Food Recovery Coordinator

UW Food Pantry Food Recovery Coordinator Position Description

Department/Program Description 

The Division of Student Life serves as a hub for a variety of programs, services, facilities and operations designed to enrich the Husky Experience. Since 2016, the Office of the Vice President for Student Life (OVPSL) has lead Any Hungry Husky, a collaboration of campus services aimed at reducing the negative impact food insecurity can have on student success.  The UW Food Pantry provides students, staff, and faculty with access to shelf-stable, non-perishable goods, fresh produce, and community resources at no cost.    

At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity and justice for all.  The UW Food Pantry serves a diverse visitor base.  The student selected for this position must demonstrate an interest to learn about concepts of diversity, social justice, power, privilege and oppression, including their relationship to these concepts in the context of food insecurity among college students.     

Job Description 

The UW Food Pantry is seeking a food recovery coordinator to work collaboratively with the UW Farm, Housing & Food Services (HFS), and other campus partners to recapture food that otherwise would have gone to waste and make it available to Pantry visitors. Food recovery has been in progress since February 2019, and the person in this role will continue the work underway while also expanding the capacity of this service.  This person will also be responsible for recruiting and managing a volunteer team to conduct regular food recovery (gleaning) from donating partners.  

Pay rate: $23/hr  

Hours: Negotiable between 10-19.5 hours per week  

Supervision: Provided by the Assistant to the VP for Student Life, indirectly from the UW Food Pantry Student Director 

Students with Work Study will receive priority consideration 

Responsibilities 

Work with UW HFS, the UW Farm, and other off-campus partners to recover leftover perishable food to distribute at the Pantry 

Develop, train, and manage a volunteer group dedicated to recovering food from campus dining locations 

Coordinate logistics and be responsible for daily to weekly pick-up, relocation, and display of fresh food to the Pantry 

Ensure strict adherence by staff and volunteers to all food safety requirements set by UW Environmental Health & Safety and Public Health Seattle King County  

Work with Pantry staff to ensure recovered food is effectively and equitably distributed to visitors 

Provide leadership in the UW Food Pantry by serving as a shift lead during Pantry operating hours 

Create educational and promotional material to raise awareness about fresh food options and safe food handling 

Identify and implement infrastructure improvements to support the gleaning of food 

Update and/or develop documents, plans, protocols, and resources to ensure a smooth execution of responsibilities and transition of information 

Develop, implement, and analyze assessments related to the gleaning and redistribution of food and work toward continuous improvement of operations 

Meet with interested students and media outlets to promote the food recovery program across campus 

Develop a small team of ‘lead’ food recovery volunteers to develop and implement special food recovery-related projects (e.g. nutrition outreach campaigns) 

Attend weekly leadership meetings for the Pantry 

Maintain regular communication with supervisor and dining managers on and off campus 

Commitment to Student Learning and Growth 

The UW Food Pantry is committed to student learning as part of employment.  The student selected for this position should expect to discuss learning goals and reflect on meaningful learning with their supervisor.  Additionally, the Division of Student Life will review each student employee’s academic progress via GPA reviews.  These grade checks offer our student employees holistic support and connect students to resources and academic support services should the need arise.  These reviews will begin after the first quarter of employment.  GPA reviews have no impact on selection for this position or standing as an employee.  

The following have been identified as potential areas of learning for the Food Recovery Coordinator: 

Project and volunteer management 

Community engagement and outreach 

Establishing and maintaining partnerships 

Critical thinking and creative problem solving 

Leadership and teamwork 

Training and peer education 

Civic responsibility 

Minimum Qualifications 

Currently enrolled student at the University of Washington  

Understanding of food insecurity and hunger relief services/system 

Understanding of the concepts of power, privilege, and oppression, and self-awareness of one’s own relationship to these concepts  

Able to work on a collaborative team 

Able and willing to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends, and the occasional impromptu coverage for a colleague  

Desire to work and learn in a multicultural setting 

Able to lift and carry 50+ lbs and walk long distances. in order to move food around campus and in the Pantry 

Highly encouraged to possess a valid driver’s license and be able to drive in Washington state 

Students from all majors are welcome to apply 

Desired Qualifications  

Experience with volunteer recruitment, training, and management  

Experience establishing and maintaining partnerships through community outreach 

Able to independently and proactively seek opportunities for program improvement  

Marketing and digital communications 

Safe food handling and compliance 

Customer service