Administrative Specialist-Partner Services
Job Description
Job DescriptionDescription:
Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio, a non-profit organization, grows hope in our region by creating pathways to nutritious food. Second Harvest secures and distributes over 11+ million pounds of food and grocery products annually and works in partnership with 127-member partner charities and 10+ school districts, including food pantries, hot meal programs, emergency shelters, mobile pantries, senior food delivery and after-school programs throughout Crawford, Erie, Huron and Lorain counties.
The Administrative Specialist serves as the backbone of the Partner Services team and a primary point of contact for Second Harvest’s network of partner charities. This position plays a vital role in maintaining program integrity by supporting adherence to compliance standards set by Feeding America, the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, and Second Harvest. Functioning as the department's coordination anchor, this individual manages the flow of compliance documentation, coordinates the logistics of monitoring visits, administers grant paperwork, and ensures data integrity.
Job Responsibilities:
Partner Support & Communications
· Serve as the primary liaison for incoming partner inquiries via phone and email; triage requests and escalate complex compliance issues to the Senior Manager or Partner Engagement Coordinator.
· Provide prompt, courteous, and accurate responses to partner charities
· Send out a weekly email to partners to maintain a feedback loop, keeping them informed of local resources, advocacy updates, educational opportunities, operations updates, and available product.
· Communicate with partners to keep them informed of updates to FreshTrak, ODJFS eligibility rules, USDA Civil Rights requirements, and other regulatory changes.
· Oversee the monthly statistics submission process. Send reminders to partners, troubleshoot issues, and ensure 100% reporting compliance by the monthly deadline.
Compliance Administration & Monitoring Support
· Coordinate administrative "pre-work" for partner monitor visits, including reviewing partner files, running historical reports, and preparing monitoring packets.
· Maintain the annual monitoring schedule to ensure all programs are monitored every two years per Feeding America and ODJFS requirements.
· Participate in monitoring visits to food pantries, hot meal programs, and shelters to learn regulatory requirements (ODJFS, Feeding America, USDA) and support on-site conversations.
· Check for accurate written monitoring reports and update all relevant databases (Ceres, MailChimp, FreshTrak, SH website).
· Develop a strong working knowledge of partner compliance requirements and contribute to ongoing improvements in the monitoring process.
· Responsible for understanding specific regulations of food banking of ODJFS and Feeding America.
· Serve as a subject matter resource for compliance and food safety topics.
· Provide required compliance documents for the Second Harvest website.
Training & Meeting Support
· Drive the execution of the annual training schedule and communicate training opportunities to the Partner Network.
· Provide support for virtual and in-person training or engagement sessions, including registration, technology set up, and preparing printed materials.
· Track completed training for Partners and relevant Staff to meet required training deadlines, including Civil Rights, Food Safety, and Orientation.
· Maintain the departmental repository of final training presentations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Data Management, Reporting, & Meeting Requirements
· Prepare and submit monthly statistics reports to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services by the 20th of each month.
· Maintain and update partner records in internal databases (e.g., Ceres, FreshTrak, MailChimp), ensuring contact lists and hours of operation are current. How frequently?
· Administer the annual partner grant application process, including distributing applications, tracking submissions, drafting award letters, and collecting closeout reports.
· Attend interdepartmental meetings to represent the Partner Services team.
General Responsibilities
· Uphold the values and mission of Second Harvest at all times.
· Display courtesy and respect at all times to Second Harvest employees, volunteers, donors, member agencies, and the general public.
· Maintain confidentiality in all matters pertaining to Second Harvest.
· Other duties as assigned.
Requirements:
Qualifications:
· Excellent planning and organizational skills with the ability to manage calendars and track multiple deadlines
· Proficient in Microsoft Office with the ability to learn new systems.
· Attention to detail and ensuring accuracy of information and records.
· Communicates professionally, with strong customer service skills.
· Ability to work in partnership with other staff and assist diverse partners.
· Valid driver’s license.
Education /Training:
· Associate degree or 2 years equivalent experience in administration, social services, office management or a related field.
· Trained in Trauma Informed Care principles. (Will Train)
· Completion of SERV Safe Food Safety Certification. (Will Train)
· Certified in CPR/AED & First Aid every two years. (Will Train)
· Complete USDA Civil Rights Training for Food Distribution annually. (Will Train)
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:
· General office environment.
· Travel throughout Lorain, Erie, Crawford, and Huron counties is required.
This is a full time, benefits eligible position, Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm; Non Exempt Status;
Pay Range = $18.50/hour - $21/hour commensurate with experience.