Reporting to / Head of Community Engagement
Employees reporting to role / N/A
Financial Responsibilities / Nil
Purpose of Job / To design, develop and manage a national volunteer programme to support core organisational activity across the UK.
Overview
We look after 300,000 war graves in UK, our work reaches every UK city and town yet this local heritage and the work we do to restore and maintain these commemorations is often unknown to the communities who live so close. We want to harness the support of volunteers in helping us to tell our story and increase visitor numbers at our UK sites. Based at Head Office in Maidenhead, with regular travel to each Region, you will work with the UK and Northern Area (UKNA) team and Senior Management to ensure our Volunteer Offer and new infrastructure reflects our values, strategic objectives and vision for the future, providing our organisation and staff with a solid foundation for our volunteer engagement to flourish
An experienced and professional Volunteering Manager, you will bring new expertise and extensive contacts from the sector, to inform and deliver an exceptional volunteer programme for CWGC.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities
General
- Develop an agreed volunteer vision and policy which identifies the role that volunteers will play on the achievement of CWGC strategic goals in line with current UK law and sector best practiceon volunteering.
- Develop and implement structures, systems and procedures to engage and support volunteers in line with the agreed Policy. Including:Recruitment, Induction, Training and ongoing Development, Deployment, Mentoring,Reward and Recognition and Quality Assurance
- Liaise effectively with Regional Managers and all regional staff to assist the development and implementation of the volunteer programme, across the UK regions.
- Work with External Relations and UKNA to identify opportunities for volunteers to contribute to the delivery of specific current CWGC projects and activities.
- Work as part of the Community Engagement team, with volunteers and project staff, to develop and implement new activities.
- Agree volunteer roles and responsibilities within each Regional team.
- Ensure CWGC has a voice at key sector events and on appropriate volunteering committees.
- Provide training and support to staff managing volunteers within the regions and at Head office.
- Responsible for the effective engagement and development of volunteers (as above) to support the regional work of CWGC and regional management.
- Ensure compliance with health and safety, employment legislationand other legal procedures for volunteers and those working with them.
- Regularly prepare presentations and speak directly to large audiences about Volunteering with CWGC
- Prepare training and recruitment tools (media/presentations) for staff to use at regional level
- Ensure the adherence to volunteering policy across CWGC
- Maintain appropriate information and recording systems relating to the volunteer programme
- Establish effective systems to enable the Volunteer Programme to function effectively and ensure monitoring and evaluation is appropriate and robust.
- Produce articles and case studies for the website or newsletter as needed.
- Support the UK Media Manager in promoting the volunteer programme through use of the local media, further education providers, voluntary organisations, community groups, community centres, heritage sector and local businesses
- Participates in team activities and contributes towards improvements in departmental performance standards.
- Undertake professional development in order to maintain an awareness of volunteering trends and best practice in the UK
- Undertake other appropriate duties and projects as required for the effective operation of the Community Engagement team
- Ensure agreed standards, projected outputs, targets and outcomes for volunteer projectsare achieved in line with the organisations aims and objectives
- Follow leads and identify new opportunities including funding and support for voluntary sector
Key contacts and relationships
- Colleagues within the Community Engagement team and wider UKNA team
- CWGC Regional Supervisors
- CWGC Regional Managers
- Volunteers and community groups
Knowledge &qualifications/experience required
Essential
- Direct involvement with developing and implementing a volunteer vision, policy and programme
- Demonstrable practical experience of recruiting, managing, motivating and supporting volunteers
- Ability to remotely support and motivate a national network of volunteers through Community Engagement Coordinators and regional staff
- Knowledge of the voluntary sector
- Experience of project management/delivery
- Experience of designing and delivering training courses for staff and volunteers, including monitoring and evaluating the impact
- Knowledge and experience of reviewing and recording qualitative outcomes for volunteers and organisations
- Experience and knowledge of the legal and policy aspects of volunteering.
- Confident in the use of IT packages (Microsoft Word, Excel and email)
- To have an understanding of the ethos of the voluntary and community sectors and the context within which they work
- Full Driving Licence
- Experience of successfully developing and implementing a Volunteer vision, policy and programme
- Knowledge and understanding of the heritage sector
- Experience of working in the heritage sector
- Interest in history and the work of the CWGC
- A recognised project management qualification (eg PRINCE2)
- A relevant degree or equivalent
Competencies & Key Skills
- Self-starter, able to take the initiative in prioritising workloads and meeting deadlines.
- Able to engage and communicate with a variety of different audiences on volunteering matters
- Excellent presentation skills
- Able to build rapport and establish positive working relationships with volunteers, clients, colleagues and key stakeholders
- Results driven taking responsibility for planning and organisation of tasks.
- Acts with integrity and has high ethical standards.
- Is resilient and flexible even when under pressure.
- Able to offer support and empathise with the needs of volunteers.
- Able to offer expertise and advice to staff and volunteers on a full range of volunteering issues.
- Good organisational time management skills with the ability to prioritise workload and complete tasks within a given timeframe.
- Good inter-personal skills with the ability to interact with people in multiple business roles.
- Accuracy and attention to detail are essential to maintain integrity of the Commission’s systems and documentation.
- Ability to work proactively with little direct supervision.
- Committed to professional development.
- Willingness and ability to undertake regular travel both in the UK and overseas
March 2013