Donation Associate

About the Organization

The Salvation Army has been supporting communities across Canada and Bermuda for over 130 years. Rooted in a worldwide Christian tradition, the organization serves more than 2 million people each year by providing essentials like food, clothing, and shelter, while also helping people facing unemployment, addiction, and family-related challenges. Its work is guided by values of hope, service, dignity, and stewardship, and it welcomes people from all backgrounds.

Mission

The Salvation Army’s purpose is to express the love of Jesus Christ, respond to human need, and bring positive change to communities around the world.

Role Summary

This position supports retail store operations by assisting customers, processing incoming donations, and helping keep the thrift store running smoothly and efficiently.

Key Duties

• Welcome customers and donors in a courteous, helpful, and professional way.
• Help drive store sales by delivering efficient service and handling challenging customer situations tactfully.
• Stay informed about pricing, promotions, and featured items while safeguarding the condition and integrity of donated goods.
• Carry out store opening and closing routines as needed.
• Accurately handle customer purchases, including cash and debit transactions, while keeping shortages, overages, and voids to a minimum.
• Follow store rules for cheques, credit cards, refunds, voids, and holds.
• Receive, unload, sort, pack, hang, price, and store donated raw materials and merchandise.
• Use product knowledge to answer customer questions by phone or in person.
• Monitor store activity and help maintain security inside the shop.
• Support store presentation through layout planning, window arrangements, merchandise displays, and overall tidiness.
• Help manage inventory by retrieving, sorting, hanging, pricing, and rotating stock as directed.
• Replenish sales-floor inventory and remove goods from the floor when required.
• Handle merchandise carefully and in an organized manner, including textile bagging for recycling and placing metal recycling in the correct area.
• Assist donors with donations, unload goods, and place items in the proper location.
• Ensure goods are sorted and processed correctly and that pricing follows store standards.
• Carry out other job-related tasks as assigned.

Health and Safety

• Help keep employees and customers safe by clearing snow, removing obstacles, keeping fire exits open, and cleaning spills.
• Maintain a clean, orderly, and safe store environment by restocking, cleaning, sweeping, dusting, mopping, and rotating cleaning duties for common areas such as the lunchroom and washroom.
• Work in line with the OH&S Act and Regulations, as well as the organization’s health and safety policies and procedures.
• Follow precautionary measures such as universal precautions, including wearing gloves when handling unknown contents.

Reporting and Working Relationships

This role reports to the Store Manager. Regular interaction is expected with the Store Manager, Corps Officer(s), volunteers, staff, guests, and vendors. There are no direct reports.

Responsibilities and Authority

The role carries moderate responsibility for materials and assets, with expected care for organizational property according to established guidelines. It does not include budget ownership or processing of financial transactions beyond regular store operations.

Working Conditions

• This is a permanent, full-time role.
• The schedule may change from week to week and will include weekdays and/or Saturdays.
• The job requires long periods of standing and repeated twisting, bending, crouching, and reaching.
• The successful candidate must be able to lift and move up to 30 pounds.
• Universal precaution practices are required when handling unknown contents.

Education and Experience

• Some high school coursework is required.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience may also be considered.
• A few months of experience in goods processing, distribution, or customer service is preferred.
• Experience using cash registers and handling related procedures such as deposits and summary reports is required.
• Knowledge of safe lifting practices is needed.
• Familiarity with product brands would be an advantage.
• Experience working in a computerized setting is required.

Skills and Capabilities

• Strong attention to detail
• Self-driven and disciplined work style
• Ability to work independently and contribute positively to a team
• Clear oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Physical ability to move, bend, pull, push, and carry merchandise on a frequent basis

Additional Requirements

Candidates must be willing to support the mission and purpose of The Salvation Army in Canada as it relates to this position. Successful completion of applicable screening and background checks is required and will be subject to the organization’s discretion.

Compensation

The expected hiring range for this position is CAD 16.35 to CAD 19.50 per hour, with a maximum rate of CAD 22.64 per hour. Placement within the range depends on market conditions, internal equity, and the candidate’s experience, skills, and qualifications.

Accommodation

Reasonable accommodation is available upon request. Candidates who need accommodation may contact [email protected] to discuss their needs.