Material Handler (Operations)

Material Handler

The Material Handler is the fundamental driver of our centralized production hub, responsible for the physical movement, sorting, and grading of all donated goods. Reporting to the Shift Leader, you will work at the heart of our operations, ensuring that raw donations are safely unloaded from incoming trucks, accurately processed through specialized production lines, and efficiently reloaded for transport to the Outlet sales floor, retail stores, or the salvage market. This role requires a physically active individual who thrives in a high-volume "hub" environment and takes pride in meeting production quotas while adhering to strict safety and quality protocols.

Starting Pay: $13.25 per hour

Essential Job Functions

• Safely and efficiently unload incoming trucks and trailers containing raw donations, stage materials in designated receiving areas for immediate processing.
• Securely load processed goods, retail-ready racks, and salvage bales onto outbound trailers, ensuring proper weight distribution and bracing to prevent transit damage.
• Verify piece counts and load destinations against transfer logs or bills of lading to ensure the right inventory reaches the right location.
• Maintain a clear and safe "dock plate" area, ensuring all trailers are properly chocked and secured before entering or exiting the vehicle.
• Sort, grade, and categorize raw donations on a centralized production line, identifying items for highend retail, Outlet "bins," or salvage commodities.
• Apply specific quality standards to categorize textiles, hard goods, and electronics to ensure each item reaches its highest-value destination.
• Operate industrial vertical/horizontal balers to compress textiles and other materials for bulk transport; ensure all bales meet weight and quality specifications for external vendors.
• Maintain a steady pace to meet daily "pounds-per-hour" or "bins-processed" quotas required to keep the regional supply chain moving.
• Load and unload trailers using pallet jacks or forklifts, ensuring that processed goods are staged correctly for transport to satellite retail locations.
• Perform daily pre-operation inspections on assigned hub equipment (forklifts, hydraulic tippers, conveyor belts) and report any mechanical issues immediately.
• Execute the centralized e-waste and recycling programs, ensuring all hazardous materials are handled according to environmental and safety guidelines.
• Move heavy bins and racks to the co-located Outlet sales floor as directed, ensuring the retail environment remains "fresh and full" through rapid rotation.
• Maintain a clean and organized production zone, ensuring all aisles and emergency exits are free of debris and hazards.
• Assist in the secure handling of donated property, reporting any suspicious activity or high value "finds" to the Shift Leader to ensure proper processing.
• Must wear company approved Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Arriving on time and ready to work, understanding that the centralized production line depends on every "station" being manned.
• The ability to quickly identify quality variances or hazardous items during high-speed sorting.
• A natural drive to maximize "touches per hour," understanding that speed and quality are equally important in a hub operation

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties and projects as required by management.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED, preferred.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline driven work environment.
• Equipment operation experience preferred, i.e., pallet jacks, baler, tipper, forklift, etc.
• Ability to speak, read and write the English language.
• Reliable transportation and communication, required.

Core Competencies

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following:

• Commitment to our Mission and Lives our Values
• Functional/Technical Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Customer Service
• Dependability
• Patience
• Customer Focus

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of the "Hub and Spoke" distribution model and the difference between retail-ready, outlet-ready, and salvage-grade materials.
• Ability to operate or learn to operate heavy industrial machinery such as forklifts, large-scale balers, and hydraulic tippers.
• The physical strength to lift up to 50 lbs. repeatedly and the mental focus to maintain grading accuracy in a fast-paced, loud production environment.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions accurately.
• Effectively communicates, interacts, and works with others.

Physical Requirements

• This work is physical and requires the following activities: Standing, twisting, bending, kneeling, grasping, and reaching for long periods of time; good finger dexterity and feeling; frequent repetitive motions; talking, hearing, and visual acuity.
• Frequent walking and long extended periods of time on foot.
• The ability to push, pull and lift 50 pounds, or more with assistance.

Work Environment

• Works in warehouse environment will be exposed to airborne particles such as dust, mold, dirt and pollen as well as extreme heat and cold.
• Must be available to work during operating hours as needed for business operations. The work schedule may include days, evenings, weekends, holidays which may vary from week to week as well as occasional overtime when approved by management.
• Moderate noise level.
• Works 40 hours per week or more when required.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by an employee in this position. These statements are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.

Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma