Processing Coordinator, Thrift Store

Contract • Thrift Store

WHO WE ARE

Are you a Retail Professional looking to make an impact in your community? Do you have endless optimism, ready to move and create change in the community? Through the vision to eliminate poverty in our community and guided by a passionate concern for the dignity and well-being of each individual, Bissell Centre’s work is based on building relationships, hope and trust. Our community comes from all walks of life and so do we.

Through our programs we work to empower people from meeting their own basic daily needs to having sustainable livelihoods, secure housing, and feeling hope for the future and make plans for a prosperous life. By joining Bissell Centre, you will become part of a fast-paced and dedicated team that works together to realize our vision.

Currently, Bissell Centre is looking for an individual wanting to join our Thrift Shop team. Are you ready to be our Processing Coordinator, Thrift Shop and make an impact in our community?

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Associate Store Manager, Thrift Shop, the Processing Coordinator plays a crucial role in our retail thrift shop by overseeing the efficient and effective handling of donated products. This position is responsible for coordinating the entire processing lifecycle, from receiving donations to sorting, pricing, and displaying merchandise on the sales floor. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, and passionate about creating a positive shopping experience for our customers while supporting the mission of our thrift shop.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ambassadorship

• Model the values of Bissell Centre and communicate these principles in a clear and compelling fashion both internally and externally. Translate organizational values into departmental culture and everyday activities to foster a welcoming and engaging working environment.
• Mission and Vision focused and driven to provide human-centered services and access to clothing and hygienic security for community members.
• Show empathy and the ability to communicate with and support individuals experiencing mental health, addictions, chronic illness, homelessness, poverty, and other complex life challenges. Able to respond appropriately to intense situations, provide conflict resolution, and work directly with individuals living with unique barriers.

 

Departmental Operations

• Donation Processing:
  • Receiving & Sorting: Receive, carefully inspect, and categorize incoming donations from diverse sources. Assess the condition of each item to determine its suitability for resale, distribution to external partners, recycling, or disposal.
  • Documentation & Accuracy: Ensure that all donations are properly logged, maintaining clear and accurate records for inventory, sales, and reporting purposes.
  • Sustainability Practices: Follow eco-friendly and ethical procedures to dispose of or recycle any non-sellable items, ensuring compliance with environmental standards.
• Sorting and Pricing:
  • Product Categorization: Organize donated items into clear and consistent categories (e.g., clothing, accessories, home goods, electronics, furniture) for easy inventory management and effective display.
  • Evaluation for Resale: Carefully assess the quality, condition, and potential resale value of each item. This process involves examining market trends, seasonality, and customer demand to determine optimal pricing.
  • Pricing Consistency: Collaborate with management team and floor supervisors to establish pricing guidelines that align with the store’s mission, market positioning, and industry standards. Ensure that prices reflect fair value for customers while maximizing revenue potential.
• Inventory Management:
  • Inventory Organization:Maintain a well-structured and accessible inventory system that allows for easy retrieval of stock and quick updates on merchandise levels.
  • Stock Monitoring: Actively monitor stock levels and provide update to management team of the requirement of donations and identify when to replenish inventory to maintain an optimal product selection for customers.
  • Regular Audits: Participate in routine inventory audits to identify and address any discrepancies. Ensure that the stock levels align with the store’s needs, distinguishing between items required for restocking and those suitable for donation. Report any shortages or overages to the management team for timely resolution.
• Merchandising and Displays:
  • Collaborative Displays: Work closely with the team to design visually appealing product displays that highlight key items and create an inviting shopping environment.
  • Dynamic Merchandising: Regularly rotate merchandise to keep the sales floor fresh and engaging. Ensure that items are arranged by category, size, and color for an organized and easy-to-navigate experience.
  • Labeling & Information: Ensure that all products on the sales floor are clearly labeled with accurate pricing, product descriptions, and relevant information, improving customer experience and streamlining decision-making.
• Customer Relationship and Service Excellence:
  • Customer Interaction: Provide excellent customer service by greeting customers with a friendly, approachable demeanor. Be available to assist with finding items, providing product knowledge, and offering personal recommendations. Handle any customer complaints or issues with professionalism and empathy. Offer solutions or alternatives when needed, ensuring that every customer feels valued and satisfied.
  • Product & Pricing Inquiries: Address customer inquiries with transparency and professionalism, providing clarity on item condition, pricing strategies, and any special promotions. Demonstrate care when handling products, especially fragile or high-value items, to ensure they are in the best possible condition for sale.
  • Customer Feedback Loop:Regularly gather and review customer feedback to improve processes and enhance customer experience.
  • Cash Handling & Operations: In the absence of floor supervisors, assume full responsibility for managing both cash handling and store operations. This includes accurately processing transactions at the cash register, maintaining a balanced cash drawer, and overseeing the smooth operation of the sales floor. Ensure the floor remains organized, well-stocked, and appropriately staffed, while delivering exceptional customer service. Additionally, monitor employee performance, address customer concerns, and assist with merchandising and restocking to keep the store running efficiently and effectively.
• Training and Supervision:
  • Team Development: Train and supervise staff and volunteers on donation processing, sorting, pricing, and safety protocols. Foster a supportive learning environment to ensure the team is well-equipped to carry out their duties.
  • Back-of-House Oversight: Oversee all back-of-house activities, including staff management in areas like the loading dock, receiving zone, janitorial and supply storage, electrical testing stations, and sorting and storage racks.
• Volunteer Engagement:

• • Guide and supervise volunteers, ensuring they are well-informed of their tasks, store policies, and health and safety protocols. Foster a supportive and motivating environment where volunteers feel valued, while encouraging adherence to safety guidelines to minimize risks.
  • Monitor volunteer activities, ensuring they use equipment safely, follow proper lifting techniques, and maintain a tidy, hazard-free workspace. Regularly check that all staff and volunteers are equipped with the necessary safety gear and training, promoting a safe environment for everyone. Address any safety concerns immediately and provide ongoing feedback to help volunteers develop their skills while prioritizing their well-being.
  • Work closely with the management team to update volunteer hours and provide daily updates on their tasks and time worked, ensuring effective communication and accurate tracking.

