Warehouse Associate

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.



This position will be located in: Chicago, IL

Application Deadline:

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

Job Summary

The Warehouse Associate supports the operation functions of the warehouse. Receives incoming freight and checks the material for damages or shortages. Distributes material to the proper stock locations. Fills special orders and/or backorders as material is received. Follows up with appropriate departments, carriers, and/or vendors on receiving discrepancies, damages, and shortages. Maintains assigned inventory stock locations making sure the material that is put away has the correct locator and the shelves are kept neat and orderly. Fills orders for delivery to customers. Informs proper departments of “stock outs”, inventory discrepancies, and other inventory problems or concerns.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Receives incoming freight and checks the material for damages or shortages.
• Distributes material to the proper stock locations.
• Fills special orders and/or backorders as material is received.
• Follows-up with appropriate departments, carriers, and/or vendors on receiving discrepancies, damages, and shortages.
• Checks and packs material to be delivered.
• Possesses a full understanding of truck routes and may coordinate deliveries with our own trucks, assigned freight companies, or other carriers based on special requests or the best way to ship material.
• Maintains shipping equipment and keeps work area clean and safe.
• Maintains assigned inventory stock locations making sure material put away has the correct locator and the shelves are kept neat and orderly.
• Fills orders for delivery to customers.
• Assures all batched managed material is labeled accurately and inventoried, as needed.
• Maintains delivery vehicle in clean, good working condition and monitors maintenance and mileage data, as appropriate.
• Maintains daily driver logs and vehicle inspection sheets, as appropriate.
• Operates and maintains all equipment in a safe manner and adheres to all local, state, and federal traffic and safety regulations.
• Supports the operations functions of the warehouse.
• Informs proper departments of “stock outs”, inventory discrepancies and other inventory problems or concerns.

Non-essential Functions

• May assist the City Desk and Will Call areas in providing customer service functions including, but not limited to, order entry, filling orders, processing returns, expediting, technical assistance, Will Call, and other functions, as needed.
• May provide delivery of material to customer sites.
• Assists with loading and unloading of trucks.
• Notifies supervisor of any building or equipment maintenance, repair needs, and/or any security concerns.
• Assists with other duties/projects as assigned by supervisor/manager.

Qualifications

• Two-years of work experience preferred.
• Prior warehouse distribution experience including forklift operation and knowledge of electrical products/systems is also preferred.
• If the employee will be driving, the following criteria must be met
  • candidate must be at least 21 years of age,
  • possess a valid driver’s license to operate company vehicle and a current medical certification may be required.
• PC working knowledge for Windows, internet, email and SAP software is a plus.

Skills and Abilities

• Works in a safe manner and follows Border States safety program guidelines and policies.
• Excellent interpersonal communication (reading, writing, and speaking in English).
• Ability to effectively plan and organize.
• Excellent customer service skills including being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged.
• Ability to perform all aspects of the job as accurately, efficiently, and safely as possible.

Physical Requirements

Lift and carry requirements (weight and frequency):
Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

• Lift from Floor to Waist:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 101 + lbs. - Occasionally
• Above Waist Lift:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 101+ lbs. - Not at all
• Unilateral Carry:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 101+ lbs. - Not at all
• Bilateral Carry:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 101+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

• Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Frequently
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Occasionally
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Occasionally
• Bending/Stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally
• Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all
• Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Occasionally
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently
• Crouching/Squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally
• Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Not at all
• Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Frequently
• Repetitive Motion (substantial movement (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Occasionally
• Trunk Rotation (movement in any direction, whether standing or sitting, with at least one foot stationary and in contact with the floor) - Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Handling (applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working primarily with fingers and not whole hand) - Frequently
• Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Occasionally
• Driving (the control and operation of a fork lift) - Frequently
• Desk Work (tasks generally performed at a desk, including use of a computer, printer, fax machine, telephone and other office equipment) - Occasionally
• Use of tools (safely operate equipment needed for receiving, conveying, stocking, packaging, and shipping parts) - Frequently
• Hearing (perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously
• Exposure to adverse weather & temperature conditions - Frequently
• Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Not at all

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Our History

Border States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with approximately 130 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction, industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers’ needs, which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment, resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.

Values
As a Border States employee-owner, you’re responsible for living our mission, service philosophy and service standards.

Our Purpose
We believe unstoppable businesses shouldn't go it alone. We are owners - of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

Service Philosophy
We earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.

Service Standards
Border States employee-owners are competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged .

Your career
Join an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for?

Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

Health, Dental and Vision Benefits
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity
FSA & HSA
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Disability Benefits
401(k) Retirement Plan
Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Holidays
Paid Volunteer Time
Personal Leave time and more!
Border States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.

Equal Opportunity For All

It’s not just the law. It’s something we’ve believed in since our founding. We value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.

Drug Free/Smoke Free workplace

Employment may be contingent on the offered candidate successfully passing one or more of the following pre-employment screenings:

• Criminal background check (required for all positions)
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check (required for positions involving driving)
• Drug testing

The MVR check and drug testing vary by role and will be communicated to the offered candidate during the onboarding process and as applicable.