Food Security Specialist

The Opportunity
The part-time Food Security Specialist is a key member of the Office of Student Advocacy (OSA) team which champions the rights, welfare, and success of all Virginia Commonwealth University students by providing direct advocacy and support to students and their families as well as referrals to support providers. OSA is part of the Dean of Student Advocacy portfolio within the Division of Student Affairs at VCU.

Under the general direction of the Associate Dean of Student Advocacy, the Specialist will work independently, exercising data-driven decision making and demonstrating knowledge necessary to perform the duties of the position. The Specialist facilitates the complex operations of various food security initiatives designed to support students experiencing food insecurity including but not limited to:
-management of Ram Pantry, a campus food pantry serving 150+ students weekly,
-transportation and loading/unloading of hundreds of pounds of food weekly,
-supervision of a peer leader team and volunteers who support food security initiatives,
-facilitation of an Emergency Swipe and food donation program with VCU Dine,
-collaboration with campus sponsors of Little Ram Pantries across campus,
-working with donors and agencies who support current and potential initiatives.

This is a part-time hourly opportunity serving 29 hours per week between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM. Some occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Responsibilities
The Specialist is responsible for the following duties, many of which are accomplished by the employment of a robust peer leader team of 20+ students each year. The Specialist will coordinate this team to ensure all duties are completed.

Pantry Operations and Safety
-Create an environment that promotes equity, dignity, and respect for all pantry users.
-Develop and regularly review criteria for pantry utilization and credit assignment.
-Directly assist participants with the intake process, ordering, and customer service.
-Assist as needed in the pantry during operating hours.
-Ensure the pantry meets safety requirements and is a clean and safe environment.
-Oversee any food inspection visits or other audits, remedying issues as they arise.
-Immediately report issues that could harm pantry guests, peer leaders, or volunteers.
-Liaison with appropriate staff to initiate business continuity operations in the event of equipment malfunction and or campus disruption.

Inventory Management
-Responsible for the procurement of food and sundry items and communication with all agencies and donors that provide these items.
-Monitor and maintain accurate inventory of purchases and item donations, weighing and logging all items that enter or exit the pantry and conducting regular inventory checks.
-Review purchases to ensure timely orders, food variety, and compliance with program requirements and/or grants.
-Use gift cards from local grocery stores to purchase goods and track gift card spending.
-Divide food as needed to maximize the number of students who will benefit from it.
-Assign credit values and limits to items and ensure pictures are updated in PantrySoft.
-Ensure food is marked for removal based on expiration guidelines and discarded.
-Oversee guest surplus program, distributing food that would otherwise be discarded.

Transportation
-Arrange the transportation of food from food bank(s), markets, grocery stores, and/or other vendors to the pantry, serving as the primary driver and identifying backup drivers.
-Serve as contact for all donors regarding arrival times when they are transporting food.
-Complete required driver training (Defensive Driving, Van Driver Safety, Behind the Wheel) and abide by all traffic and other local laws and ordinances.
-Load and unload vehicle (up to 50 pounds at one time and up to 1,500 pounds in one session), with possible but not guaranteed student or volunteer assistance.
-Provide logistical support for pickups/dropoffs to Ram Pantry and Little Ram Pantries.
-Deliver excess food to local food distribution centers.

Supervision
-Uphold departmental, divisional, and university policies and pillars and set clear expectations for a positive and professional working environment.
-Coordinate recruitment and hiring process for peer leaders and interns via Handshake.
-Develop and implement on-boarding process for all peer leaders, ensuring completion of compliance and other training related to their position and professional development.
-Provide leadership, mentorship, and direction for peer leaders and volunteers.
-Schedule pantry operational hours, serve as timekeeper, and approve reported hours.
-Coordinate the absence request process to ensure no disruption to service hours.
-Evaluate performance of peer leaders and address concerns as they arise.
-Ensure compliance with Federal Work Study regulations and internship requirements.
-Facilitate a weekly evening Ram Pantry staff meeting via Zoom.
-Connect Ram Pantry student staff to the larger work of OSA and assist with the planning and implementation of OSA peer leader recognition events and initiatives.

Volunteer Coordination
-Solicit volunteers across the university for assisting with the pantry, particularly during the summer months when there are limited opportunities to employ students.
-Provide training for all volunteers as well as on-site safety reminders.
-Send reminders and thank-yous to volunteers, recognizing their contributions.

Collaboration
-Serve on the Office of Student Advocacy Team, attending department and division meetings, contributing to initiatives/priorities, and planning/attending events as needed.
-Collaborate with OSA staff to determine when students should be eligible for emergency meal swipes and collaborate with VCU Dine to apply swipes to a student's VCU ID.
-Facilitate a strong working relationship with the VCU Office of Sustainability which houses the Ram Pantry and is a collaborative partner;
-Work closely with established community partners (currently Feed More, Bird House Farmer's Market, Pace Center, VCU Dine, and multiple grocery stores).
-Partner with staff/volunteers to coordinate logistics for Little Ram Pantries.
-Maintain communication with vendors and DSA Finance Service Center to procure supplies, equipment, and services as well as assist in developing and abiding by contracts and agreements for all food security initiatives.
-Collaborate with Development and Alumni Relations to promote giving to initiatives.
-Serve as liaison between Ram Pantry and donors, departments, and divisions providing data and presentations when needed to increase support of food security measures.

Administration
-Communicate pantry hours of operation, policies, and other relevant information to students and the university community via social media, emails, and website.
-Ensure PantrySoft platform is updated and user-friendly, performing audits as needed.
-Ensure accuracy of account information on all ordering platforms and work with vendors and Finance Service Center to adjust balances on accounts as needed.
-Maintain a lean budget for the Ram Pantry and ensure accurate monthly reporting.
-Manage contracts and reporting for all food security programs, ensuring compliance.
-Oversee annual review of procedures, protocols, and policies pertinent to food security.
-Assist with queries related to food security programs and initiatives.
-Utilize various dashboards and data to identify inequities, gaps, best practices, and examine equity in access and utilization of food security initiatives.
-Collaborate with appropriate personnel to assist with reports for research efforts, develop briefs and presentations, and create benchmarks to assess and evaluate initiatives.
-Complete all relevant annual staff training, reports, and evaluations.
-Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications
-Strong collaboration, communication, coordination and supervision skills.
-Experience building and maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders.
-Be at least 19 years of age and possess a valid driver's license for a minimum of one year OR be at least 20 years of age and possess a valid driver's license for a minimum of two years (required to drive a university passenger van).
-Acceptable motor vehicle record and ability to safely operate a cargo/passenger van.
-Able to lift up to 50 pounds at a time and up to 1,500 pounds in one session.
-Demonstrated ability to successfully work in a diverse, multi-cultural and complex environment, fostering diverse faculty, staff, and students as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications
-Prior experience in purchasing, accounting, marketing, general business, operations or similar fields with preference given to those with grocery, pantry, or retail experience.
-Knowledge of best practices in fundraising and donor cultivation.
-Prior experience with grants, proposals, budgets, tracking, and/or reporting.
-Previous experience working with procedures and practices related to student services.
-Administrative experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
-Experience utilizing MS Office, Google, and/or PantrySoft programs.

Typical Physical and Cognitive Requirements
Physical Demands and Activities (Essential):
Heavy lifting (>50 lbs.)
Pushing/pulling
Standing
Sitting
Repetitive motion
Emotional Demands (Essential):
Fast pace/Average pace
Multiple stimuli
Frequent change
Intense customer interaction
Mental/Sensory Demands (Essential):
Memory
Reading
Reasoning
Hearing
Logic
Analyzing
Verbal communication
Written Communication

Position Details
This is a part-time hourly position. Health care, life insurance, retirement, and/or leave benefits are not provided. To comply with federal and state laws and policies, part-time, non-benefited employees are not permitted to work more than twenty-nine (29) hours per week on average.

Application Requirements
Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion - an environment where all can thrive in their pursuit of excellence. VCU strongly encourages applications from all racial, ethnic, gender, and social identities.
Only electronic applications will be accepted. The following documents should be submitted online via the VCU Jobs Website:
Letter of Interest
Resume/CV
List of three references including names with titles and contact information (references will not be contacted prior to a candidate's approval).
For information about the Ram Pantry, visit https://advocacy.vcu.edu/resources/ram-pantry.