Organization: Food Forward, Inc – a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
Position: Operations Associate
Hours: Part-time
Compensation: Commensurate with experience
Location: Bell, CA with occasional travel

Organizational Overview:

Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people in need and inspiring others to do the same. Fruits and vegetables are collected in Los Angeles and Ventura counties from backyard fruit trees, public orchards, farmers markets, and the downtown Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Terminal. This recovered produce is provided, free of charge, to low-income populations across virtually all social service sectors: homeless outreach, food banks, domestic violence shelters, transitional youth homes, veteran services, after-school programs, LGBTQ+ teen/adult/senior services, programs serving people with disabilities, college student assistance programs, and many more. Since Food Forward’s inception, thousands of dedicated volunteers in collaboration with our staff have rescued over 100 million pounds of fruits and vegetables, helping to feed over two million people across eight Southern California counties this year alone. *See our core values posted below.

Position Overview: Food Forward has three facilities: North Hollywood headquarters, Ventura branch office, and the Produce Pit Stop in the city of Bell. The Operations Associate reports directly to the Sr. Manager of Human Resources and is responsible for the deep sanitation, housekeeping, and general office maintenance of the Bell warehouse with the possibility of expanding to the North Hollywood location.

Safety is paramount at Food Forward, especially during a pandemic. The Operations Associate working together with the Operations Coordinator is responsible for the safety of our staff and associates. The ideal candidate must be a team player, able to prioritize between multiple responsibilities, and takes pride in learning and doing tasks that keep Food Forward team safe.

Core Responsibilities:

Janitorial Duties

Daily cleaning and disinfecting of warehouse and office space including but not limited to:

  • Clean and disinfect offices, conference room, and break area
  • Clean and disinfect building floors by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming
  • Clean and sanitize surfaces such as desks, tables, and countertop surfaces
  • Clean and disinfect glass surfaces
  • Clean, disinfect, and restock restrooms
  • Clean docking area
  • Remove waste and empty trash
  • Dusting and cobweb removal
  • Maintain sink floor drain

General Office Maintenance

  • Organize janitorial storage and supply areas
  • Inventory control and restocking of janitorial and warehouse supplies
  • Coordinate delivery schedules of equipment
  • Daily pickup of mail
  • Minor repair of office equipment
  • Assist Operations Coordinator in EAP, IIPP, and SDS enforcement
  • General office support including Ad Hoc research

Minimum Requirements:

  • 1+ year of janitorial experience
  • 1+ year of system operations – phones, Wifi, and printers preferred

Physical Requirements:

  • Periodically able to lift and carry materials weighing up to 35 pounds
  • Ability to sit, stand, walk, climb stairs and ladders, bend, lift, twist, kneel, crouch, crawl, pull, push, carry, grasp, reach and stoop as needed
  • Ability to work both indoors and outdoors
  • Ability to acclimate to hot and cold work environments

Application Deadline: February 28, 2021 or until filled

Desired Start Date: March 1, 2021

Salary: $15.75 – $16.55 per hour

Benefits:

  • Simple IRA with 3% employer matching (after one year of employment)
  • Generous Sick Days, Paid-Time-Off, and Holiday allocation
  • Cell phone allowance
  • Telecommuting and Work flexibility

How to Apply: Send a cover letter and resume in PDF to career@foodforward.org.  In the body of the cover letter include 1) Where did you discover this listing, and 2) If you were a variety of produce what would you be and why?

The subject line should read, Operations Associate – (Your Name). No phone calls. Please follow these instructions to ensure that we process your application

Food Forward is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and strongly encourages people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with protected class backgrounds to apply. We value the individuals that we hire and look forward to creating a positive work environment for all identities.

Food Forward Core Values:

  • Creativity – We seek to innovate in all facets of our work.
  • Joyfulness – We cultivate a meaningful, fun, positive and spirited work environment.
  • Committed to Food Justice – We believe that access to wholesome food, and fresh nutritious produce, is not a privilege, but a right. We work hard to end food inequality and reduce food insecurity.
  • Authenticity – We are transparent and honest in our words, deeds, and actions. We act at the highest level of integrity.
  • Disciplined – We are reliable, professional, accountable, rigorous and committed to excellence in all areas of our work, both internally and externally.
  • Community-minded – We aim to include and connect people in the community, and to remain open, diverse, respectful, and accessible. We take pride in offering people meaningful volunteer and work experiences.