UNIVERSITY OF WEST LONDON

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Volunteer Assistant
School/Department: Careers and Employment Service
Responsible to: Volunteer Coordinator
Responsible for: Temporary and student volunteers when required / Post No:
Grade: 3
Location: Based at Ealing, but you will be required to undertake your duties at any site of the University as required.
SUMMARY OF MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB
To provide administrative support to the University of West London Volunteer service, engage with students, graduates and community organisations to use our service and help plan and deliver various volunteering events throughout the academic year.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
1.  To assist in the planning and delivery of key volunteer events, including Freshers’ Week, Student Volunteering Week, Volunteering Fair, Volunteer workshops, celebration events and one-off volunteering projects.
2.  To lead with the Volunteer Placement Service; finding quality volunteer placements and providing support and information to students wishing to take part in these opportunities.
3.  To be the first point of response for substantial numbers of external and internal enquiries, particularly from potential student volunteers and volunteer organisations.
4.  To provide administrative support for the Volunteer Coordinator including maintaining and updating the volunteer database, the project sign-up lists and records of attendance at events and the monitoring and evaluation of projects.
5.  To support the core communications functions, liaising with volunteers and staff to identify and prepare appropriate content for the website, the weekly newsletter, Student Union magazine and social media sites.
6.  To process criminal records (CRB) checks, Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) registrations, ensuring confidentiality and sensitivity in handling this information.
7.  To process student and project expense claims accurately.
8.  To book transport, rooms and other facilities for volunteering projects.
9.  Maintaining a two-way communication with external volunteering organisations to ensure that information provided by them is accurate, and that records of active volunteers in external organisations are up-to-date.
PERSON SPECIFICATION

CRITERIA

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ESSENTIAL

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DESIRABLE

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Method of identification (i.e. application form, interview, both, test)
Qualifications: / Undergraduate degree or equivalent. / Other relevant qualifications. / Application form
Knowledge and Experience: / Experience of studying or working in a university environment.
Various experiences of working/ volunteering within a community/not for profit environment.
Experience in an office environment as part of a customer-focused team.
Experience of assisting or leading in the planning and delivery of small scale events/projects / Experience of volunteering whilst at university / Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Specific Skills: / Excellent IT skills, including the ability to use word, excel databases and Outlook.
A knowledge and experience of using social media, especially Twitter and Facebook.
Good communication skills for interaction with students, University departments and external organisations both verbally and in writing.
Previous experience of managing a high volume of workloads requiring speed and accuracy with variable and often demanding timescales. / A knowledge and experience of using Web content management systems. / Application form, interview
Application form, interview, test
Application form, interview, test
Application form, interview
General Skills: / The ability to work independently and as a team
Accuracy and good attention to detail.
An ability to work well under pressure. / Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Other: /

Sensitivity and tact in dealing with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, and handling of confidential information.

Commitment to working with a diverse student population.

Enthusiasm and the ability to work with and motivate others.
Reliability and integrity. / Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Application form, interview
Application form, interview

Essential Criteria are those, without which, a candidate would not be able to do the job. Applicants who have not clearly demonstrated in their application that they possess the essential requirements will normally be rejected at the shortlisting stage.

Desirable Criteria are those that would be useful for the post holder to possess and will be considered when more than one applicant meets the essential requirements.