Volunteering Development Officer

Job Description

Volunteering is pivotal for the success of the RSPB; we could not save nature without volunteers. With our volunteers giving their time and talents regularly, it is so important that we ensure our large workforce are being well supported so they are having a quality volunteering experience and gaining enjoyment and satisfaction from what they do.

We are looking for a motivated person with experience working with volunteers, preferably in a leadership role, to join our Northern Ireland (NI) team. This is a great opportunity to join RSPB NI, providing high level volunteering advice, guidance and support to teams across Northern Ireland. You’ll ensure the team have the skills needed to develop and implement innovative and effective volunteering initiatives that are in line with volunteering good practice and are of the highest standards.

You will work with our active Local Group network, the face and voice of the RSPB in local communities, providing support and guidance to enable them to continue to deliver quality activities and experiences within their community.

This role covers the whole of Northern Ireland, so you will be organised and work consistently to be visible to the teams you support, even if you can't be everywhere in person.

You will also be a champion for change, looking for ways of doing things better. For the organisation to grow and ultimately save nature, we must mobilise and develop volunteers across all areas of the business, it is the role of the Volunteering Development Officer to give the energy and expertise needed to realise that change.

Key Deliverables of the role

• Deliver a recognised and respected source of leadership, support and transformational advice to the NI team seeking to develop new volunteering initiatives
• Proactively guide and advise NI staff at all levels on the operational aspects of volunteer involvement, enabling them to recruit, support, develop and motivate volunteers effectively
• Deliver a recognised and respected source of leadership, support and transformational advice to develop new volunteering initiatives
• Influence and challenge all parts of the country on the roles and contribution volunteers can make to ensure that volunteer’s skills and expertise are put to best effect to meet business needs
• Proactively guide and advise country staff at all levels on the operational aspects of volunteer involvement, enabling them to recruit, support, develop and motivate volunteers effectively
• Monitor and evaluate volunteer management standards to ensure all volunteers receive an excellent volunteering experience
• Raise awareness and understanding of volunteering, championing it to ensure that it is valued and seen as a positive way of meeting business needs.

Essential Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrable track record of having successfully and effectively developed a range of volunteering roles and schemes across an organisation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, successfully influencing, persuading, guiding, listening to, and negotiating with others, constructively challenging thinking where appropriate
• Ability to build and manage effective and productive stakeholder relationships
• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage and deliver a diverse portfolio of work and to balance the priorities and needs of multiple stakeholders
• Excellent understanding and experience of volunteering – both as a volunteer and volunteer manager
• Experience of working in the charitable sector or in a volunteer-involving organisation
• Experience of providing operational advice and guidance on volunteer involvement to people at all levels and building effective stakeholder relationships.

This is a full-time permanent position working 37.5 hours per week.

If you have any questions, please contact Jess McVicar at jess.mcvicar@rspb.org.uk.

To apply, you will be required to complete an application form where you can tell us how you meet the criteria set above.

This role is not eligible for UK Sponsorship - Appointed applicants will be required to show proof of right to work in the UK.

Before applying, please read 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 on nature's side and more diverse people. People of colour and disabled people are underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sectors. 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.