Volunteer Engagement Manager

Job Description

Introduction

Nature is in Crisis, and here at the RSPB we are working across the UK and overseas to save it. As the UK's largest nature conservation charity, with a workforce of over 14,000 employees and volunteers, we have an ambitious programme of work to revolutionise our volunteering approach and deepen the impact volunteers have as individuals and collectively. The Volunteering Development Department are the subject matter experts for volunteering and will drive the culture change needed to achieve the required change and growth in volunteers and volunteering delivering our ambitious strategy demands.

The Volunteering Engagement Manager will work within the Volunteering Development Department to deliver the volunteering elements of our new corporate strategy, which has a focus on increasing people powered conservation, focussing on diversity and raising our internal people capabilities. We need to revolutionise volunteering, by upskilling our volunteer line managers and diversifying our volunteering offer to deliver the strategy.

You can be based anywhere in the UK, and we are very supportive of flexible working. We value and understand the importance of different voices, experiences, perspectives and backgrounds within our workforce and strongly encourage applications from all sections of the community.

What's the role about?

They will join a team of highly effective specialists, contributing to the ongoing development of standards and policies, responding to changing priorities & working practices in the delivery of work plans. They will be key to the profile raising of volunteers and volunteering both internally and externally so we attract and retain volunteers.

They will develop and manage a volunteer story bank to feed into our communication colleagues for all platforms including but not limited to social media website, RSPB Magazine and Natures Voice.

They will develop robust and meaningful mechanisms for volunteer engagement throughout the organisation to ensure that the volunteer voice is heard, listened to and fed into organisational development.

Provide specialist advice, analysis of the external context, guidance and support to department teams and projects/programmes that ensures they have the skills, knowledge and competencies to develop and implement innovative and effective RSPB wide volunteering initiatives in line with volunteering good practice.

Raise the profile of RSPB’s volunteering ethos and agenda, internally and externally so we attract and retain the volunteers with the time and talents we need and reap the business benefits of doing so.

Work with other staff/external parties to embed existing and new techniques, processes and systems to enhance efficiency, enable research or experimentation within volunteering.

Ensure the once for the UK approach to how we lead, manage and develop volunteering in partnership with Countries and Directorates.

Manage projects using the PMF when required.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

Specialist operational knowledge of good practice and innovative approaches in volunteering.

Understanding of relevant legal requirements, organisational policies and procedures relative to the volunteering needs of an organisation, and the quality outputs and standards required.

Experience of planning and progressing work activities according to strategic need, to manage and deliver a diverse portfolio of work and to balance the priorities and needs of multiple stakeholders.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to inspire, coach and support others to work in new ways, creating a positive culture

Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the operational requirements, including conceptualising and interpreting service requirements.

Ability to be proactive, use initiative and judgement to resolve problems and identify areas of improvement, working collaboratively with the whole workforce to develop creative strategies and solutions.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:
Project management or change management experience.
Qualification in Volunteer Management.

We are looking to recruit 2 posts to cover 1.5 FTE, this could be potentially split as 1 full time, 1 half time post or as a 4day and 3.5 day post we are flexible and would like candidates to indicate their preferred hours within their applications. We will work to accommodate requests for the successful candidates if possible.

There will be some travel included in this role and occasional evening/weekend working.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on 1st and 2nd of March 2023. For further information please contact emma.roberts@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.