Warehouse Operations Associate

Function: The Warehouse Operations Associate plays a vital role in ensuring accurate, efficient, and safe handling of food products to support the Community Food Bank’s (CFB’s) mission of eradicating hunger and strengthening communities. This position is responsible for operating warehouse equipment to move, locate, stack, count, and tag products; fulfill and stage orders; and load/unload trucks. This role ensures all orders are complete and accurate, with delivered products properly received and placed in designated warehouse areas, upholding the highest standards for safety, accuracy, and productivity.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operate warehouse equipment (e.g., electric pallet jack, reach truck) to accurately pick, stage, and load/unload orders.
• Use handheld scanners for real-time inventory transactions to ensure order accuracy.
• Follow FIFO and FEFO practices for product distribution and quality.
• Maintain cleanliness and food safety standards in all work areas, including baler area, warehouse, and walk-in coolers.
• Support compliance with AIB, USDA, OSHA, Feeding America, and local/state regulations, as well as CFB Food Safety Written Programs, by ensuring proper sanitation, pest control, temperature monitoring, and accurate documentation.
• Perform daily cleaning and housekeeping tasks; recycle materials as per CFB standards.
• Assist with inventory management, including cycle counts and monthly inventory activities.
• Tag, store, and move products to designated areas following CFB practices.
• Identify and report safety risks, product damage, and other incidents to supervisors.
• Crosstrain in various warehouse functions to provide operational backup and support.
• Work collaboratively with coworkers, over-the-road drivers, and other departments to ensure smooth operations.
• Communicate professionally and contribute to a positive team environment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in operating warehouse equipment, including electric pallet jacks and reach trucks. Ability to use handheld scanning equipment for inventory tracking and order processing.
• Demonstrated ability to accurately build customer orders, ensuring correct number and product type are pulled, repacking and weighing as needed, and completing paperwork accurately and legibly.
• Skilled in loading and unloading trucks following safety procedures, verifying Bills of Lading (BOL), receiving donated products into inventory, and moving products to appropriate storage areas.
• Knowledge of food safety standards, including AIB compliance.
• Ability to maintain a clean and orderly warehouse environment, perform daily cleaning tasks, and operate motorized floor cleaning equipment.
• Understanding and commitment to health and safety regulations applicable to food acquisition, storage, and distribution, including responsible use of equipment and materials.
• Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with co-workers, drivers, and the public. Effective communication skills to ensure clear and professional interactions.
• Ability to assist with physical inventory activities such as cycle counts and quality audits.
• Flexibility to work assigned scheduled shifts, including early mornings, evenings, or weekends as required.
• Ability to obtain food handling certification within 30 days of employment.
• Ability to become forklift and other warehouse power equipment certified within 60 days of employment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks with attention to detail.
• Ability to take direction, ask clarifying questions, and execute assignments.
• Ability to handle interruptions, maintain a focus on tasks and produce timely and accurate work.
• Ability to work with people from diverse economic, social, and political backgrounds.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• One (1) year of warehouse, distribution, or logistics experience, preferably in a food handling or nonprofit environment.
• Experience with electronic inventory management systems (e.g., handheld scanners, WMS).
• Basic math and literacy skills sufficient to complete inventory documentation and read product labels.
• Reliable attendance and punctuality; strong sense of responsibility and teamwork.
• Availability to work scheduled shifts, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, or holidays as needed.
• For company insurance purposes, at least 21 years of age; possess a current Arizona Driver’s License with a safe driving record.

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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two (2) years of experience in a warehouse, logistics, or food distribution environment.
• Forklift certification and experience operating electric pallet jacks, reach trucks, or similar warehouse equipment.
• Current food handling and food safety certification.
• Prior experience with FIFO/FEFO inventory rotation and quality control practices.
• Working knowledge of food safety audits and regulatory standards (e.g., AIB, USDA, Feeding America).
• Demonstrated leadership potential and willingness to train or mentor others.
• Proficiency in email and other technological communication and/or recordkeeping systems.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Physical Requirements:

• Medium Work - which involves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds. If someone can do medium work, we determine that he or she can also do sedentary and light work.

Expectations:

CFB is committed to providing employees with an environment in which the Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Accountability, Collaboration, Excellence, Innovation, and Social Justice are supported and encouraged.

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.

The 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 employees 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.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

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 employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.