• Health, Safety, and Maintenance:
  • Routine Inspections: Participate in monthly site inspections and hazard assessments with store management, ensuring that all safety equipment and practices are up to code.
  • Communication Needs: Report any maintenance concerns, equipment deficiencies, or inventory needs in a timely manner to the management team.
  • Equipment Handling & Safety: Ensure that all equipment used for processing donations, including electrical testing tools and sorting systems, is in safe working order. Ensure that all team members follow proper protocols when using this equipment.

General and Administrative

• Adherence to all organizational policies and procedures including but not limited to reporting of staff complaints, health and safety concerns, and critical incidents.

• Participate in probationary period reviews and annual development appraisals.
• Attend staff meetings, training sessions, supervision meetings, and performance check-ins.
• Participate in organizational wide Community Safety Walks in the assigned community area(s).
• Signing authority as determined by the position and the policies and procedures of Bissell Centre.
• Attendance at and participation in organizational events including but not limited to the Annual General Meeting, Staff Gala, fundraising events (ie. Coldest Night of the Year), and departmental specific events.
• Perform other duties as required that may not be listed in the formal job description, or as assigned by the Associate Store Manager.

Qualifications

Formal Education and Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Previous experience in retail, second-hand retail, and/or donation processing is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and physically demanding environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for dealing with customers and volunteers.
• Knowledge of pricing and product evaluation in the second-hand retail industry.
• Basic computer skills for data entry and record-keeping purposes.
• Demonstrated commitment to the thrift shop’s mission and values.
• Familiarity with issues of poverty and homelessness in Edmonton’s urban core is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with the not-for-profit sector and/or social enterprise operations is considered an asset.

Conditions of Work

Bissell Centre works with community members who are experiencing poverty, homelessness, and other complex life challenges. As such, the position requires a calm and empathetic demeanor with the ability to de-escalate conflict and intense situations using clear and effective communication methods (training is provided).

 

Ability to spend frequent periods of time standing or sitting, and frequent periods of time moving, bending, and lifting. It is a frequent requirement to stoop or lift material, fixtures and equipment, and climb ladders. The individual in this position must be able to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 lbs.

 

Ability to work in a fast paced and agile commercial environment with varying air temperatures, and frequent exposure to dust, pet hair, cigarette smoke residue, and potential airborne and physical allergens.

 

Flexibility of the working week is inherent in the position as workload fluctuates. Working of some evenings, weekends, overnights, and holidays may be required and is compensated in alignment with Bissell Centre policies and procedures, and provincial government employment standards.

Personal Characteristics

The Employee should demonstrate competence in all of the following:

• Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and business practices and ensure own behavior is consistent with these standards and aligns with the mission and core values of Bissell Centre.
• Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.
• Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
• Focus on Participant Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of participants and the community to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.
• Foster Teamwork: Foster, sustain and role model productive team management practices, and contribute to a positive team environment. Share expertise and knowledge to support, coach and develop others.
• Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions that are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
• Organizational Skills: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details/data/information/activities.
• Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement action plans, and evaluate the process and results.
• Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.

 

Screening Requirements

• Police Information and Vulnerable Sector Record Check (reimbursable)
• Child Welfare and Intervention Record Check (reimbursable)
• Class 5 License, 3 Year Driver’s Abstract (reimbursable), Proof of Vehicle Liability Insurance and Registration (all driving documents applicable if required to operate agency vehicles)
• COVID-19 Vaccination Confirmation (with exception due to established exemption(s))

Training Requirements

• Conflict Into Calm Training
• Narcan/Naloxone Training
• WHMIS 2015 Training
• CSA Standard Z1210-17 First Aid Certification (job dependent and post-probation)
• Fire Protection Training
• CCOHS Training(s) (job dependent)
• Defensive Driving Training (job dependent)

 

The above-listed training requirements must be completed within the first three months of employment. Other training requirements may be identified during employment and must be completed as assigned by the organization and/or supervisor.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and cover letter to:

Rathi Ramakrishnan

Associate Store Manager

Email: rramakrishnan@bissellcentre.org

Application Deadline: August 30, 2025

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, Bissell Centre continues to take action to protect person served and staff. Strategies related to Bissell Centre’s response to COVID-19 are driven by the guiding principle of taking all reasonable precautions and measures to protect the health and safety of both persons served and staff. In keeping with this intentional purpose, COVID-19 full vaccination is a condition of employment for new hires, except due to legitimate, established exceptions.

Bissell Centre is an equal opportunity employer who is committed to diversity within our community and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, or disability. Bissell Centre is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees, in accordance with provincially and federally legislated protected grounds.

Application Deadline: August 30th, 2025

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