Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The SODO Community Market Public Safety Advocate (SCMPSA) engages with Northwest Harvest’s (NWH) goal of cutting hunger rates in half by 2028 by ensuring safe, welcoming, dignified, and equitable access to food at NWH Community Markets. This role will focus on public safety; engage with local communities; focus on collaboration and teamwork; help to ensure strategic alignment of all our programs and initiatives; and put into practice our Six Agreements and our PACI values.

As a member of the Innovative Programs Team, the SCMPSA will support programs and initiatives that are aligned with our strategies and contribute to a healthy, engaged, productive, and influential team committed to collaboration and innovation across our programs. The SCMPSA is responsible for contributing to the overall health of the SODO Community Market (SCM) site and associated Teams by working to build trust, engaging in constructive conflict, demonstrating commitment to team decisions, holding oneself and others accountable, and focusing on results. This role will receive most of the support and guidance from the SODO Community Market Manager (SCMM).

Schedule: This position will work into the early evenings on Mondays and may be required to work other occasional off-shift hours as necessary for special events or other duties assigned.  This position is full-time and benefitted.

Travel: This position may be required to travel within the state of Washington.

RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Program and Shopper Services

• Supports and builds relationships with shoppers, volunteers, and staff to maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment
• Prevents conflict by actively and consistently engaging with the public, building relationships, mitigating expectations, explaining & maintaining policies, and promoting respect and dignity for all
• Effectively communicates with shoppers by: addressing questions, addressing shopper complaints, providing information, and maintaining policies regarding acceptable behavior at the site
• Works with shoppers to problem-solve regarding needs, and provide alternative resource information when needed
• Mediates conflict using de-escalation techniques, trauma-informed-care, and maintaining situational awareness
• Responds to radio calls for support, responds to emergent situations, utilizes first-aid training and follows protocols for calling 9-1-1 as needed
• Cross-trains and provides as-needed support across Market roles to ensure efficacy and continuity of program operations including but not limited to: front-of-house and back-of-house roles

Operational Site Safety

• Conduct daily periodic site walks of all areas and access points to address unauthorized visitors, take action to prevent or address safety issues, and provide resource information as needed
• Check all radios daily at start and end of shifts, and coordinate replacement and/or repair as needed
• Complete safety checks and logs for all site equipment such as forklift, pallet jacks, and all cold storage, and maintain networked files
• Monitor and coordinate hazardous materials onsite such as Safety Data Sheets, appropriate storage & labeling of supplies and food stocks
• Coordinate with the SCMM and Network Facilities Manager on record-keeping and building site safety
• Follow guidelines and implement action items from Safety Committee at Market site
• Support SCMM to plan and respond to safety issues related to inclement weather
• Research and stay current on safe food practices in Washington State including local county requirements

Administrative

• Collaborate with managers and Sr. Manager in developing, implementing, and maintaining Safety plan coordination across market sites
• Actively participate in adapting policies and guidelines for site and program operations in collaboration with Market leadership and teams
• Assist the SCMM with scheduling trainings for SCM team and tracking of safety certification renewal needs
• Coordinate and implement monthly, and as needed, safety refresher activities for site staff and volunteers in collaboration with SCM and FCM Managers and teams
• Generate, maintain, and coordinate documentation for all site incident, accident, and safety reporting
• Assist the SCMM with documenting and coordinating safety debriefs with site team, including all necessary documentation submittals
• Support SCMM and Safety Committee in maintaining and updating site safety plans
• Participate in team meetings and cross-functional teams including but not limited to: SCM Staff, Innovative Programs, and NWH Safety Committee

Performs other duties as assigned by the SODO Community Market Manager.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift and/or move up to 5 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to lift 50 pounds consistently with an assisted lift or in a team lift environment and repeatedly, with or without reasonable accommodation when needed. The employee is regularly required to stand for long periods of time; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; balance; bend and reach with hands and arms; use feet to operate foot pedal operation; and talk or hear. Occasionally required to climb ladders, sit, stoop, kneel, squat, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The employee is regularly required to work in an outdoor environment in both the heat of summer and the cold of winter.

EQUITY AND INCLUSION 

Demonstrate the initiative to learn and enhance skills that promote anti-racism, cultural competency and an understanding of oppression and its impact.  

