Agency Relations Coordinator

Agency Relations Coordinator

General Position Summary

The Agency Programs team manages relationships and strengthens partnerships with Food Lifeline’s member agency network, including food banks and pantries, community meal programs, shelters, and other hunger-relief programs. The team supports clear communication, responsive customer service, safe food handling and distribution, and consistent operational support related to ordering, allocation, distribution, and agency compliance.

The Agency Relations Coordinator serves as a liaison between Food Lifeline and assigned member agencies. This position builds collaborative relationships, provides technical and operational assistance, supports agencies with Food Lifeline requirements and processes, and represents the needs and perspectives of member agencies. The role works across Food Lifeline teams to resolve issues, remove barriers, and support effective distribution of food to the community.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

• Acts as a liaison between Food Lifeline and assigned member agencies to build collaborative relationships, support network goals, gather and share effective practices, and assist agencies with operational needs and program development.
• Receives and responds to calls, questions, requests for information, concerns, and complaints from agency partners and Food Lifeline departments, providing timely and effective customer service and documenting follow-up as needed.
• Provides technical assistance, consultation, training, and support to agency staff, board members, and volunteers. Helps orient new agency leaders to Food Lifeline policies, procedures, ordering processes, and available resources.
• Conducts regular on-site monitoring visits to member agencies to review compliance with Food Lifeline requirements. Supports corrective action and remediation plans, connects partners to resources, monitors progress, and alerts the Agency Programs Manager to significant concerns or changes in agency status.
• Supports member agencies with ordering and distribution processes, including order modifications, returns, reschedules, invoice corrections, dock scheduling, standing appointments, and other operational issues in coordination with appropriate Food Lifeline teams.
• Investigates and helps resolve problems, errors, or difficulties related to Agency Programs processes. Coordinates cross-departmentally with Operations, Inventory, Warehouse, Finance, and other teams as needed to identify solutions and communicate follow-up.
• Supports allocation and distribution programs, including government-contracted programs like TEFAP and City of Seattle, and other programs as assigned.
• Coordinates receipt of inventory reports from agencies, reconciles information with Food Lifeline records as assigned, and supports accurate reporting to WSDA and other partners.
• Maintains accurate agency documentation, contact information, files, and information in Food Lifeline systems and databases.
• Keeps the Agency Programs team informed of relevant agency updates, emerging concerns, trends, and operational needs.
• Represents Food Lifeline at community, county, regional, coalition, and partner meetings as assigned, sharing best practices and collaborating on efforts to address food insecurity.
• Represents Agency Programs in internal workgroups, projects, and cross-departmental processes, including returns, left-behind product, recalls, and other agency-facing operational processes.

Secondary Functions:

• Advises and trains agencies in safe handling of food products and distribution practices. Participates in food safety and recall processes and supports communication to member agencies and partners.
• Provides backup support for order processing and customer service for agencies picking up from the Hunger Solutions Center.
• Supports new member agency orientations, topical trainings, workshops, and member agency events.
• Contributes to agency newsletters and other communication materials.
• Participates in annual agency survey efforts and supports agency engagement.
• Works with the Agency Programs Manager to identify and implement process and system improvements.
• Works collaboratively with other Food Lifeline departments and supports other organizational needs as required.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Required Qualifications:

• At least three years of experience in complex customer service, account management, project coordination, or a related area.
• Demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service, solve problems, communicate clearly, and navigate conflict using de-escalation and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated understanding of the intersections between hunger, poverty, racial inequity, and social injustice, and awareness of issues faced by community members experiencing poverty or food insecurity.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a wide variety of people, both internally and externally.
• Attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to maintain organized records and follow through on multiple priorities.
• Experience using Microsoft Office for word processing, email, reports, spreadsheets, and related tasks.
• Willingness and ability to obtain a Washington State Food Worker Card within 30 days of hire and ServSafe certification within the timeframe required by Food Lifeline.
• Valid Washington State driver’s license and ability to safely operate a motor vehicle for local job-related travel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current knowledge of food safety regulations and safe food handling practices.
• Experience using Smartsheet or other data management platforms.
• Experience working with nonprofit, community-based, food access, or partner network programs.

Job Scope:

• Work includes regular and recurring situations as well as problem-solving related to agency service and operational processes.
• Operates primarily within established procedures and guidelines, with judgment needed to respond to agency needs and coordinate solutions.
• Performs work under moderate supervision and escalates significant compliance, safety, or agency-status concerns to the Agency Programs Manager.
• No direct responsibility for developing or managing department budgets or capital assets.
• No staffing or supervisory responsibilities.

Interpersonal Contacts:

Contact is both internal and external, with a significant portion of the role focused on communication and relationship-building with member agencies and cross-departmental Food Lifeline partners. Communication occurs in person, by phone, email, and through other organizational systems.

Job Conditions:

Work is performed in a variety of settings. When at Food Lifeline, work is generally performed in an office, warehouse, or distribution environment. Visits to member agencies require driving short and long distances in varying traffic, road, and weather conditions. Member agency facilities may include offices, warehouses, food distribution sites, or food processing environments with varying temperatures. The role requires patience, tact, professionalism, and the ability to respond constructively when working through concerns or resistance. Occasional overtime, evening, weekend, or overnight travel may be required based on program needs.

Physical Demands:

Requires extended periods of sitting and computer/keyboarding work; continuous talking and listening in person and by phone; and the ability to routinely lift and carry up to 10 pounds. Requires the ability to operate a motor vehicle and may include prolonged sitting while driving to member agency locations i.e driving to member agency locations.