Delivery Driver - Retail

ROLE SUMMARY
Delivery Drivers carry cannabis orders from our licensed stores to customers across New Jersey. Delivery is a premium channel for Ascend, and the driver is the only person the customer meets. This role is built on two priorities: driving and working safely, and delivering outstanding customer service. Drivers work out of the store location and follow the store's delivery zones and the OnFleet route. This role may be full-time dedicated at high-volume stores or a dual-hat role shared with store duties at others, scheduled to day-part demand.

SAFETY COMES FIRST

Nothing we deliver is worth an accident. Every driver is expected to put safety ahead of speed, for themselves, the public, and the product.

• Drive defensively and legally. Wear your seat belt, obey speed limits and traffic laws, avoid hard braking, and never use a handheld phone while the vehicle is moving. Telematics (Azuga) tracks driving behavior, and coaching is part of the job.
• Check the vehicle every shift. Do a quick walk-around before each shift. Confirm the safe, camera, GPS, E-ZPass, and emergency kit are in place, and report any damage or defect before you drive.
• Protect the product and cash. Keep orders secured in the vehicle safe, never leave product unattended, and follow cash-in-transit controls. Carry only what the current route requires.
• Stay alert at the door. Be aware of your surroundings, trust your instincts, and leave if you feel unsafe. Contact dispatch or the driver-safety desk right away and do not hand over an order in an unsafe situation.
• Report immediately. Report any accident, near miss, injury, vehicle alert, or suspicious situation to dispatch and the driver-safety desk as soon as it is safe to do so.
• Adjust for conditions. Slow down or pause in poor weather, and tell dispatch if delays are expected.
• Fuel and equipment. Use only the vehicle-assigned fuel card, and keep the vehicle clean and in working order.
  

CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT REFLECTS THE BRAND
You are the only Ascend team member the customer meets in person. A premium order should feel premium from the moment it leaves the store to the moment it reaches the door.

• Be on time, and communicate. Meet the promised window, and keep dispatch and the customer informed if anything changes. Build in extra time for apartment complexes and gated communities.
• Be accurate. Deliver the complete order and check it against the manifest before you leave the store.
• Be professional and discreet. Wear the branded uniform and badge, greet the customer warmly, and handle every delivery with courtesy and privacy.
• Verify before you hand over. Check a valid government ID for every order and confirm legal age. If requirements are not met, do not complete the delivery, and let dispatch know.
• Fix problems, don't hide them. If an order has an issue (wrong item, delay, failed attempt, upset customer), stay calm, help where you can, and notify the call center right away. Every issue order should be reported.
• Close the loop. Offer the in-car accessory kit, thank the customer for choosing Ascend delivery, encourage Pay by Bank where available, and invite them to reorder.

CORE DUTIES

• Accept orders and follow the OnFleet route on every trip; never route off-system.
• Pick, pack, and hand off using the store's vault procedures and METRC manifest; complete same-day returns and reconciliation per SOP.
• Hold and display a valid Registered Agent credential while on duty, and complete required training before your first delivery.
• Follow the shift schedule, including required breaks, and take direction from dispatch supervisors and delivery operations leadership.
• Help train new drivers and support the launch of new delivery stores when asked.
  
  

HOW PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED

• On-time-and-in-full 95% of orders delivered inside the promised window, complete
• Accuracy 99% or better; zero product or manifest discrepancies
• Routing discipline OnFleet route followed on every trip
• Safety No severe Azuga events; no preventable accidents; incidents reported immediately
• Compliance Valid credential and ID verification on every order
• Customer experience Branded hand-off, positive feedback, reorder prompt
• Issue reporting 100% of issue orders reported to the call center

REQUIREMENTS

• At least 21 years old, with a valid driver's license and a clean motor vehicle record (MVR) that meets our insurance requirements. You will be added to the fleet insurance policy.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Registered Agent credential and pass required background checks.
• Able to lift and carry packages, get in and out of a vehicle repeatedly, and work in all weather.
• Comfortable using a smartphone and routing apps (OnFleet), with good navigation skills.
• Flexible availability, including evenings and weekends. Some positions are covered by a union CBA.
• Preferred: prior delivery, courier, or cannabis retail experience; strong customer service background; Spanish or other
  bilingual skills.

WHAT WE PROVIDE

• A company vehicle equipped with a safe, camera, GPS, E-ZPass, and emergency kit, with a vehicle-assigned fuel card.
• Branded uniform, badge, and delivery bags, plus an in-car accessory kit.
• Onboarding and training in safety, compliance, and customer service, with ongoing coaching.
• The tools to succeed: dispatch support from the Fort Lee command center and a dedicated driver-safety desk.