Distribution Warehouse Coordinator (OADW Coordinator)

Offene Arme e.V. (Chios) – Offene Arme Distribution Warehouse Coordinator (OADW Coordinator) 22/6/23

Job Title: Offene Arme Distribution Warehouse Coordinator

Location: Vagia 122, Kampos 82100, Chios, Greece

Prerequisite: Need to be a EU Visa holder for the full length of your stay. Please note that Offene Arme cannot provide documents to enable your stay – we can only accept applicants who do not require a visa or residence permit to stay in Greece.

Offene Arme e.V. (OA) is a well established locally based NGO which mainly focuses on distributing clothes, food and hygiene products to the ever changing population of refugees and asylum seekers on the island of Chios from our warehouse and free shop.

We are looking for an open-minded, flexible and stress resistant person to join our coordination team, happy to work in a small and diverse team of volunteers and able to adapt to an ever-changing environment.

Purpose: The OADW Coordinator will work closely with the Field Coordinator and take responsibility for the management of the free shop, other distributions, the warehouse supplies, and for the management of volunteers and the maintenance of a safe environment for all users of the building and surrounding outdoor area.

Key Responsibilities:

Volunteers:

• Take day to day responsibility for management of volunteers to include induction and training in all aspects of their roles on the shop and warehouse, effective delegation of tasks to the team, ensuring all tasks are understood and are completed in a timely manner, providing support where appropriate and managing breaks, lunches and lifts
• With Field Coordinator identify and train a volunteer supporter (if there is one) and share the responsibility for planning and management of the shop and warehouse tasks with them as appropriate
• Ensure that good communications take place within the team
• Ensure appropriate signage and communications within the shops and distributions, appropriate for both people using the shops and for volunteers
• Help the Field Coordinator to ensure that the welfare needs of the volunteers are being met and that all volunteers understand and adhere to the code of conduct of the organisation

Health and Safety:

• Maintain a physically and emotionally safe, secure, clean and welcoming environment for all users of the shop and warehouse both inside and outside the building and including the local shop
• Be sensitive to the needs of the people we serve by maintaining a safe and calm space in the shop and warehouse

Distributions:

• Oversee the operation of the free shop and other distributions ensuring that all people in the shop or at distributions are treated fairly and appropriately according to their needs, and that all supplies and donations received are treated with respect and distributed in a fair manner,
• Manage and record communications with the people both in the shop and via WhatsApp and Google Drive.
• Maintain the records of all distributions and report as required to the Field Coordinator/Field Coordinator’s assistant
• Act with confidence and competence in a timely manner to deal with any issues that arise for the people we serve and the volunteers
• Maintain an up to date knowledge of the current needs and requirements of the population of refugees and asylum seekers on the ground.
• Plan and prepare for special and seasonal distributions

Stock/Supplies:

• Manage the stock supply in the warehouse, the free shops, the local shop and for emergency distributions.
• Maintain documentation of incoming and outgoing stock and donations and ensure that all deliveries are managed following the OA delivery procedure
• Oversee sorting, sizing and quality monitoring and storage of all NFIs according to the standards of OA
• Have an overview of stock levels and immediate and longer term requirements and work closely with the Field Coordinator to anticipate future needs
• Monitor and maintain supplies of disposable items for the warehouse and the shops i.e paper tape, shopping bags, cleaning materials

Other:

• Communicate regularly with and support the Field Coordinator as required
• Organise and attend daily meetings and debriefs and provide daily updates to the team and daily debriefs after every shop opening or other distribution
• Attend regular and emergency coordination meetings
• Provide weekly activity reports for social media, and other updates as required
• Take regular photographs of the team and the work we do – with other coordinators or delegated volunteers
• Provide transport where required, and manage the OA vehicles to ensure they are looked after properly, including regular check ups – with other coordinators and drivers
• Work with partner organisations as required
• Along with other coordinators, respond to the current needs of the organisation and any ad hoc duties as required

Key Skills and Experience

• Ability to work well as part of a team and follow the rules of the organisation and lead by example
• Experience of managing a team
• Confidence when delegating daily tasks and managing volunteers
• Experience of working in a customer/public facing environment
• Experience of stock management and logistics
• Knowledge of health safety and security
• Ability to adapt and respond quickly to changing situation
• Fluent in written and spoken English (professional level)
• Good communication skills
• Excellent skills with Google Sheets and experience with Google Drive
• Experience of working with vulnerable people
• Clean driving licence

Reports to: Field Coordinator

Length of Appointment: Minimum 4 months (6 months desirable)

Benefits: Free accommodation, €350 per month stipend

Please note that all coordinators are subject to a two week trial period as a volunteer when they begin. During this time you will be required to find your own accommodation and the monthly stipend will begin at the end of this trial period.

One week in the organisation as a general volunteer followed by a one week handover.