Volunteer Manager Job Description

A Resume Example for a Volunteer Manager

An outstanding volunteer manager must have good knowledge of operating in a non-profit or volunteer-related organization and be able to manage the volunteer staff and volunteer resources to meet the organization's set goals or objective. They are responsible for the timely and accurate processing of data from their staff, volunteers or paid members, and to create reports and distribute it to key members of the organization. It is possible to become a volunteer manager if you have a college degree in management, business studies, volunteer management, human-resource management, social work, youth and community work, adult education, social or humanity sciences or any other relevant field.

Volunteer Agreement Form

It is important to have a set of roles and responsibilities for your volunteers when you are managing a volunteer program. It is still important to have both general and specific roles for the volunteer, even if some tasks produce their own set of responsibilities. Volunteer recruitment tactics and volunteer orientation are things that you may need to use in volunteer roles.

A volunteer handbook is a must in volunteer orientations to make sure all volunteers feel prepared to be a volunteer. You will need a volunteer agreement form for all volunteers to sign to show their knowledge and understanding of what they need to do when volunteering. Some organizations have a section their website dedicated to volunteer roles, responsibilities, and rights.

It is important to discuss volunteer rights with your organization if they are more sensitive. The basis of your volunteer program is outlined in the volunteer roles and responsibilities. They help define what volunteers are meant to do.

It is important to remember that people usually volunteer for a social aspect or to feel like they are making a difference. Volunteers should have a good time volunteering. Even though it is your job to run a volunteer program, a volunteer is not an employee and should not be punished for doing so.

Volunteers want to think of volunteering as an enjoyable experience, not a job. Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities give volunteers a good idea of what their volunteering experience will look like, and how their work will help the organization. Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities can be found in other materials that your volunteer will receive, so they don't need to be shared with your volunteers directly.

The Volunteer Manager of a Multi-Agent Organization

The volunteer managers are responsible for training and supervising the volunteers. Volunteer Managers spend a lot of time working independently and making their own decisions. A Volunteer Manager needs to be able to communicate with volunteers and staff.

The Volunteer Manager uses a variety of methods to find suitable volunteers. The Volunteer Manager can place advertisements in the newspaper, post volunteer opportunities online or attend job fairs to meet new volunteers. Potential volunteers are interviewed by the Volunteer Managers to see if they are a good fit.

The Volunteer Manager is responsible for providing comprehensive training once a new volunteer comes on board. New volunteers are given tours of the building and help get settled into their roles, which is done by volunteer managers. The Volunteer Manager can teach volunteers new skills.

It is difficult to determine if a program is meeting its goals without the right data. Volunteer Managers collect data from volunteers and staff members and use it to create reports and distribute them to key personnel in the organization. The Volunteer Manager works with volunteers to come up with a schedule that works for everyone.

The Role of Human Nature in Volunteer Management

The first challenge is that best practices in volunteer management are hard to come by. They are either not shared widely or empirical evidence does not exist to prove the efficacy of one management method over another. Volunteer coordinators have experience in marketing, recruitment, human resources management, instructional design and training delivery, and project management, and are likely to include these skills in their job description.

The ability to act as a human catalyst is a key volunteer coordination skill. It may not be possible to find a single employee with all of the skills needed for the job of volunteer program administration. Human psychology, neuroscience, and motivational theory are the most compelling skills.

The brain drives everything the body does, so it makes sense to hire and develop volunteer coordinators who can work with human nature. Middle managers don't directly supervise staff with whom they might place volunteers, their executives may or may not understand the impact and requirements of volunteering, and volunteers can vote with their feet. It is important for new leaders to be able to deploy emotional intelligence and to also understand how human motivation works in the volunteer context.

Replacing paperwork is no longer a core strategy as onboarding and team building are more important than ever. What is done for volunteers is no longer the same as what is done for others. The primary thing nonprofits and new leaders of volunteers need to recognize is that their role is shifting and that the essential volunteer skills are evolving as well.

Volunteer Management

Great volunteer managers lead from the front. They understand the importance of volunteering and the need to let go of tasks with confidence, knowing that their volunteers are fully equipped with the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to do a great job. Good communication is important for volunteers and their managers.

They offer a variety of communication methods, including face to face chats and more formal meetings, as well as embracing good old fashioned methods such as newsletters and posters. A great volunteer manager is good at listening and two-way communication. Volunteer managers are good at reading people and taking time to understand the individual and their needs to place them in the right role.

They can provide more suitable alternatives when someone isn't the perfect fit. It takes time to build up a volunteer base and stick with a project or task. The importance of re-recruiting and retraining volunteers is part of the ongoing cycle and which volunteers bring to their organisation.

Volunteering for Organizations: How Do You Get Your Kicks?

It is important to have written and verbal communication skills as a volunteer because you will likely work closely with other volunteers and people you serve. If you volunteer as a tutor, you need to be able to give clear instructions to your students. If you lead a team of volunteers, you need to be able to communicate important information.

Helping others or supporting a cause is the foundation of volunteering. You need to consider their perspectives when serving others. Your compassion can help you realize that you can make a difference in the lives of people.

If you decide to manage a project or supervise a group of volunteers, you need to have leadership skills. You need to be able to motivate others and make sure they stay productive as a leader. Your job is to remind people of the important work that they do.

You need to be able to delegate work, meet deadlines and make sure your team has the resources needed. You have to have a strong work ethic to volunteer. A strong work ethic allows you to help others while maintaining a positive attitude.

If you are building houses, you need to keep your strength up. If you are serving a lot of people, you need to keep your energy up. Collaborating with others is a big part of volunteering.

Volunteer Management: How to Engage and Develop Your Volunteers

Volunteers are the engines of nonprofits if paid staff are not in charge. They help with administrative tasks, freeing up paid staff to focus on grant writing, strategic planning and keeping overhead costs down. Volunteers bring a passion for the cause and unique skills.

They promote your organization to their friends. One hour of volunteer time is worth nearly $25 according to The NonProfit Times. It is important to have a strong volunteer management program in place.

Volunteer management is the process of finding, engaging, and keeping volunteers active in the organization. The total volunteer experience is what contributes to long-term volunteering, from the recruitment process to showing your volunteers appreciation for their time. It may seem like a tall order for a nonprofit staff who is already stretched thin.

There is always one more phone call, one more letter, or an event that needs to be scheduled. If you put a volunteer management program in place, you can attract and retain volunteers who contribute positively to your organization and free you up to focus on higher-level tasks. As you develop your volunteer management program, keep in mind the needs of your organization and the types of volunteers you hope to attract.

You may need to change and refine processes as you go, because what works for one type of nonprofit may not work for another. If you put in the time now, you will spend less time recruiting new volunteers. It is tempting to think of volunteer management as the process of showing volunteers what they need to do and supervising them as they perform the tasks you have assigned them.