Materials & Operations Specialist

About the role

Join our team of heroes! The Materials & Operations Specialist provides operational, logistics, and inventory support to the Donor Recruitment department. This position is responsible for managing blood drive materials, coordinating incentive inventory and distribution, supporting drive readiness, and maintaining efficient workroom operations. The role contributes to a positive donor and client experience by ensuring materials, supplies, and promotional items are available, organized, and delivered accurately and timely to support donor recruitment activities across the organization's service region.

Responsibilities

• Inventory Management & Materials Support: Maintain inventory levels of donor recruitment materials, forms, promotional items, supplies, and blood drive resources. Receive, inspect, organize, stock, and distribute materials and supplies in accordance with departmental procedures. Manage inventory tracking systems, including the RISO Inventory application and Recruiter Store, ensuring timely fulfillment of requests from all service locations. Reconcile returned promotional and incentive items and maintain accurate inventory records. Monitor inventory levels and communicate replenishment needs to management. Maintain established inventory service levels and fulfill material requests from donor centers and recruitment staff within departmental timelines.

• Logistics & Distribution Coordination: Coordinate incoming and outgoing departmental mail, including shipment of blood drive materials and donor-related correspondence. Schedule and coordinate pickups and deliveries with vendors and internal stakeholders for blood drive incentives and materials. Prepare and package materials, promotional items, signage, apparel, and other resources for shipment or delivery. Provide day-of blood drive material support and delivery assistance as needed. Ensure transported materials are handled in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, and standard operating practices. Serve as backup support for fulfillment and mailing of donor incentive items and related donor correspondence.

• Operational Support & Process Improvement: Support departmental initiatives designed to improve operational efficiency, customer service, and drive support processes. Maintain organized, safe, and efficient workroom operations. Stock and organize supplies following deliveries and maintain orderly storage areas. Assist with preparation and distribution of donor care packages and other support materials. Review workroom processes and recommend improvements that enhance safety, organization, efficiency, and service delivery.

• Compliance and Safety: Maintain compliance with organizational policies, safety requirements, vehicle use standards, and applicable procedures. Complete required documentation accurately and timely. Support departmental audits, inventory reviews, and reporting activities. Promote a safe work environment by identifying and reporting hazards, safety concerns, and operational issues. Comply with applicable vehicle-use, driving safety, and loss-control policies when operating a personal or company vehicle for business purposes. Ensure materials, inventory, and donor-related items are handled in accordance with organizational procedures and quality standards.

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or GED required.

• Experience: Minimum two (2) years of administrative, clerical, logistics, inventory management, operations support, or related experience. Experience maintaining inventory records, coordinating supplies, or supporting operational processes. Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Demonstrated ability to organize work, manage multiple priorities, and maintain accurate records. Experience working independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

• Certifications / Licenses: Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record in accordance with organizational policy.

• Preferred Qualifications: Experience in healthcare, nonprofit, blood banking, donor recruitment, distribution, or supply chain environments. Experience using inventory management, CRM, or database systems. Experience coordinating vendor deliveries or logistics activities. Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

Physical Demands

• Frequently operate computers, phones, printers, scanners, and other office equipment.
• Frequently move throughout office, storage, warehouse, and event support areas.
• Regularly handle, move, organize, and transport materials, supplies, boxes, and promotional items.
• Occasionally move items weighing up to 25 pounds independently and heavier items using team-lift procedures or appropriate equipment.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically.
• Ability to visually inspect inventory, labels, documentation, and materials.

Work Environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low.
• The work is performed primarily in a warehouse, storage, and operational support environment. Occasional travel to donor centers, blood drives, vendor locations, or other organizational facilities may be required.
• Noise levels are typically low to moderate depending on work location and operational activities.

Travel

• Local travel within the service area may be required.
• Occasional use of a personal or company vehicle for material delivery, inventory support, or operational activities may be required.
• Frequent local driving to support deliveries, inventory management, and operational activities.

Schedule

• Full-time position with a standard work schedule.
• Occasional overtime, early morning, evening, weekend, or holiday work may be required based on operational and business needs.
• Regular and reliable attendance is an essential function of the position.

About Gulf Coast Blood

We are one of the nation’s largest community blood centers, proudly serving over 170 hospitals across 26 Texas counties. Headquartered in Houston, we support the world’s largest medical complex, the Texas Medical Center, while operating donor centers and thousands of mobile drives each year. Our mission is powered by professionals who embody integrity, commitment, and respect.

As a nonprofit, the patients and donors we serve are at the heart of everything we do. We continuously ensure our donors have an incredible experience while saving lives in our community. From personal TVs to blankets and snacks, we aim to keep our donors comfortable and happy. Every donor is a hero and so are those who utilize their talents to make an impact.

Mission: To partner with the community to save and sustain lives by providing a safe supply of blood, biotherapies and related services.