Operations lead

Job Details:

Job Location: DC - Capital Area Food Bank - Washington, DC

Position Type: Full Time

Salary Range: $27.28 - $33.35 Hourly

About Capital Area Food Bank

Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for more than a million people across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, the food bank provided more than 60 million meals to people in need last year by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations as well as directly to the community. Creating long-term solutions to food security requires more than just food: it includes addressing the root causes of food insecurity by partnering with organizations that provide critical services like job training programs, health care, and education. Learn more at Capital Area Food Bank.

About the Role

The Operations Lead supports the Produce Prescription initiative funded through the Maryland Department of Health’s Population Health Improvement Fund. The initiative brings fresh produce and nutrition services to people experiencing food insecurity and managing diet-related health conditions, while building partnerships between health care and community organizations. This hands-on role coordinates the daily pulling, staging, verification, documentation, and handoff of orders for pickup and final-mile delivery. As the primary on-site Warehouse Operations contact for pickups, you will help ensure each order is accurate, ready on schedule, and released to the correct driver or partner. You will also support broader warehouse operations.

Essential Functions

• Daily pickups and order accuracy: Coordinate the daily workflow for pulling, staging, organizing, verifying, and releasing orders for pickup and delivery. Keep work moving so orders are complete and ready at scheduled pickup times. Confirm product quantities, order information, driver assignments, staging locations, and required paperwork before release. Identify and resolve routine discrepancies and escalate issues that need additional support. Maintain orderly, clearly labeled staging and pickup areas. Track handoffs and support accurate documentation and reconciliation.
• Warehouse operations and coordination: Serve as the on-site point of contact for drivers and pickup partners. Communicate with Warehouse Operations, internal teams, and external partners about schedules, changes, delays, and order status. Build effective working relationships across teams to resolve day-to-day operational issues and support timely, accurate pickups. Assist with order fulfillment, work orders, inventory movement, loading, reconciliation, housekeeping, and other warehouse priorities as assigned.
• Food safety and workplace safety: Follow food safety, sanitation, product handling, and traceability procedures, including temperature control, expiration dates, and product segregation when applicable. Use required protective equipment and follow safe material handling, equipment operation, pedestrian, and loading dock procedures. Keep work areas clean, organized, and ready for inspection. Promptly report and document food safety, inventory, equipment, or workplace safety concerns and help carry out corrective action under established procedures.

Qualifications:

Requirements:

• High school diploma or GED.
• Additional training in logistics, supply chain, and warehouse operations is helpful.
• At least 2 years of warehouse, distribution, logistics, or order fulfillment experience.
• Experience operating material-handling equipment; current forklift certification or ability to obtain certification.
• Ability to organize daily work, prioritize changing assignments, meet pick schedules, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced warehouse.
• Clear communication and teamwork with warehouse colleagues, drivers, internal departments and external partners.
• Sound judgment, dependability, and the ability to resolve routine problems independently while escalating larger concerns.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3+ years of relevant experience, especially in high-volume food distribution.
• Experience coordinating pickup, staging, leading, or order verification, including in a lead or coordinator role.
• Experience with inventory or warehouse management systems, electronic order documentation, or NetSuite.
• Current forklift certification and experience with electric pallet jacks and other material-handling equipment.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

Ability to stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, and perform repetitive movements for extended periods throughout the workday. Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds independently and safely moving heavier loads with appropriate equipment. Work takes place in an active warehouse around forklifts, pallet jacks, trucks, and loading docks, and may include refrigerated, freezer, dock, and non-climate-controlled areas. Must be able to operate warehouse equipment safely, including forklifts and electric/manual pallet jacks, and only when trained and authorized.

Reporting:

Senior Manager, Operations

Compensation:

$27.28 to $33.35 hourly

Schedule

Regular work hours are Monday through Friday from 8am – 5pm, with weekends or extended hours for special events.

Application Process:

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, and sign their application to finalize if applying through Paycom. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We do not accept walk-in applications or status updates for any positions. All Applicants must apply online. To ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, we kindly ask that applicants do not call, email, or visit our facilities to inquire about the status of their application. To check your application status, please log in to your Paycom Applicant account. If your qualifications match our current hiring needs, a member of our Human Resources team will contact you directly regarding next steps.

NOTE: Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Please access our website at Food Bank for the Washington, DC, Region | Capital Area Food Bank to learn more about Capital Area Food Bank and our employee benefits.