Warehouse Associate in Mills River, North Carolina at MANNA FoodBank

Mission: MANNA’s mission is to involve, educate, and unite people in the work of ending hunger in Western North Carolina

Vision: A Hunger-free Western North Carolina

Compensation: Hourly non-exempt; Pay range is $23.15 per hour

Schedule: 40 hours per week; Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00am-4:00pm

Travel: Minimal but routine travel within the service area

Benefits Package:

· Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance

· 152 hours (3+ weeks) PTO in the first year (after 90 days of employment)

· 10+ Paid Holidays

· Paid Breaks

· Parental Leave

· 401k Retirement Plan with 3% company match (after 90 days of employment)

· Short Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance

· Accidental Injury Insurance

· Employee Assistance Program

Position Summary: The Warehouse Associate ensures the safe, accurate, and efficient flow of the warehouse by completing multiple essential duties as directed by the Distribution Manager and/or Product Manager. These responsibilities include but are not limited to - fulfillment of agency orders across dry, refrigerated, and frozen storage zones, supporting and assisting partner agencies to pick up orders by locating outbound pallets, loading orders into agency vehicles, and ensuring completion of all necessary paperwork. This role will unload and receive inbound shipments into the Inventory Management System, moving and restocking products and materials in various storage environments across the warehouse. Maintains cold-chain integrity, requiring precision in palletizing, shipment preparation, and strict adherence to AIB food safety and sanitation standards. [TD1]

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Multi-Zone Order Fulfillment: Accurately pick and palletize products across dry, cooler, and freezer zones for mobile deliveries and agency pickups. Maintain strict accuracy in product recording and ensure pallets are professionally stretch wrapped for safe transit.
• Program-Specific Picking: Execute specialized orders for TEFAP and other hunger-relief programs. Participate in periodic inventory cycles and "cycle counts" to ensure 100% inventory accuracy and minimize loss.
• Logistics Coordination: Monitor pallet weights, counts, and delivery sequences to assist in vehicle assignments. Provide critical loading data to drivers to ensure proper weight distribution and efficient routing for all vehicles.
• Technology Utilization: Operate and maintain handheld scanning equipment for real-time inventory management. Responsible for the proper usage, troubleshooting, and secure storage of all warehouse's digital tools.
• Inventory & Replenishment: Support warehouse flow through product repacking, restacking, and stock replenishment as directed by their manager to ensure picking faces remain stocked.
• Outbound Distribution: Facilitate the loading of shipments for agency pickups, mobile deliveries, and inter-site transfers. Ensure the accurate completion of all related paperwork, including order sheets, invoices, and transfer logs.
• Inbound Logistics: Assist in unloading incoming shipments, verifying product against documentation, and following put-away procedures to store inventory in designated temperature-controlled or ambient locations.
• Cold-Chain & Food Safety Compliance: Maintain daily temperature logs and equipment safety checks. Strictly adhere to AIB (American Institute of Baking) standards to ensure the highest level of food safety and sanitation throughout the facility.
• Sanitation & Facility Maintenance: Execute daily sanitation tasks, including sweeping, mopping, pest control monitoring, and general cleaning to provide a safe and professional work environment.
• Safety Leadership: Adhere to all established safety policies and proactively utilize company safety programs to reduce accidents. Maintain a "safety-first" mindset in all tasks, including the operation of machinery and manual lifting.

Qualifications and Experience:

· Authorized to work in the United States

· High school diploma or GED required

· Must be able to provide valid documentation that establishes identity and authorization to work in the US as required by federal I-9 process.

· 1–2 years of related warehouse or order-picking experience preferred

· Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English

· Demonstrated organizational and time-management skills

· Ability to meet productivity standards related to order picking goals

· Experience operating load-handling equipment (forklifts, pallet jacks, reach trucks) preferred

Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to maintain a production-oriented pace and meet established "order pick goal" metrics.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of AIB standards, HACCP, or general food safety protocols

Working Conditions:

This role is performed in a warehouse setting with significant temperature variations. Work in the perishable department involves extended periods in temperatures ranging from -10°F to 40°F. The employee will occasionally be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and vibrations. This is a fast-paced hands-on physical work environment. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to moderately loud within the Warehouse.

Physical Demands: This position is classified as Very Heavy Work and requires the following:

• Lifting & Carrying: Must be able to lift/carry more than 50 lbs. frequently and up to 100 lbs. occasionally.
• Force & Movement: Must exert more than 100 lbs. of force occasionally, 50 lbs. frequently, and 20 lbs. constantly moving objects.[TD2]
• Heavy Equipment: Ability to operate a manual pallet jack and manage loads of more than 2,000 lbs.
• Mobility: Regularly required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Occasionally required to climb or balance.

· Sensory Acuity: Must have the visual acuity (depth perception, color vision, and focus) to safely operate motor vehicles and heavy warehouse equipment