Volunteer Manager

JOB OVERVIEW

Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a real difference, every day, to people from all walks of life? This is an exciting opportunity for someone working in the volunteering or community sector to join the Brent Irish Advisory Service (BIAS) as Volunteer Manager and help take our successful volunteer project to the next level.

BIAS’s volunteer project, funded through a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, provides meaningful opportunities for people to get involved in BIAS’s work in a number of different ways. Volunteers can help out at our active ageing clubs, or work on administrative projects and other office-based tasks to help them build up their professional skills. In 2023 we also launched a successful ‘Be-A-Friend’ scheme, which aims to connect volunteers with older people who live on their own. Volunteers will drop in regularly for a cup of tea and a chat, providing friendship and companionship to those experiencing loneliness and isolation. BIAS’s volunteer project is currently based in Brent, but it will potentially be rolled out into Haringey in future years.

We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic and empathetic person to take the lead on managing and growing our volunteer project. You will be responsible for all aspects of the project, including volunteer recruitment and induction, service-user relations, safeguarding and partnership development. You will also work with the Operations Manager on forward planning, delivery monitoring, promotion and reporting.

You will need to have strong people skills and the ability to build good working relationships with colleagues, volunteers, service users and partners, along with excellent organisational skills and the ability to work independently and take initiative. Previous experience of working with volunteers or running community projects would be an asset. If you work in a related field and are looking for a new challenge, please consider applying as we are willing to consider appointing the right candidate as a training and development role.

KEY WORK AREAS AND MAIN DUTIES

• Working with the Operations Manager to develop and deliver BIAS’s volunteer project.
• Line-managing the Befriending Coordinator and supervising the successful delivery and expansion of the Be-A-Friend scheme.
• Managing volunteer recruitment, interviewing candidates and matching them with appropriate roles.
• Supporting, developing and retaining our current team of volunteers.
• Managing volunteer training needs, ensuring that all necessary safeguarding, health-and-safety and data-protection requirements are met.
• Working closely with colleagues and external organisations to develop working partnerships and explore collaboration opportunities, e.g. intergenerational volunteering projects.
• Organising twice-yearly volunteer social events.
• Promoting and raising public awareness of both BIAS’s volunteering opportunities and the wider importance of volunteering.
• Evaluating and improving the volunteering process and experience.
• Maintaining clear records of volunteer work in BIAS’s client management system.
• Drafting reports and case studies to demonstrate the project’s progress and value.
• Maintaining an awareness of policy changes and best practices in volunteering.

These are the basic duties required of the Volunteer Manager. However, it is necessary for all staff to be flexible and you may be required from time to time to perform other reasonable duties which are required for the efficient running of the organisation. We will also offer training opportunities to support your career development.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK. This role will be based primarily in our offices in Willesden (Brent), with travel throughout the borough and potentially some future outreach work in Haringey borough. There may be some options for flexible working following probation (one to two days per week).

ABOUT BIAS

BIAS is a local charity which has supported England’s largest Irish community in Brent for over forty-five years. We deliver our support through our welfare advice drop-in service, our Active Ageing Clubs and our Be-a-friend volunteer scheme. We raise over £1.5 million in extra income for the most vulnerable every year and have over 3000 attendances at our club services. BIAS has exciting plans for expansion into Haringey in 2025 and has a range of medium- to long-term grant funding, including from Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme.