Food Sourcing and Acquisition Specialist - Upstate

Harvest Hope Food Bank; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development resources

Inclusive culture

Total rewards plan

13 paid holidays

Paid annual leave

Job summary

Harvest Hope Food Bank is seeking a Food Sourcing and Acquisition Specialist at the Upstate (Greenville) Branch. You will strategize to solicit food donations from manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and institutions, and cultivate new donor relationships to grow pounds donated and donation frequency.

You will collaborate with Operations and Warehouse teams to optimize transportation, track donor activity, and prepare routine reports for donors and HHFB.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Three years or more related experience in customer relations or the food industry.
• Bi-lingual communication preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent communications, interpersonal and customer service skills; comfortable with public speaking.
• Ability to travel across entire HHFB footprint.

Responsibilities

• Develops donor relationships and solicits food donations from retailers, restaurants, schools and other partners.
• Cultivates new food donors to increase pounds per donation and frequency of donations.
• Collaborates with Operations to optimize transportation and logistics for donations.
• Provides required monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for donors and HHFB.
• Develops donor recognition program and awards for major donors.
• Oversees and communicates product recall program and donor tracking system.
• Works with Food Procurement Specialist to ensure inventory needs are met.
• Coordinates with Warehouse/Fulfillment to reduce waste and manage shipments.
• Hosts industry visits and tours to demonstrate HHFB's mission.

Skills

Public speaking

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Harvest Hope Food Bank

Embark on a fulfilling journey at Harvest Hope Food Bank, where your talents play a vital role in our mission to end hunger. As the largest hunger-relief organization in South Carolina, serving 20 counties, we annually distribute 30 million pounds of food across the Midlands, Pee Dee, and Upstate regions. Our dynamic nonprofit values innovation, collaboration, and diversity, offering a uniquely rewarding experience for employees dedicated to making a meaningful difference in their communities. Join our dedicated team in building a hunger-free tomorrow through active engagement with nearly 400 partner agencies. Together, we strive to address food insecurity and positively impact lives across the state.

Logistics & Work Environment:

This full-time position is based at our Upstate (Greenville) Branch. This role will require travel and active engagement within the community to support various initiative and building meaningful connections.

The hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 4:00 pm, totaling 37.5 hours per week.

Occasionally, the role requires responding to organizational needs outside of normal working hours.

A Day in the Life:

The Food Sourcing and Acquisition Specialist formulates strategy and develops plans to solicit food and other products from the food industry including manufacturers, distributors, and supermarkets. This position is responsible for assisting in securing a steady flow of food donations from local food donors by cultivating existing relationships by developing new relationships with and between local network partners and food donors.

• Develops and cultivates new food donors including retailers, restaurants, cafeterias (schools, hospitals, etc.), and Specialty Ethic locations throughout the HHFB network to ensure food donation percentage increases annually.
• Cultivates current food donors with the goal of receiving more pounds per donation and more frequent donations, preventing a percentage of attrition.
• Collaborates with Operations to make the most efficient use of transportation and other logistics needed for handling donations.
• Provides required monthly, quarterly, and annual reports as required by food donors, FANO, USDA, and HHFB.
• Develops and maintains donor recognition program and awards for major food donors.
• Provides oversight and communication of product recall program.Determines form and frequency of solicitations and develops a system of donor tracking, reporting and acknowledgments.
• Works with Food Procurement Specialist to ensure inventory needs are met.
• Works with the Warehouse and Fulfillment Teams to communicate incoming shipments and create strategies to reduce waste.
• Facilitates and maintains Agency Store Donation Program.
• Provides ongoing training to retail partners and agency staff involved in the store donation program.
• Hosts industry visits and tours demonstrating HHFB's mission and the importance of donors to impact the communities HHFB serves.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field preferred.
• Three years or more related experience in customer relations or the food industry.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Bi-lingual communication is preferred.
• Excellent communications, interpersonal and customer service skills; comfortable with public speaking.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Self-starter, strong organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Ability to attend work functions outside of normal work hours, on weekends and evenings, as needed.
• Must be able to clearly articulate HHFB's mission.
• Ability to relate effectively and professionally with other staff, volunteers, agency representatives and the public.
• Sales background strongly desired.
• Ability to travel across entire HHFB footprint.

Thrive

SOME OF THE VAST REWARDS OF WORKING HERE

As we work to eliminate hunger throughout, we state, we also work to care for our teams' professional and personal growth and well-being.

• Full support and career development resources to expand your skills, enhance your expertise and maximize your potential along your career journey.
• A diverse and inclusive community of belonging, where teammates empower each other.
• Generous Total Rewards Plan - comprising health, finance, and wealth work/life balance.
• 13 Paid Holidays
• Paid Annual Leave - the longer you work here, the more you earn.

Harvest Hope Food Bank is an equal opportunity employer and embraces a philosophy that recognizes and values diversity. Our goal is to attract, develop, retain and promote a talented diverse workforce in a culture where all employees will contribute to their full potential.