Student Warehouse Associate
Operations
Kitchener, Ontario

Department:Operations

Employment Type: Full-time, 8-week contract, in-person role

Minimum Experience: Entry-level

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Warehouse Operations Manager, the Student Warehouse Associate plays a key role in the efficient flow of perishable and non-perishable food. The role involves maintaining a safe, clean, and organized warehouse environment while handling, sorting, and preparing food orders for distribution. Working closely with volunteers and the Warehouse team, the Student Warehouse Associate supports the receiving, storing, picking, staging, and building of orders and accurately tracks inventory using handheld and computer systems.

Responsibilities and Duties

EXAMPLES OF THE ROLE'S RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

1. Overseeing perishable and non-perishable inventory coming into and out of the building:

• Receiving, unloading, and storing products in racking, cooler, and freezer areas, following food storage and safety guidelines.
• Maintaining a safe, clean, and organized warehouse environment while handling, sorting, and preparing perishable, frozen, and non-perishable food orders for distribution.
• Picking, staging, and building orders, including packing hampers and repackaging products as needed.
• Managing compost and waste in the warehouse.
• Entering inventory data using handheld devices (RF Scanners), maintaining accurate records and proper rotation.
• Checking inventory quality and expiration dates, troubleshooting discrepancies, and collaborating with the Inventory Operations Coordinator to maintain accuracy.

1. Supporting volunteers and team operations to ensure effective collaboration:

• Coordinating and supporting volunteers in warehouse tasks when needed.

1. Assisting with other tasks as needed to support team and organizational goals.

Specific examples may vary from year to year as priorities of The Food Bank change.

Location and Hours

• The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is located at 50 Alpine Court in Kitchener, Ontario.
• The role is required to be onsite for the work week.
• Hours of work are generally between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday, for up to 35 hours per week. However, to meet the objectives of The Food Bank and commitments to our volunteers, members, and community, some irregular hours may be required. This would include no more than two evenings a week and/or two weekends a month.

Compensation

• The expected hiring salary for this role is $23.00 per hour.

Reporting Structure and Working Relationships

• The Student Warehouse Associate reports to the Warehouse Operations Manager.
• This role is an integral part of our Warehouse team.
• A significant amount of time in this role is spent working with other members of The Food Bank's Warehouse team and volunteers.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Experience with and/or knowledge of warehouse processes and inventory management systems is considered an asset.
• A valid Food Safety certification is considered an asset.
• A valid First Aid and CPR certification is considered an asset.
• Experience in the non-profit sector and/or with issues related to food insecurity is considered an asset.

An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

Required Work Capacities (Skills and Abilities)

Physical demands:

• Approximately 90% of time spent standing, walking, or light physical activity and 10% sitting (including meetings).
• Bending, twisting, lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling items, including to/from floor.
• Performing activities requiring near and far vision, speaking, and hearing.
• Working primarily indoors in a warehouse environment with exposure to temperature changes (heat and cold), dust and dirt, noise, and fumes (exhaust from machinery).
• Some exposure to minor chemicals (i.e., cleaning agents).

Social, emotional, and cognitive demands:

• Superior attention to detail and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines efficiently.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to confidently engage with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and relationship-building skills with the ability to cultivate and maintain strong relationships.
• Strong accuracy skills with the ability to maintain consistency of information in data management and communications.
• Sound judgment, adaptability, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make decisions and resolve conflict effectively.
• High emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and resilience, maintaining professionalism in sensitive or challenging situations.
• Effective collaboration and teamwork, contributing to team goals and organizational culture while maintaining accountability for individual results.

Eligibility Criteria

Please note that the Student Warehouse Associate roles are funded through the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program; therefore, in order to be eligible for the Student Warehouse Associate role, youth must meet the CSJ criteria for participants.

Eligible participants must:

• Be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment;
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment*; and,
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment; and,
• Be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
• International students are not eligible participants. International students include anyone who is temporarily in Canada for studies and who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada. Youth awaiting a refugee status ruling, as well as those who hold a temporary visitor visa, youth visa or work visa are ineligible.

Why Work for Us?

• We have a passion to live our mission - a Waterloo region where no one experiences hunger - and are committed to helping obtain and distribute emergency food from our neighbours for our neighbours.
• Our employees and volunteers are invested in and passionate about the work we do and are inspired to drive thoughtful innovation and growth.
• We take the work seriously but try not to take ourselves too seriously; we understand the importance of the work we do and teamwork while balancing fun, excitement, and camaraderie in the workplace.

What benefits does The Food Bank offer?

Some benefits and perks provided by The Food Bank of Waterloo Region include*:

• Competitive salaries/wages! We’re a proud certified Living Wage Employer (Ontario Living Wage Network). We believe that all employees should be paid an hourly wage that allows them to meet their basic needs (such as food, shelter, and clothing) while also participating in community life.
• Dental, drug, and supplemental healthcare coverage for individuals, couples, or family.
• A mental health and wellbeing focus with short-term counselling and resources provided by our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and up to $1000 per year in counselling services.
• Vision care coverage.
• An RRSP matching program.
• A Healthcare Spending Account and Lifestyle Spending Account to expand on coverage available to employees.
• A Bring Your Own Device allowance to cover work-related cell phone use ($ depending on role).
• Professional dues and association fee coverage.
• A generous time off package, including paid vacation, sick and family responsibility days, floating days, and a birthday holiday off.
• Hybrid work environment (where applicable).
• Closing early on Fridays in the summer.
• some benefits may depend on employment status, such as full-time permanent employment.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We believe that diverse teams perform better and that fostering an inclusive work environment is a key part of growing a successful team. We welcome people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is committed to accessibility and to protecting the human rights our job applicants during the recruitment process. Should, at any point throughout the recruitment process, an applicant require accommodation or communication in an alternative format because of a disability, please contact Human Resources at 519-743-5576. We are committed to providing accommodation or alternate formats upon request within a reasonable time in a mutually agreed upon format.

No phone calls please. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. This posting is to fill an existing vacancy. At The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, we use AI-enabled tools to assess applications; however, all recruitment decisions are reviewed by a human.