Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is the leading local hunger-relief organization in the state with locations in Milwaukee and Appleton. Founded in 1982 by the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is a local and independent member of the Feeding America network. Driven by our mission to solve hunger, we are bringing more people together around the table to collaboratively address the root causes of hunger. Together with our network partners, we serve nearly half a million food-insecure people across 35 counties in eastern Wisconsin each year.
JOB PURPOSE:
The Volunteer Program Specialist (VPS) provides hands-on support to ensure every volunteer who serves with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (FAEW) has a safe, meaningful, and positive experience. Volunteers are at the heart of our mission, and this role plays a vital part in creating a welcoming, engaging, and impactful environment.
The VPS helps lead daily volunteer shifts, supports logistics and setup, and works directly with volunteers to ensure smooth operations, high-quality product handling, and exceptional customer service. This position blends physical, hands-on warehouse work with a strong focus on relationship building, communication, and teamwork.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:
Volunteer Experience and Customer Service
- Deliver a warm, mission-centered, and inclusive experience for every volunteer and group.
- Support volunteer orientation, engagement, and debriefing to help participants understand how their work directly impacts the fight against hunger.
- Serve as a visible, approachable presence on the volunteer floor; answering questions, keeping volunteers active, and ensuring a positive environment.
- Assist in thanking and recognizing volunteer groups to foster long-term relationships and encourage return engagement.
- Model FAEW’s values through professionalism, enthusiasm, and respect in every interaction.
Shift Support and Operations
- Prepare and organize volunteer work areas before each shift, ensuring supplies, signage, and materials are ready.
- Work alongside volunteers throughout shifts; providing guidance, troubleshooting issues, and maintaining efficiency.
- Support setup, quality control, and cleanup after each session to ensure smooth and safe operations.
- Monitor and enforce food safety and personal safety protocols.
- Assist in determining appropriate volunteer activities based on operational needs and product flow.
Team Collaboration
- Partner closely with the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator and Operations team to align volunteer activities with organizational priorities.
- Help train and support new or returning volunteers taking on more advanced tasks.
Safety and Equipment
- Maintain a safe, organized, and hazard-free volunteer environment at all times.
- Adhere to and promote all FAEW safety procedures and policies.
Other Duties
- Assist with community events, special projects, or weekend/evening volunteer shifts as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Commitment to understand and support FAEW’s mission, vision, and effective actions to end food insecurity and its causes.
- Respect for the people FAEW serves and commitment to learn the causes of their food insecurity and need.
- High School diploma or equivalent, preferred.
- A minimum of two-years experience in customer service related field; service as a volunteer desirable.
- Strong interpersonal skillset and ability to quickly connect and build positive relationships with volunteers and coworkers.
- A positive, team-oriented mindset with a “can-do” approach to supporting the organization, demonstrating cross-functional collaboration and a focus on developing solutions.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to work and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work safely following FAEW safety procedures.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to both work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and represent the organization to volunteers.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
- Professional presentation and phone/email etiquette.
- Ability to excel in an atmosphere of continuous change and improvement.
- Become forklift certified within 90 days of hire.
- Demonstrate the ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be open-minded of differing opinions and views.
- The flexibility to work evenings and weekends when needed. Opportunity for some overtime.
- Valid Driver’s license, proof of insurance and transportation to support work activities.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS:
This position requires an active, hands-on presence in a warehouse environment. The employee will be on their feet for the majority of the shift, frequently walking throughout the facility and engaging directly with staff, volunteers, and operations activities.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, talk, and/or hear, and to use hands to handle or touch objects, tools, or controls. The employee is also required to stand for extended periods and occasionally lift, reach, bend, or move items as needed to support operations.
Specific vision abilities required include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The mental and physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.
Due to the warehouse setting, the employee may be exposed to hot or cold temperatures and varying environmental conditions throughout the day.
Protective Clothing Required: Close-toed shoes.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in a warehouse environment that is highly social. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an individual encounter while performing the essential functions of this position.
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. FAEW prohibits discrimination against any applicant or employee on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, disability, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, arrest or conviction record, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.