross-Team Coordination

• Coordinate with warehouse, inventory, transportation, food sourcing, programs, and resource center staff to support timely movement of allocated perishable product.
• Communicate product needs, shortages, substitutions, staging concerns, timing changes, and product condition issues clearly and professionally.
• Identify aging, distressed, short-dated, high-volume, or high-priority perishable product and notify the Allocations Manager of movement needs or risks.
• Assist with coordination during donation surges, product delays, urgent movement needs, and capacity constraints.
• Assist with identifying appropriate distribution pathways for donated perishable product, including agency partners, mobile distributions, resource centers, and program orders.
• Communicate concerns related to cooler, freezer, dry storage, labor, transportation, or partner capacity that may affect product acceptance or movement.
• Assist with pre-receipts and product setup information as directed, ensuring information reflects accurate product descriptions, expected quantities, units of measure, program designations, restrictions, temperature needs, and handling notes.
• Coordinate with Warehouse Operations to support receiving readiness and prioritization of perishable or time-sensitive product.
• Work with Inventory and Operations staff to confirm product availability, staging, tagging, order accuracy, and proper storage location, as well as coordination to hold, quarantine, and manage products pending review, recall, or disposal.
• Identify inventory discrepancies, incorrect product coding, product condition concerns, or system issues that may affect allocation accuracy.
• Use P2 and other CFB systems accurately to support order placement, product tracking, inventory visibility, and documentation.

Compliance, Food Safety & Documentation

• Support compliance with AIB, USDA, OSHA, Feeding America, local/state regulations, and CFB Food Safety Written Programs by following established procedures for product handling, allocation, documentation, storage, and communication.
• Ensure perishable USDA, TEFAP, CSFP, purchased, donated, and restricted products are allocated and documented according to program requirements and CFB procedures.
• Monitor product dates, condition, temperature sensitivity, storage requirements, and handling notes when supporting allocation execution.
• Identify and report food safety concerns, pest control concerns, sanitation issues, temperature concerns, damaged product, contamination risks, or other compliance issues immediately.
• Maintain accurate records related to product movement, allocation notes, substitutions, exceptions, order adjustments, and pre-receipts as required.
• Support audit readiness by ensuring allocation-related documentation is accurate, timely, complete, and traceable.
• Assist the Allocations Manager in developing and maintaining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to P2 system functions, product decision-making, and sourcing, procurement, and allocation processes across the Food Bank.

Waste Reduction & Flow Optimization

• Monitor aging, distressed, short-dated, or slow-moving product and elevate concerns to reduce waste, shrink, compost, and missed distribution opportunities.
• Help identify drivers of waste, delays, and allocation breakdowns and share recommendations with the Allocations Manager.
• Participate in after-action reviews following donation surges, quality concerns, allocation issues, or operational disruptions.

Framework Support & Continuous Improvement

• Support the use and documentation of allocation frameworks, guardrails, decision rules, and exception processes.
• Monitor recurring issues, space constraints, product movement concerns, partner capacity mismatches, and repeated exceptions.
• Assist with maintaining process notes, backup procedures, communication tools, and allocation documentation.
• Recommend process improvements based on daily allocation experience.

Safety & Operational Practices

• Follow OSHA and CFB safety expectations, including use of appropriate PPE, in warehouse, cooler, freezer, loading, and staging areas.
• Report unsafe conditions, blocked aisles, equipment concerns, spills, trip hazards, damaged pallets, or other risks.
• Coordinate with warehouse staff to prevent unsafe staging, congestion, or product handling conditions.
• Support a clean, organized, and audit-ready work environment.

Decision-Making Authority

This role is authorized to:

• Place perishable product on orders according to approved rules, product availability, program restrictions, and operational instructions.
• Make routine adjustments related to quantity, timing, product condition, dating, or order readiness within approved guardrails.
• Communicate routine allocation updates, shortages, substitutions, and product concerns to internal teams.
• Provide routine backup coverage for daily perishable allocation execution when the Allocations Manager is unavailable.

Escalation is required for:

• Escalation is required for major reallocations, framework changes, partner concerns, donor or program restrictions, food safety concerns, product holds, significant inventory issues, capacity constraints, documentation gaps, or repeated exceptions.

Other Duties

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the staff member for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.


Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. (standard on all job descriptions)

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• One to two years of experience in food banking, warehouse operations, grocery, produce, inventory, logistics, customer service, or related work.
• Ability to obtain and maintain required warehouse equipment certification if assigned.
• Ability to learn and use P2 or other inventory/order management systems.
• Ability to work early mornings, occasional evenings, or weekends as operational needs require.
• Valid Arizona Driver's License with a clean driving record; ability to travel to CFB locations. (standard on all job descriptions)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Primarius/P2 or a similar inventory/order management system.
• Experience with perishable food allocation, grocery rescue, donated food, or food bank distribution.
• Experience supporting AIB, Feeding America, OSHA, USDA, or other food safety/compliance-related standards.
• Experience with product allocation, order building, inventory control, receiving, or perishable food movement.
• Electric pallet jack, forklift, or other warehouse equipment certification, if applicable.
• Bilingual English/Spanish. (standard on all job descriptions, unless Supervisor requests this qualification be required)

Skills & Knowledge

• Knowledge of food bank, warehouse, grocery, produce, perishable food handling, inventory, logistics, or product distribution practices.
• Ability to follow allocation frameworks, program restrictions, decision rules, and escalation protocols.
• Working knowledge of food safety, FIFO/FEFO, product dating, temperature control, traceability, AIB readiness, USDA/TEFAP/CSFP requirements where applicable, Feeding America expectations, OSHA safety practices, and CFB written procedures.
• Strong attention to detail when placing product on orders, reviewing inventory, checking restrictions, and documenting changes.
• Ability to use P2 or similar inventory/order management systems; proficiency in P2 preferred.
• Ability to prepare accurate allocation documentation and identify product, inventory, food safety, sanitation, or compliance concerns.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with warehouse, inventory, transportation, food sourcing, programs, and resource center teams.
• Ability to adapt to changing product availability, donation timing, quality concerns, partner capacity, and operational constraints.
• Ability to work independently within established guidelines while knowing when to escalate.
• Commitment to equity, accuracy, waste reduction, food safety, compliance, and CFB's mission.

Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered if applicable and must be directly related to the functions and body of knowledge required to successfully perform the job.

Physical Requirements:

• Medium Work - ability to exert 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Expectations:

• CFB is dedicated to fostering a workplace where our Core Values of Dignity, Integrity, Collaboration, and Impact are actively demonstrated and supported in all aspects of our work.
• CFB works diligently to maintain a culture of fairness, responsibility, trustworthiness and teamwork to advance our mission: We change lives in the communities we serve by feeding the hungry today and building a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow.
• CFB is a drug and tobacco free work environment.
• CFB is committed to having a workforce that reflects diversity at all levels and is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment, and staff members are treated during employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.

Acknowledgement:

I understand that I am expected to adhere to all company policies and to act as a role model regarding all policies and CFB Core Values. My signature below indicates that I understand the requirements, essential functions and duties of this position.

Staff Member Name (Print)


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