Position Title: Food Hub Driver (FHD)

Supervisor: Food Hub Operations Manager (FHOM)

Employee Status: Part-Time, Non-Exempt from overtime pay  (10-20 hours per week)

Food Connects is an equal opportunity workplace that does not discriminate on the basis of disability or other legally protected categories. If an employee has a disability that makes it difficult to perform their job duties, they are encouraged to notify us to discuss reasonable accommodations. 

About Food Connects

Food Connects is a nonprofit organization based in Brattleboro, VT. We distribute regional foods through our Food Hub, provide educational and consulting services to bring producers to market, and inspire kids to love local foods through our Farm to School Program.

We partner with producers and customers across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Western Massachusetts to transform the local food system. We’re growing quickly and are looking to expand our fun and quirky team.

Position Summary

The Food Hub Driver (FHD) serves as the public face of our regional food distribution network spanning Vermont, New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts. Our drivers ensure the safe, timely, and undamaged transport of Food Hub products. Drivers are comfortable driving sprinter vans and box trucks, are organized and keep good records, and provide excellent customer service. The FHD must have consistently exceptional organizational skills, record-keeping skills, and attention to detail while providing courteous, respectful service to a wide variety of customers, and food producers. The FHD is supervised by the Operations Manager and works in close partnership with the rest of the FH Operations Team.

Core Competencies

• Technical Expertise: Familiarity and confidence driving large vehicles, box delivery trucks, or other comparably-sized vehicles.
• Attention to Communication: The ability to ensure that information is passed on to others who should be kept informed.
• Balancing Team and Individual Needs: Ability to work cohesively within a team environment while independently managing one’s own duties and responsibilities
• Forward Thinking: The ability to anticipate the implications and consequences of situations and take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.
• Flexibility: Openness to different and new ways of doing things, willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Food Hub Deliveries

• Ensure safe, timely, and undamaged pickup and delivery of all Food Hub products in vehicles as large as a 24-foot reefer box truck.
• Act as a cheerful, positive, and professional representative of Food Connects, and in all outward-facing interactions, especially with our customers, producers, and partners.
• Inspect and verify the complete contents and quality of all Food Hub products during pickup and quickly communicate any shortages or other issues to the Food Hub Operations Manager.
• Modify order slips at customer drops, as needed, and collect customer signatures and paperwork, as needed.
• Coordinate directly with specific producers and customers to communicate ETAs and order status, as needed.
• Track and communicate mileage, hours, and other pertinent issues for each route.

Food Hub Fleet & Facilities Maintenance

• Monitor the condition of all truck and refrigeration components, and report and coordinate with the Food Hub Operations Manager and Fleet & Facilities Manager around maintenance required.
• Perform daily food safety and sanitation-related route and vehicle tasks and complete required daily food safety and sanitation records.

Additional Responsibilities

• Provide stakeholders with excellent customer service.
• Maintain detailed records for all work activities.
• Attend regular check-ins with the Food Hub Operations Manager and provide proactive and constructive feedback to aid in continuous improvement. 
• Participate in annual self-review. 
• Conduct peer reviews of other staff members as requested
• Assist with training Food Hub staff, as needed.

Working Conditions & Physical Demands

Work Conditions: 

• The position is based in the Food Connects Food Hub facility in Brattleboro, VT. 
• This is a part time position with 10-20 hours per week expected.
• In general, the position is expected to work regular weekday routes Monday-Friday, within 7:00 am - 8:00 pm.
• Evenings may be required but will have plenty of lead time for planning.
• Monday federal holidays may require at least part-time work. Adequate advance notice will be provided.  See Employee Handbook for full policy.

Physical Demands: 

• Ability to drive delivery vans and trucks.
• Ability to drive continuously for a full workday.
• Ability to work and drive in variant weather conditions.
• Ability to repeatedly lift and move products (up to 50 lbs), and climb in and out of vans and trailers.
• Ability to operate electric and manual pallet jacks.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications 

• Experience driving box trucks / straight trucks or other comparably-sized vehicles. Note that our trucks DO NOT require a CDL. 
• Driving record free of serious infractions in the last three years.
• Ability to receive a Department of Transportation (DOT) Medical card (paid for by Food Connects).
• At least 21 years old (legal requirement for operating DOT registered vehicles). 
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal: in person, over the phone, email, text.
• Excellent customer service skills. 
• Strong organizational and record keeping skills.
• Reliable transportation for getting to headquarters in Brattleboro, VT.
• Reliable cell phone.
• Cheerful, professional presence and a positive, can-do attitude.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in logistics and/or food distribution. 
• General knowledge of veggies, fruits, or other locally-produced items.
• Familiarity and alignment with Food Connects’ mission and organizational culture. 
• Existing relationships with local food producers.
• Familiarity with the geographical area of delivery services.
• Some mechanical knowledge/familiarity with diesel trucks.
• Basic knowledge of safe food handling practices.
• Servsafe Certified

Compensation

This is a part-time, non-exempt, hourly position. 

Beginning at $20.00 hourly. Negotiable depending on experience.

A part-time position has the following benefits:

• 2% retirement contribution 
• 15% employee discount on food purchases. 
• Access to vision and dental insurance
• Life insurance (must average 20 hours/week)
• Short-term disability insurance (must average 20 hours/week)
• Paid time off: vacation, sick, personal, and holiday leave