Inventory Specialist (12-Month Contract)

Food Banks Mississauga's vision is A Mississauga where everyone is food secure. We lead our agency network to realize a food-secure Mississauga by providing and promoting access to healthy and appropriate food.

Job Purpose

• As a member of the Warehouse team, this person will collaborate with colleagues to manage inventory and distribute food to agency members while maintaining a safe and efficient work environment.
• Primary administrative responsibility and ownership of the Primarius Warehouse Management System and related projects.
• Manage agency orders, ensure accurate and timely fulfillment, and oversee departmental documentation for efficient operations. Leveraging data analysis, they identify opportunities for improvement, contributing significantly to the organization's mission of effective food distribution.

Key Performance Areas

Warehouse Management System

• Primary administrative responsibility and ownership of the Primarius Warehouse Management System and related projects.
• Design and implement a process for correcting standard case weight to ensure great weight tracking accuracy
• Utilize the Warehouse Management System to track and update inventory records accurately.
• Act as the central communication point between the warehouse team and Software service provider, promptly addressing and troubleshooting any issues to ensure smooth operations.
• Responsible for partnering with the Programs department to determine the amount of food to agencies, managing stock of priority item categories, managing the caps to reflect both agency % served needs and inventory levels
• Support warehouse team members with issues related to technology systems (RF scanners, label printers, Primarius Suite).
• Implement new changes or versions of WMS software ( Primarius )
• Meticulously input orders into the system, prioritizing accuracy and adherence to established timelines.

Inventory Management

• Contribute to the development and implementation of inventory control procedures.
• Execute regular inventory counts, taking a proactive approach to identify and resolve any discrepancies.
• Properly use the inventory system to track all shipping and receiving activities appropriately.
• Monitor, track and verify inventory levels, following FEFO requirements for all owned and Feed Ontario 3PL locations
• Communicate with Feed Ontario to schedule appointments for Feed Ontario 3PL loads.
• Responsibility for partnering with the Programs department to determine the amount of food to agencies, managing stock of priority item categories, managing the caps to reflect both agency % served needs and inventory levels, establishing process whether agency needs or current stock levels drives agency allotments, in alignment with our food philosophy

Safety and Compliance

• Maintain and ensure adherence to SOPs, including receiving, safe food handling, cold chain, food sortation, waste management, warehouse cleaning, pest management, and order picking.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations by implementing appropriate monitoring/auditing systems.
• Promote a safety culture and adherence to safety policies.

Process Improvement and Documentation

• Provide WMS data to other staff as needed and incorporate any requested changes to the system, liaising with Primarius help desk as needed.
• Management of new projects related to warehouse software, ensuring effective planning, coordination, and implementation to achieve successful outcomes.
• Support the creation and maintenance of training materials.
• Collaborate with supervisors and management to identify areas for process improvement within the WMS. Implement changes to enhance overall efficiency and accuracy. Ensure the WMS (Primarius) is updated and aligned with current business processes and requirements.
• Conduct periodic audit counts and reviews and reconcile cycle count reports.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation related to warehouse operations, such as primarius Reports.
• Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) through collaborative efforts between the Inventory Specialist and Manager, ensuring a comprehensive and well-structured approach to operational processes. Ensure processes are documented when decisions are made and that such processes are available and updated as needed.

Other Duties as Assigned or Required

Education and Experience

• 5+ years experience in Inventory Management, Logistics & Supply Chain Management.
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Familiarity with warehouse policies and practices such as safe food handling
• Forklift/Raymond Reach/Motorized pallet mover license/certifications desired

Skills, Competencies, and Qualities

• Passion. A passion for mission-driven work and personal values aligned with those of FBM. Concern for and interest in issues of poverty, food security, and/or social justice
• Proactivity/Enthusiasm/Persistence. Act without being told what to do. Passionate and excited about work. Can-do attitude. Ability to work autonomously while being aware of the importance of accountability. Committed to exceeding standards
• and ongoing improvement
• Communication. Speak, listen, and write English clearly, confidently, respectfully, thoroughly, and timely using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Relationship Building. Internal and external relationship-building skills. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with suppliers, staff, volunteers, and other relevant stakeholders. Build trust-based relationships based upon mutual respect, with the ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion.
• Technical. Excellent skills in MS Office and/or Google Apps for business; experience with ERP Systems. Ability to learn new systems quickly. FBM is a cloud-based, paperless environment
• Leadership. Influence, inspire, and motivate others around you to participate and take action. Professional presence, approachable. Self-aware of strengths and weaknesses. Demonstrates integrity.
• Flexibility/Adaptability/Innovation. Flexible, versatile, and/or tolerant in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency. Adjust quickly to changing priorities and conditions. Cope effectively with complexity and change. Discover, develop, and promote new ideas, methods, and tools that can benefit FBM and produce reliable outcomes.
• Problem-Solving Skills. Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency, and risks and make clear, timely decisions that are in the best interests of FBM.
• Organization. Set goals, implement action plans, document, evaluate, and learn. Committed to exceeding standards. Ability to carry out multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Detail-Oriented. Conscientious and high attention to detail. Manage multiple tasks effectively and efficiently, with superior organizational skills and an ability to work under deadlines.

Why Work for Us?

• Be proud of participating in our mission to lead an agency network to realize a food-secure Mississauga by providing and promoting access to healthy and appropriate food.
• Join a fantastic culture where people laugh a lot, pitch in during those “all-hands-on-deck” times, and enjoy celebrating together. We work hard to live our values of Respect For All, Collaborative Leadership, Bold Mindset and Integrity First.
• Fair benefits and compensation including:
  • Salaries are compared to the market every two years; we offer annual cost-of-living increases, plus the opportunity for performance-based increases. We are a certified Living Wage employer.
  • Benefits and perks that include comprehensive health benefits for you and your dependents (100% employer paid, no deductibles for drugs, dental, or vision),
  • 3 weeks of paid vacation plus 12 paid Flex days
  • Free parking, funding for professional development, equitable and culturally diverse work environment, and all the tea and coffee you can drink!

Role Details

Relationships: This position reports to the Operations Manager. Frequent interaction with volunteers, donors, and agencies.

Position Type: Full-time, occasional evening and weekend work required

Compensation: Starting salary of $56,000-66,000

Environment:This role is based from FBM, located at 4544 Eastgate Parkway, Mississauga ON. Some exposure to non-climate controlled conditions in the warehouse. Work near equipment such as motorized and manual pallet movers; safety shoes required.

As part of its commitment to racial justice and reconciliation, FBM encourages applications from those who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and other under-represented communities. We welcome applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.