This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and positive individual to help people using our foodbank to access our emergency food provision. The Service Co-ordinator is at the frontline of our crisis service. As the first point of contact for our service users and referral partners you must be a confident communicator who can work well managing multiple tasks in an extremely busy environment.

Duties will include processing requests for emergency food support received via phone, email and online. You will be taking care of day-to-day contacts and building relationships with partners, service users with regards to our crisis service.

Key responsibilities:

The Service Co-ordinator will:

• Manage referrals for all food bank parcels from agencies and partners via telephone and email
• Act as the main point of contact for service users. Gather any special requests, or information relating to specific needs so volunteers can tailor parcels accordingly
• Signpost service users to other support services, as appropriate
• Plan and co-ordinate daily deliveries including organising drivers, notifying service users and scheduling routes
• Collate all referral paperwork so data can be logged efficiently and in compliance with Trussell guidelines
• Liaise with referral agencies to help resolve any issues as they arise
• Onboard new referral partners
• Maintain and create records on our data collection system relating to referrals
• Collate articles and issue a regular newsletter for our referral partners
• Ensure referral partner contact information and user data is reviewed and updated regularly (usually on a quarterly basis)
• Bringing to the attention of your line manager any safeguarding concerns regarding the day-to-day referrals
• Undertake any other duties that may be reasonably expected to fulfil the role

About you

To succeed in this role, you must have the following skills and experience:

• Experience of engaging with and supporting partnership work with other organisations
• Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative
• Excellent communication skills
• Experience in handling difficult conversations
• A willingness to work flexible hours
• Understanding of confidentiality practices and GDPR guidelines
• Ability to work to tight timescales under pressure
• Ability to multitask
• Demonstrable professionalism
• A positive and proactive team-player actively contributing to a strong and committed staff and volunteer team
• Demonstratable empathy, non-judgemental, and committed to always preserving the dignity of clients and in every interaction
• As an emergency food service, you may be dealing with people who are often in distress so the ability to deal with people sensitively and with compassion is required

Key Competencies

• Highly organised and self-motivated
• Adaptable and proactive
• Good IT skills – including google suite and office packages/excel
• Committed to the values and mission of East Lothian Foodbank

Reporting to: Operations Manager.

Benefits

• Accredited real Living Wage Employer offering competitive salary
• Annual leave: 32 days including 9 bank holidays (pro rata)
• Pension: ELFB is a member of the NEST Pension Scheme. The successful candidate would be enrolled within the pension scheme 3 months from the joining date. Further information about Employer Pension obligations can be found at nestpensions.org.uk/schemeweb/nest/aboutnest/pensions-are-changing/auto-enrolment.html
• Employee assistance programme - the successful candidate will be enrolled into our assistance programme provided by Hospital Saturday Fund on completion of probation. This gives access to a range of employee welfare, mental health and financial support. Including money towards specific private health treatments and access to a range of discounts through Perk Box.
• Business travel: 45p per mile paid for business travel
• Financial contribution to activities that support your health and wellbeing