The Salvation Army is an inspiring place to work. With offices in every major US city and over 120 countries around the globe, it’s a place where people can invest in people on every level. In the Northwest region of the US, we serve people with food to shelter opportunities and almost everything in between. We are committed to being an efficient and effective network of local offices that make up a huge western region team. In other words, we’re committed to being big and small at the same time. That makes us a seriously great place to work. As one of the most impactful social service organizations in the world, we hire people who constantly seek new ways to keep us moving forward. We welcome you on finding your place to offer opportunities for people in need!
GENERAL STATEMENT:
The Salvation Army is a branch of the Christian Church, and the ultimate goal of all programs is spiritual regeneration of all people.
The Salvation Army is an equal opportunity employer.
SCOPE OF POSITION:
The Material Handler is responsible for receiving, sorting, processing, and handling donated goods to support retail sales, recycling, and facility operations. This role involves retrieving donations, evaluating items for resale or recycling, maintaining organized and clean work areas, and assisting with basic facility and operational tasks. The position requires reliability, attention to detail, the ability to work independently, and collaboration with staff and management in a fast-paced thrift store environment.
The Material Handler may also assist customers on the sales floor, help carry out purchased merchandise, and operate the cash register as needed.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Retrieve donations from vehicles at the donation door.
- Sort donated items and place items in the proper processing areas.
- Peruse donation areas to identify items for recycling potential as needed.
- Maintain a clean work area and secure tools for both recycling and facility improvement operations.
- Processing of recycling donations, identification, pricing and sorting.
- Work with the management team to maintain an active list of facility projects & improvements organized by priority/necessity.
- Assess best option for electronic donations: recycling or sales floor.
- Make repairs to donated or TSA owned property and equipment when possible.
- Empty trash cans into dumpster and keep warehouse/outdoor areas clear of debris
- Mentor and train donation receiving staff/volunteers on items that are donated that have recycling or sales potential. Track high valued items with the management team.
- Maintain recycling bins keeping categories well defined.
- Monitor donations for items that can be used as a part of facility improvement plan.
- Actively seek community business and individual support for donations of materials, product, and service needs in support of store goals and development.
- Perform all other duties as instructed by management team.
- Assist front end operations as needed, including operating a cash register, basic customer service, and some money handling. Cross training will be provided.
The staff is responsible to positively acknowledge and treat all vendors and customers in a courteous manner.
Customer complaints will be handled in a courteous, professional manner by all staff. If the staff should personally encounter complaints, they must immediately notify the manager on duty of the facts surrounding the complaint and the disposition thereof. Failure to deal promptly and properly with complaints may be grounds for disciplinary action.
Must be available to attend all regularly scheduled and mandatory staff meetings regardless of whether they are outside a scheduled shift or standard workday.
EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE:
- High School degree or equivalent.
- Demonstrated experience in warehouse environment or equivalent type work
- Preferred experience with disassembly of electrical items, computer equipment, and parts extraction
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
- Detail oriented with strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Team player with a spirit of cooperation and work with all others towards goals set by management
- Ability to operate a forklift and baler, preferred
- Self starter.
- Ability to be assigned projects and stay on task, achieve results, problem solve
- Strong use of the English language in verbal communication
- Ability to gather and compile research pertaining to ever changing recycled product values
- Ability to work with the public in a courteous manner
- Customer service mindset
- Must exercise patience and be professional at all times
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and maintain poise under pressure
- Ability to work with minimum direct supervision in and out of the production and/or warehouse areas
- Ability to disassemble various donated items to harvest recycled materials.
- Ability to do basic janitorial duties, such as sweeping, mopping, emptying trash, filling paper towel and toilet paper and soap dispensers, and more as needed.
- Must complete and adhere to Protecting the Mission requirements and guidelines, including the ability to pass a TSA background check.
- Ability to operate a cash register and count money
SOFTWARE-RELATED SKILLS:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to sit, walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or continuous basis
- Ability to stand for prolonged periods of time on a hard floor
- Ability to continuously grasp, push, pull objects and reach overhead
- Ability to repetitively lift up to 50 lbs
- Ability to produce written information such as research & receipts for donations
- Ability to understand written information
Qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without accommodation. A qualified person with a disability may request a modification or adjustment to the job or work environment in order meet the physical requirements of the position. The Salvation Army will attempt to satisfy requests as long as the accommodation needed is reasonable and no undue hardship would result.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a warehouse environment where staff may be subject to physical discomforts associated with changes in weather or discomfort associated with noise, dust, dirt and similar.
The Salvation Army reserves the right to reassign, review the job or to require that different or additional tasks be performed based on the organization’s need or when circumstances change.
Work Schedule / Location:
Work schedules may vary, Monday through Saturday, typically between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM
The Salvation Army is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to providing a respectful environment for all applicants and employees that is free from unlawful discrimination or harassment based on age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by law. Such equal opportunity for employment will apply to recruitment and hiring, training, promotion, salaries and other compensation, transfers and layoffs or termination.
The Salvation Army will comply with all governmental orders and any contractual obligations relative to COVID-19 safety measures, including mandatory vaccination of staff, if required. The Salvation Army will consider requests for exemptions from any such requirements on either religious or medical grounds.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