Participate in intentional learning efforts, including events relating to understanding and dismantling institutional racism and building cultural competency  

RELATIONSHIPS: 

Internal: This position encourages relationship building and frequent contact with staff of the SODO Community Market, Northwest Harvest Distribution Center in Auburn, Innovative Programs Team, and All Staff. Communicate daily to ask questions, receive, and provide information.

External: This position will uphold Northwest Harvest’s commitment to ending hunger by acting as an Ambassador to the NWH brand by communicating effectively and frequently with Market shoppers, volunteers, vendors, donors, visitors, community members, and other NWH stakeholders. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

A combination of the real-life experience, education, and training listed below which provides an equivalent background to perform the work of this position.  

Successful completion of a background check is required. 

Knowledge of: 

• General knowledge of non-profit organizations and issues related to food, hunger, housing, poverty issues and hunger relief systems. This includes but is not limited to cultural and institutional racism and their impact on society
• General knowledge and insight into the root causes of hunger
• General knowledge of and appreciation for the experiences of people living in poverty and with food insecurity with special attention to unhoused populations and overcoming language barriers
• General knowledge of food safety, OSHA, and WISHA requirements
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of direct-service safety practices in the following areas: trauma-informed care, de-escalation tactics, mental health first-aid, first aid & CPR
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge with Microsoft Office applications; particularly Word, Excel, PPT and Outlook, Teams, and Zoom and ability to work efficiently and effectively with other organizational platforms such as ADP, SharePoint, Microsoft Dynamics NAV systems

Ability To: 

• Understand individuals who have experienced poverty or food insecurity
• Demonstrate interest and commitment to supporting equity and inclusion for members of historically marginalized groups including racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ populations and people living with disabilities
• Commit to Northwest Harvest’s PACI Values: Purpose-Driven, Anti-Racist, Connected, Interwoven
• Commit to Northwest Harvest’s Six Agreements: speak truths responsibly, listen to understand, stay engaged, experience discomfort and do things differently, expect and accept non-closure, and honor confidentiality
• Provide composed and compassionate, trauma-informed customer service in demanding or potentially difficult situations
• Respond to and engage in escalated situations with an aim to de-escalate, respect dignity, meet needs, and maintain public safety
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff and leadership to assure a high degree of mutual accountability
• Analyze issues, synthesize information, make decisions and learn from mistakes
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, including the ability to listen effectively and to explain complex issues and applicable legal requirements, policies, and procedures to staff and leaders
• Be nimble and curious by asking questions to understand the merits of different approaches and shift strategies in response to demands of a situation
• Possess integrity, maturity, and ethical awareness; ability to handle sensitive information and maintain strict confidentiality
• Have flair for cultivating and stewarding professional relationships with a diverse constituency
• Have and exercise a sense of humor

EDUCATION AND TRAINING: 

High School Diploma, GED Certification and/or equal combination of education and relevant work experience with a personal orientation as a life-long learner.

EXPERIENCE:   

Minimum of (2) + years’ experience in public safety, customer service, social services, human services, community outreach with (1) year experience in similar direct-service work in a non-profit setting.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Current or previous training in the following areas: trauma-informed care, de-escalation tactics, mental health first-aid, first aid & CPR, food worker card
• Non- Profit experience is desired but not required.  
• The ability to speak additional language(s) is desired but not required.

DISCLAIMER: 

The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification.  It is not designed to contain, or to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job. As an adaptive organization, responsibilities can and will change in alignment with greater efficiencies and mission metrics. 

BENEFITS AND OTHER COMPENSATION:
Northwest Harvest offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package this includes but is not limited to; medical/dental/ vision/ insurance, long term disability insurance, Life/AD&D insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), 401(k) retirement plan, Vacation and Sick leave, 8 paid holidays; New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day, Floating holidays for you to use should you observe a holiday not outlined in Northwest Harvests current observed holidays or at your discretion, and birthday holiday. Employees are eligible to participate in payroll deducted supplemental benefits i.e., Flexible Spending account-HRA and DCE, various AFLAC and New York Life plans.

Job Tags

Holiday work, Full time, Work experience placement, Summer work, Christmas work, Relief, New year, Local area, Outdoor, Flexible hours, Shift work, Afternoon shift,

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