Overview
Reporting to the Sort & Pricing Manager and working closely with the Assistant Sort Manager, the Sort Team Lead is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations of the Sort & Pricing department. As a working leader, this role provides guidance, coaching, and daily coordination to ensure donated goods are efficiently sorted, graded, recycled, stored, and prepared for distribution in accordance with WINS quality standards.
The Team Lead contributes to WINS mission by fostering a safe, productive, and collaborative work environment while supporting employees, volunteers, donors, and customers within the Donation Centre.
Team Leadership & Daily Coordination
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Support the Manager and Assistant Manager, Sort & Pricing with the day-to-day coordination of the Sort team.
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Lead by example, working alongside team members to ensure productivity, quality, and efficiency targets are achieved.
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Provide day-to-day guidance, coaching, and support to team members and volunteers.
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Assist with onboarding and training new employees and volunteers on WINS standards, procedures, and safe work practices.
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Monitor workflow and work quality, bringing operational concerns or opportunities for improvement to the attention of the Assistant Manager or Manager.
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Assist with coordinating daily work assignments and priorities to support efficient operations.
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Foster a positive, respectful, and collaborative team environment.
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Support other operational areas within the Donation Centre as required.
Sorting & Product Quality
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Efficiently and consistently sort and grade donated merchandise according to WINS quality standards.
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Determine the most appropriate destination for donated goods, including WINS thrift stores, More Store, seasonal inventory, recycling, or disposal.
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Organize sorted merchandise into designated product categories for storage and distribution.
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Provide guidance and share product knowledge with team members and volunteers to support consistent grading and quality standards.
Recycling & Sustainability
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Identify recyclable merchandise and maximize product recovery to reduce landfill waste.
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Support WINS' sustainability initiatives by ensuring recyclable materials are processed appropriately.
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Maintain recycling areas in a safe and organized manner.
Retail Support
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Supply the More Store by WINS with merchandise from the sort area.
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Rotate or remove aged merchandise from the More Store for recycling or redistribution.
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Process customer transactions accurately using the point-of-sale (POS) system.
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Provide friendly, professional customer service to More Store customers.
Teamwork & Communication
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Act as a positive ambassador for WINS both on and off the job.
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Build and maintain positive working relationships with employees, volunteers, donors, customers, and community partners.
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Support and engage volunteers to ensure a positive and rewarding volunteer experience.
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Communicate operational issues, concerns, and opportunities for improvement with the Assistant Manager and Manager.
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Collaborate with other departments to support organizational priorities and operational needs.
Health & Safety
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Follow and promote all WINS health and safety policies, procedures, and safe work practices.
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Maintain a clean, organized, and hazard-free work environment by ensuring workstations, storage areas, and aisles remain safe and free of clutter.
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Ensure the safe use of equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).
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Report unsafe conditions, incidents, and equipment concerns promptly.
Requirements-
Legally eligible to work in Canada.
Education
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Grade 12 diploma or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
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Legally eligible to work in Canada.
Experience
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Minimum 1-2 years of experience in a warehouse, retail, production, donation processing, or similar environment.
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Previous experience leading, coaching, or mentoring a team is preferred.
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Experience working with volunteers is considered an asset.
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Experience operating a point-of-sale (POS) system is an asset.
Skills & Competencies
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Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
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Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
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Demonstrated leadership and the ability to motivate, coach, and support team members.
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Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining quality standards.
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Customer service focused with the ability to build positive relationships with donors, volunteers, customers, and colleagues.
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Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
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Basic numeracy skills and the ability to accurately count, sort, and process merchandise.
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Flexible and adaptable with the ability to respond to changing operational priorities.
Physical Demands & Working Conditions-
Work is performed primarily in a warehouse and donation processing environment with regular exposure to varying temperatures, dust, noise, and large volumes of donated merchandise.
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Frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, twisting, crouching, and repetitive movements throughout the workday.
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Frequent lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling of donated merchandise and equipment.
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Ability to safely lift up to 50 lbs (23 kg) independently and up to 100 lbs (45 kg) as part of a team.
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Manual dexterity required to sort, inspect, grade, and handle a wide variety of donated goods.
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Ability to safely operate pallet jacks, carts, and other material handling equipment.
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Frequent interaction with employees, volunteers, donors, customers, and other departments in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
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Required to wear CSA-approved steel-toed safety footwear and any required personal protective equipment (PPE).
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Flexibility to work a rotating schedule, including weekends, based on operational requirements.
