Reuse & Outreach Associate Needed for Local Green Business (Hyattsville, MD)
Position Title: Reuse & Outreach Associate(30–40 hours a week, includes weekend work)
Company: Community Forklift, Thrift Store for Home Improvement
Location: Inside the Washington Beltway, 5 minutes from DC in the Hyattsville area
About Community Forklift
Community Forklift is a nonprofit reuse center for home improvement and architectural salvage. The store accepts donations of new, gently-used and vintage building materials; these donated renovation supplies are then made available to the public at low prices and donated to local nonprofits.
Our goals are to encourage community revitalization by: making repairs more affordable for low-income individuals, homeowners, small businesses and nonprofits; keeping reusable items out of landfills and reducing demand for virgin material; and creating local green jobs and economic growth.
We are proud to be in the Port Towns area in Central Prince George’s County, which is receiving national attention for its growing green business sector. Community Forklift is located outside Northeast DC, near the Hyattsville Arts District and easily accessible from I-295, Kenilworth Ave, and Route 1 (Rhode Island Ave.). The warehouse is very close to the Northeast Branch Bike Trail and within walking distance of several bus lines and a UMD shuttle stop.
Community Forklift is a fun place to work! As part of small, but growing organization, you will learn first-hand about the challenges of running a green nonprofit business; you’ll gain experience in a wide variety of areas; and you won’t be stuck behind a desk all day. Opportunity for advancement as the business grows.
About You:
Community Forklift is seeking an energetic, hardworking and very outgoing person with excellent people skills. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Qualities of the perfect candidate:
- Outgoing personality and natural ability to make others feel comfortable
- Enjoys public speaking and interacting with crowds
- Enthusiasm for green business and sustainability issues
- Will be exceptionally patient and courteous while assisting customers and donors
- Excellent customer service skills
- Superior attention to detail
- Is an extrovert and would enjoy acting, wearing costumes or creating quirky events to create a festive atmosphere in the store or to attract attention to our cause in public
- Able to perform physical labor and moderate- to-heavy lifting in all seasons (our warehouse is NOT temperature controlled)
- Strong English speaking and writing skills (BIG plus: strong Spanish speaking and writing skills)
- Proven interest or experience working with a diverse range of people
- Knowledge or interest in building materials, architectural salvage, green business and reuse
- REQUIRED: Available to work weekends
About the Position
What you’ll do as our new Reuse & Outreach Associate:
- Create a welcoming atmosphere for customers, volunteers and donors entering the store
- Work with outreach team to create and maintain displays of educational resources, promotions and community information
- Operate cash register and assist customers with questions or needs
- Provide information over the phone, at public events and in the store (including information about the store and policies, directions, our products and recycling & reuse options)
- Assist creating, organizing and cleaning store displays
- Represent Community Forklift at educational events and set-up/staff our booth at community festivals (Saturdays or Sundays)
- Gather information from donors and customers (for example, interesting stories about origins of historic materials or fun stories about how customers re-used items from the warehouse
- Work cooperatively with other staff to fulfill the mission of Community Forklift
- Participate enthusiastically in organizational activities and meetings
- Provide clear and direct communication about opportunities or challenges to supervisors and co-workers
- Solid commitment to the Community Forklift mission and passion for our work
- Available to work both weekends and weekdays, daytime availability, and work between 30–40 hours a week. (The store is open Tuesday–Sunday.)
We Offer:
- 40% employee discount on Community Forklift store materials (excluding consignment products)
- Free vision insurance and 50% paid health insurance for employee
- Free short-term disability insurance (after a 90-day probationary period)
- Work shoe allowance
- Paid leave (after a 90-day probationary period)
- Starting salary of $11/hour (negotiable based on experience)
- Opportunity to contribute to improving the environment and the local community
- Significant opportunity for growth
Send a resume, cover letter, and three (3) professional references to: Reuse & Outreach Associate Position, c/o Community Forklift, 4671 Tanglewood Drive, Edmonston, MD 20781 or by fax to (301) 985-5182 or by email to Ruthie (at) CommunityForklift.com. No phone calls please. Job candidates of all genders and backgrounds (including veterans!) are encouraged to apply.
Community Forklift 