Food Pantry Administrator

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute seeks a Food Pantry Administrator to manage daily program operations, volunteer coordination, and inventory control for patients and families facing food insecurity.

Located in Boston, this on-site role emphasizes exceptional customer service, safety and privacy, and collaboration with clinical teams. You will ensure accurate referrals, maintain records, and support program evaluation and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's degree preferred in nutrition, public health, social work, nonprofit management, or related field.
• 2 years' experience in business operations and/or inventory management.
• 2 years' experience in customer services.
• Experience training and supervising volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate volunteers: recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, and supervision.
• Maintain pantry data using software; support basic budget tracking and reporting.
• Engage stakeholders and partners; support communications to vendors and clinical teams.
• Process daily pantry workflows: intake, ordering, pick-up, and service with accuracy.
• Lead FIFO stock rotation, counting, receiving, and supplier reconciliation.

Skills

Customer service

Volunteer coordination

Data entry

Inventory management

Microsoft Office

HIPAA privacy

Communication

Training volunteers

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The Food Pantry Administrator supports the daily programmatic administration and operations of the Dana-Farber Food Pantry to ensure reliable access to nutritious, culturally responsive foods for patients and their families experiencing food insecurity. Reporting to the Food Pantry Manager, the role supports the recruitment and scheduling of volunteers, inventory management, purchasing and receiving, and patient food distributions. The Food Pantry Administrator is responsible for exceptional customer service, safety and sanitation standards, and maintenance of accurate referral and record data. The position ensures compliance with relevant policies, procedures, and patient privacy requirements while contributing to program evaluation and continuous improvement.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS, and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Volunteer Coordination: Partners with Volunteer Services on recruitment and scheduling; leads volunteer onboarding, training, and day-to-day supervision; ensures safety and service quality.
• Data, Reporting, and Evaluation: Uses pantry software and related systems for intake and record keeping; collects data to support program evaluation; assists with basic budget tracking and reporting.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Supports outreach and community engagement; liaises with internal clinical teams and community representatives; assists with routine communications to partners and vendors.
• Operations and Service Delivery: Executes daily pantry workflows (intake, ordering, pick-up), maintains a welcoming environment, and ensures timely, accurate service to patients and families; supports onboarding and training of new team members.
• Inventory and Purchasing: Leads FIFO (first in, first out) rotation, counts, and replenishment; oversees receiving and storage; reduces waste and tracks supplies; reconciles invoices and resolves routine issues with vendors and partners.
• Safety and Compliance: Implements food safety, sanitation, and emergency procedures; ensures adherence to ServSafe and institutional policies; upholds data privacy requirements.
• Facilities and Equipment: Maintains clean, organized spaces; coordinates equipment upkeep; submits maintenance/repair/cleaning requests; safely operates carts, pallet jacks, and related equipment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Customer service skills: active listening, empathy, problem-solving, clear communication, and ability to navigate sensitive conversations related to food insecurity.
• Strong organizational and time management skills; attention to detail; ability to manage competing priorities in a busy environment.
• Capable of training and coordinating volunteers; ability to set expectations, provide feedback, and monitor performance.
• Understanding of HIPAA and patient data privacy requirements; ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Knowledge of food handling, food safety, and sanitation standards (e.g., ServSafe, MA Food Code); ability to implement safety protocols.
• Knowledge of inventory management practices (FIFO, counts, waste reduction) and retail/stockroom operations.
• Ability to operate computers, tablets, and software applications; proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); familiarity with data entry and record keeping.
• Interpersonal skills to work effectively with diverse populations; commitment to equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive service; bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Physical ability to stand for extended periods, bend, lift, and safely move boxes/cases of food up to 25 pounds; ability to follow safe material handling practices.
• De-escalation skills and sound judgment when addressing operational issues or patient concerns; ability to escalation appropriately to the Food Pantry Manager.

Minimum Job Qualifications

High school diploma or GED required. Bachelor's degree in nutrition, public health, social work, nonprofit management, or related field preferred. 2 years' experience in business operations and/or inventory management required. 2 years' experience in customer services required. Experience training and supervising volunteers preferred. Experience in non-profit, healthcare, or social services preferred.

License/Certification/Registration Required

ServSafe certification is preferred; ability to obtain within 90 days of hire.

Supervisory Responsibilities

No supervision of regular FTE employees. However, directly supervises 3-9 volunteers and/or interns per day. Supports the development of training and educational materials for volunteers and/or interns, assigns them daily tasks to achieve organizational goals. Sets clear expectations, delivers feedback, and monitors performance for quality, efficiency, and compliance with policies and procedures.

Patient Contact

Yes, direct patient and family interaction for intake, ordering, scheduling, and food pick-up.

Special Working Conditions

Work may require standing for extended periods, repetitive lifting and moving boxes up to 25 pounds, and operation of carts and pallet jacks. Periodic early morning or late afternoon deliveries may necessitate schedule flexibility. Work is primarily on-site; limited local travel for pickups may be required.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusiveenvironment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are committed to having faculty and staff who offer multifaceted experiences. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and compassionateprofessionals, neither do we.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

EEO Poster

Pay Transparency Statement

The hiring range is based on market pay structures, with individual salaries determined by factors such as business needs, market conditions, internal equity, and based on the candidate’s relevant experience, skills and qualifications.

For union positions, the pay range is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

$51,600.00 - $54,500.00