Volunteer Development Officer

Volunteer Centre Bexley sits under BVSC and supports, promotes, and develops volunteering across the borough of Bexley. We help signpost people to local organisations looking for volunteers. We also support organisations to manage volunteers to the highest standard. We are the “go to” place for all things volunteering in Bexley.

You will champion volunteer management and best practice, thriving on raising the standards of volunteer management within volunteer involving organisations in Bexley. We believe that volunteering has the potential to profoundly change lives and communities. You will play a vital role in maximising the number of volunteers in Bexley, while ensuring they have a positive and high-quality experience wherever they volunteer. Your creativity and knowledge of upcoming trends will enable you to ensure that we lead on developing new models of volunteering within Bexley and find new ways to increase and diversify volunteers.

Your previous experience of developing and managing volunteer programmes will enable you to share good practice and provide advice, guidance and support to organisations that involve volunteers. Your passion for volunteering and experience of working with a diverse range of people will enable you to support anybody who would like to volunteer to find the perfect opportunity for them.

Key Duties:

• To champion volunteering and provide support to both local organisations and volunteers across Bexley
• To keep up to date with legislation and policy related to volunteering and disseminate information accordingly
• To work with a variety of agencies across sectors and establish strong working relationships to promote volunteering
• Evaluating the service provided to organisations and prospective volunteers and identify, and work to resolve, any issues that arise
• To develop training and support packages for volunteers and organisations with the Volunteer Centre Manager, including supporting organisations to obtain the Valuing Volunteers Bexley Quality Mark
• To support the Volunteer Centre Manager to organise profile raising events to attract new volunteers and opportunities
• To assist organisations to generate appropriate volunteering opportunities and role descriptions and support with volunteer recruitment processes
• To provide expertise on best practice and volunteering issues for volunteer involving organisations
• To develop policies and processes, information factsheets and good practice resources to ensure effective management and support of volunteers throughout the borough.
• Ensuring volunteer management knowledge is up to date and sharing this with organisations through newsletters, networks and 1:1 support
• To deliver presentations and training to organisations on all aspects of volunteering and the role of Volunteer Centre Bexley
• To be the first point of contact for local people interested in becoming a volunteer and respond to enquiries from all channels including phone, email, and website
• To ensure that all volunteer enquiries are followed up and monitored to achieve optimum results; ensuring that those requiring further assistance to become active volunteers receive additional help.
• To run our dedicated signposting service for clients to effectively match them with relevant volunteer opportunities
• To maintain volunteer and organisation records and our database, ensuring that information is accurate and up to date, including all contact with the Volunteer Centre
• To manage a small team of Volunteer Centre volunteers and ensure that good practice regarding volunteer management is followed within our own organisation
• To design and write compelling communications for promoting the Volunteer Centre and volunteering through newsletters, training, and events materials, and across social media.
• To prepare reports and statistical information for monitoring and evaluation purposes
• To comply with, and share responsibility for ensuring the implementation of, BVSC policies and procedures and key legislation such as GDPR
• Attending staff meetings, supervision and training as required
• Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be assigned from time to time including travel throughout the borough to attend events, occasionally on evenings/weekends, assist with phone enquiries and meet with volunteers and organisations.

These are the normal duties which are required of the position; however, we do require that all staff be flexible and may be required to perform other duties to ensure the efficient running of services. 

Please note that the base for this role is at the Engine House, Bexley. In addition, the post will involve regular outreach at various venues across the borough.

Person Specification

Essential

• Extensive experience of recruiting and supporting volunteers
• Knowledge of good practice relating to volunteer management
• Excellent IT skills including previous use of Microsoft Office and databases
• Experience of updating website content
• Excellent interpersonal skills with experience of working with people from diverse backgrounds.  Ability to build rapport with a wide range of people
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to promote volunteering in an engaging and motivational manner
• A creative problem solver and able to prioritise a varied workload, managing conflicting priorities to meet deadlines
• Ability to identify innovative ways to develop the Volunteer Centre
• Willingness to work outside of office hours on occasions
• Ability to drive and use of a car

Desirable

• Experience of using social media to engage with people and communicate
• Understanding the role of a Volunteer Centre with regards to supporting the growth of volunteering
• Experience of working in partnership with a range of agencies
• Promotion of volunteering opportunities through a range of mediums including digital and print​

This position will be subject to satisfactory references and DBS check.