Food Support Coordinator

🎉 Are You Ready to Energise Campus Life? Join UMSU as a Food Support Coordinator 🎉

🚀 Position: Food Support Coordinator
🌐 Division: Student Representation Division
📅 Employment Status: Periodic part-time (0.71FTE annually), 3-year contract
💼 Classification Level: PL6.1, $94,961.26 per annum plus 14.5% superannuation
📍 Location: University of Melbourne, Parkville
🗓️ Start Date: February 2026

About The University of Melbourne Student Union Inc (UMSU)

The University of Melbourne Student Union Inc (UMSU) is a dynamic, for-purpose incorporated association, serving as the representative body for all students at the University of Melbourne. Structured around student control of student affairs, UMSU is governed by an elected Students’ Council and twelve student departments, chosen by and from the student body.

Located in the heart of the University of Melbourne’s award-winning student precinct, UMSU is a vibrant, creative, and diverse social justice organization committed to representing and supporting University of Melbourne students. Our vast arts and culture programs for emerging student artists are run in a state-of-the-art theatre, a professional art gallery, the iconic Rowden White Library and the Ida Bar – the only student bar on campus.

About the role

The Food Support Coordinator will work collaboratively with student representatives, staff, and volunteers to deliver food support initiatives to students, in particular through managing the day-to-day operational management, coordination and continuous improvement of Union Mart, UMSU’s student-facing food security and retail service.

Union Mart has been established by the UMSU Welfare Department to provide pantry staples, essential items and other food support to students. In 2026, this will be expanded to working with new food support partners to provide a frozen meal option.

This is a periodic part-time role, with the role anticipated to work full time over semester periods, and reduced hours in non-semester periods.

As an organisation providing student-facing services and events, an inherent requirement of this role is the ability to work in person and on site and may require some manual handling of equipment. UMSU staff employment conditions are covered by the University of Melbourne Student Union Agreement 2023-2025.

How to Apply?

To find out more information about this position, please View the position description here.

All applications should include:

A cover letter responding to the key selection criteria (maximum 2 pages of text)
A brief CV highlighting relevant experience, and
The names and contact details of 3 professional referees.

Applications for this position close at Midnight Sunday, 18 January 2026 and should be submitted via the Recruitment Form.

If at any stage of the recruitment and selection process you require an alternative format to the application material or reasonable adjustment to the interview arrangements, please contact us at recruitment@union.unimelb.edu.au

Key Accountabilities

Operational Leadership

Coordinate the day-to-day operations of Union Mart, ensuring consistent, professional and student-focused service delivery.
Oversee operational planning, workflows, and service schedules to meet demand. This can include: stock management, organising deliveries, managing cleaning requirements and food safety needs, and liaising with University of Melbourne on areas of waste management, building management and security.
Identify operational risks, issues, and inefficiencies, and implement practical improvements, escalating matters as required.
Willing to make regular pick-ups from food relief organisations, and arrange delivery to satellite campuses as needed. This will include manual handling to transport food.
Supporting students with high food security needs to access food support.
Ensure compliance with food safety, health and safety, and UMSU policies and procedures.

Volunteer Management & Support

Support the UMSU Welfare Department to coordinate the recruitment, training, rostering and support of volunteers.
Provide support and management of volunteers when Union Mart is operating. This includes providing clear guidance and role modelling in a student-facing environment, fostering a positive and inclusive team culture.
Support effective teamwork among student representatives, UMSU staff and volunteers.
Work with Welfare Department and the Communications & Design Team to develop communications and promotional material for Union Mart.
Ensure operating procedures and policy are accessible and easy-to-understand for volunteers, in order to deliver high standards of service.
Work collaboratively with the Welfare Department to ensure access to the Union Mart space, which also supports other Welfare initiatives.

Service Development & Continuous Improvement

Contribute to the ongoing development and refinement of Union Mart services and food support initiatives.
Identify and support opportunities for new or improved initiatives that respond to student needs and align with UMSU priorities.
Assist in the development, documentation and review of operational policies and procedures.

Stakeholder Engagement

Build and maintain effective working relationships with UMSU staff, student representatives, University services, and external partners.
Work collaboratively with business stakeholders to support service delivery, identify opportunities, and respond to requests or emerging issues.

Communications & Promotion

Work with the Welfare Department and UMSU Communications & Design Team to support the promotion of Union Mart services through clear, accessible and student-focused communication.
Contribute to the development and distribution of physical and digital promotional materials.
Assist in educating students and stakeholders about UMSU’s Food Support commitments, including Union Mart’s services, purpose, and benefits.

Administration, Data & Reporting

Use organisational systems and tools to manage rostering, reporting, and administrative tasks.
Collect and analyse service data and feedback to support evaluation, reporting, and continuous improvement.
Prepare and respond to correspondence.
Assist in the preparation of reports and briefings on service activity and outcomes.

Work with UMSU staff, such as Communications & Design, to improve the user experience online and ensure data and reporting needs are met.

Key Selection Criteria

Essential Skills and Qualifications:

Tertiary degree in a relevant discipline with subsequent experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education/training.
Experience delivering effective operations in food relief/support, or programs that deliver direct services and support to vulnerable communities.
Demonstrated experience working collaboratively and managing, training, rostering and supporting volunteers.
Demonstrate autonomy, initiative, problem-solving and sound judgement to ensure continuous improvement in service delivery, as well as adapt to changing operational needs in a dynamic environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills such as developing written policy and procedures as needed, and strong interpersonal skills to engage effectively with a diversity of people, from service users to business partners.
Experience managing business relationships with stakeholders to support effective service delivery and positive program outcomes.
Ensure a positive experience for service uses, in-person and online, such as: preparation and response to correspondence, collecting and analysing program data to assist with reports.
A valid Working with Children Check
A valid Driver’s licence, willingness to drive a van, and undertake manual handling .

Desirable Skills and Qualifications:

Experience and knowledge of safe food handling regulations, policy and practices
Experience with volunteer management systems, such as Better Impact
Experience working in a student union and/or understanding of the challenges facing university students.
Excellent sense of humour

Additional information

Please note, all applicants will require to hold or obtain a valid Employee Working with Children Check and provide verification of unrestricted working rights in Australia.

UMSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, including First Nations people, women, people with disabilities, and those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

UMSU acknowledges the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of the land where we operate. We pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past, present, and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded. This always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.

Applications may be assessed as they are received. UMSU reserves the right to withdraw this position at any stage of the recruitment process. Late applications will not be accepted.