Distribution Coordinator for Nonprofit Food Hub

DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR POSITION OPENING

Essex Food Hub, a nonprofit food hub, seeks a distribution coordinator to be responsible for organized, efficient, and accurate food procurement, inventory management, product receiving, order fulfillment and delivery, and logistics planning. The Distribution Coordinator will report directly to the Distribution Manager, and supervise 1 to 3 fulfillment assistants and 2 to 4 drivers.

Traveling an average of more than 1,200 miles per week, year-round, Essex Food Hub connects small farms and value-added producers with markets throughout the North Country and as far south as New York City. Essex Food Hub is expanding both in scale and scope, as it is restoring food business services such as a shared commercial kitchen at its new facility in Westport, NY, and building co-marketing and shared logistics relationships with peer organizations throughout the state. There is potential for the Distribution Coordinator to grow alongside the organization.

With myriad challenges to food security and small-farm sustainability, this is a pivotal moment and an exciting opportunity to become central to an innovative, impactful, and mission-driven organization, while building more vibrant rural economies, supporting the livelihoods of small food producers, and strengthening mid-tier value chains across the eastern part of New York State.

ABOUT ESSEX FOOD HUB

Our mission is to advance local and regional food-system resilience through market coordination, services for small food businesses, food-sovereignty initiatives, and collaborations that drive system-level change. We envision an abundant food system that empowers consumers and producers to make real choices that foster the well-being of communities, individuals, and the land. We value transparency, adaptability, inclusion & empowerment, self-determination, regenerative stewardship, and interdependence. We make food access more equitable by connecting well over 100 small food producers with rural retailers and consumers who have varying ability to pay through an assortment of programs, including subsidized wholesale distribution; Food as Medicine, Farm-to-Food-Pantry, and Farm-to-Institution programs; a brick-and-mortar retail market; free home delivery to individuals in need; trucking and logistics support for values-aligned food hubs and farming collectives; and much more.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

As the hub of the hub’s activities, the distribution coordinator will collaborate with fulfillment assistants and drivers, and work under the direction of our Distribution Manager, to perform the following primary duties:

Internal Systems

• Continually develop and improve workflows and inventory management with safety, productivity, and efficiency in mind.
• Support the development of process documentation, job aids, and practices that make work easier and preserve institutional knowledge.
• Perform bookkeeping activities as requested.
• Check mail as requested.

Procurement, Receiving & Fulfillment

• Ensure compliance with the system for onboarding new food vendors.
• Ensure compliance with receiving and food storage plans with flows and optimal conditions for product in mind.
• Communicate with customers about their orders and deliveries as needed.
• Ensure customer profiles in our routing and ordering platforms are up-to-date.
• Ensure product information in our ordering platforms is accurate and up-to-date.
• Inform the retail Market Supervisor when products for the retail market will be available from the fulfillment team.
• Place orders for all departments, including retail, minimizing out of stocks and waste as much as possible.
• Assist with packing orders as needed.
• Ensure the fulfillment team’s adherence to inventory systems.

Distribution & Logistics

• Create and dispatch daily routes based on seasonal plans developed with the Distribution Manager, ensuring compliance with policies on route & shift lengths and adherence to customer receiving schedules.
• Support drivers on the road, ensuring drivers are safe and have the tools they need to deliver.
• Keep customers informed of any disruptions to delivery or out of stocks as necessary to maintain good relationships.
• Maintain maintenance schedule for vehicles and facilities and repair and maintenance logs.
• Assist with driving as needed.
• Ensure vans are equipped in accordance with supply protocols.
• Ensure driver receipts, vendor invoices, and other information necessary for recordkeeping and accounts payable and receivable are collected and organized for transmission to appropriate personnel.

ABOUT YOU

• You are a problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• You have excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• You can work physically demanding days that start early and may last 8+ hours.
• You can safely and repetitively lift 50 pounds.
• You have strong communication skills and an inclination toward collaboration.
• You are comfortable with Google Workspace, spreadsheet manipulation, QuickBooks Online, and LocalLine, or you could become so with ease.
• You are available to work 8 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, with some flexibility when early starts, late finishes, and weekend work may be required.
• You have management experience and are comfortable supervising 3 to 7 fulfillment assistants and drivers.

COMPENSATION

Salaried, full-time, non-exempt, 40 hours per week, year-round, starting as soon as possible.

Starting salary: $50,000 to $53,000 commensurate with experience.

Benefits include: 15% discount in our market, 20 days of PTO, 40 hours of paid sick & safe leave, health insurance premium reimbursement, HSA contribution (for those who qualify), paid family & disability leave, and 401K with matching contribution.

APPLY by emailing a resume and three references to Lindsay Willemain at info@essexfoodhub.org.