Job summary
This is a hugely exciting time to join the hospice team. We will imminently be launching our bold and confident new brand with a rebuilt website and will have the tools to amplify the contributions our teams make. For the first time, we are working to a dedicated sub-strategy which sets out our vision for how we intend working with our volunteers and local communities to ensure that we build upon the strong community that exists in our corner of South East London.
The Volunteer Development Manager is a new role to the hospice, building on the foundations of more than thirty years of volunteering. You will lead our Volunteer Team, creating an approachable and supportive environment that empowers colleagues from around the hospice to integrate volunteers seamlessly into their teams and services. You will be implementing and refining systems to enable this to happen, as well as providing advice and recommendations to the team. You will make sure that our team of more than 300 volunteers feel the respect the wider hospice team has for them, as well as sharing the joy of volunteering for the hospice far-and-wide to enable even more people to volunteer and offer their time, experience, skills and passion.
We are unusual in that volunteering sits alongside our community development and engagement programme you will embrace community-led approaches to volunteering and recruitment and will enable the communities our team meets to support us in a way that suits them.
Main duties of the job
As Volunteer Development Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring that our team of wonderful volunteers will be supported and appreciated by hospice staff who are confident in supervising volunteers who are part of their teams.
Working alongside the Head of Community Development & Volunteering, the Volunteer Coordinator, the Director of Partnerships and colleagues in teams across the hospice, you will ensure that our volunteering programme is effective and supportive by ensuring that robust systems are complemented by a passion for ensuring that people are able to grow through their contributions to the hospices work. You will be the go-to person for queries around volunteering and will build a network amongst staff, volunteers and external partners to ensure that volunteers are able to contribute their best to supporting the hospice and the work we do.
This is a new role and you will have the opportunity to shape the way you prioritise and deliver your responsibilities. We are unusual in that we group volunteering together with community development - and you will embrace community-led approaches to volunteering and recruitment.
- Volunteer Department Support and Management
- Volunteering Programme Development
- System and Policy Implementation
- Volunteer Development and Support
- Volunteer Engagement and Recognition
- Operational Management and Funding
- Personal Development
About us
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice (GBCH) is a charity dedicated to providing free, high quality, compassionate care and support for adults with terminal illnesses, their families, and their professional carers in the London Boroughs of Royal Greenwich and Bexley. At any one time we are caring for around 750 people and in total we care for around 3,000 people each year in the community; in their homes, care homes, in our hospice beds and hospice-based clinics, in the local prisons and in hospital.
We are a prominent and respected charity at the heart of the local community. We believe that every person facing death should have the best quality of life possible, experience dignity, peace and comfort and be supported to make the choices that are right for them. We have approximately 200 amazing colleagues and 400 fantastic volunteers acrossour organisation who work together towards this goal.
In our hospice, each role makes a difference. We aspire to reflect the communities that we serve, and we welcome applications from people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. We value diversity and believe our differences enrich the care we provide to local people. Diversity also helps us as colleagues by helping us to see different perspectives, encouraging us to challenge ourselves, learn, innovate, and adapt.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
Volunteer Department Support and Management
- Ensure the volunteer department is approachable and supportive, fostering confidence among hospice staff to embed volunteers into their teams and services.
- Line manage and develop the hospices volunteer coordinator.
- Build and maintain relationships with internal departments to understand their operational plans and how volunteers can support them.
- Support the Volunteer Coordinator by assessing the suitability of volunteers requiring additional support.
Volunteering Programme Development
- Work with volunteer supervisors to create engaging role descriptions and risk assessments for new volunteer opportunities.
- Develop relationships with external organizations related to volunteering (e.g., local volunteer centers, colleges).
- Collaborate with the community development and engagement manager to tailor opportunities to diverse communities.
- Capture case studies and stories to promote and raise awareness of hospice volunteering.
System and Policy Implementation
- Participate in the project team implementing the new volunteering database.
- Serve as the main contact for the volunteering database after transitioning to business as usual.
- Review and maintain volunteering policies and documents for ongoing improvements.
- Document existing processes and ensure the hospice website accurately represents the evolving volunteering program.
Volunteer Development and Support
- Plan, code-sign, and lead structured training programs for volunteers.
- Oversee volunteer recruitment strategies and ensure suitability assessments are proportionate to the role, equitable and inclusive.
- Establish and lead a rolling program to check in with volunteer supervisors, offering them support and skill development.
- Provide assistance using the Volunteer Problem Solving procedure for volunteer or placement issues as required.
Volunteer Engagement and Recognition
- Ensure the volunteer journey is well-managed, maintaining open communication channels.
- Oversee the annual volunteer awards and organize celebration and thank-you events.
- Keep up-to-date with external volunteer award programmes, ensuring that our volunteers are nominated where appropriate to recognise their contributions.
Operational Management and Funding
- Contribute to and develop business cases for funding bids and projects.
- Oversee areas of budget management, including creating purchase orders and approving invoices.
- Ensure systems are in place to capture the impact of the volunteering program.
- Communicate the resources and facilities needed to meet the Volunteering Teams needs.
Personal Development
- Keep updated with legislation and policy relating to volunteering, including DBS and employment law.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
Volunteer Department Support and Management
- Ensure the volunteer department is approachable and supportive, fostering confidence among hospice staff to embed volunteers into their teams and services.
- Line manage and develop the hospices volunteer coordinator.
- Build and maintain relationships with internal departments to understand their operational plans and how volunteers can support them.
- Support the Volunteer Coordinator by assessing the suitability of volunteers requiring additional support.
Volunteering Programme Development
- Work with volunteer supervisors to create engaging role descriptions and risk assessments for new volunteer opportunities.
- Develop relationships with external organizations related to volunteering (e.g., local volunteer centers, colleges).
- Collaborate with the community development and engagement manager to tailor opportunities to diverse communities.
- Capture case studies and stories to promote and raise awareness of hospice volunteering.
System and Policy Implementation
- Participate in the project team implementing the new volunteering database.
- Serve as the main contact for the volunteering database after transitioning to business as usual.
- Review and maintain volunteering policies and documents for ongoing improvements.
- Document existing processes and ensure the hospice website accurately represents the evolving volunteering program.
Volunteer Development and Support
- Plan, code-sign, and lead structured training programs for volunteers.
- Oversee volunteer recruitment strategies and ensure suitability assessments are proportionate to the role, equitable and inclusive.
- Establish and lead a rolling program to check in with volunteer supervisors, offering them support and skill development.
- Provide assistance using the Volunteer Problem Solving procedure for volunteer or placement issues as required.
Volunteer Engagement and Recognition
- Ensure the volunteer journey is well-managed, maintaining open communication channels.
- Oversee the annual volunteer awards and organize celebration and thank-you events.
- Keep up-to-date with external volunteer award programmes, ensuring that our volunteers are nominated where appropriate to recognise their contributions.
Operational Management and Funding
- Contribute to and develop business cases for funding bids and projects.
- Oversee areas of budget management, including creating purchase orders and approving invoices.
- Ensure systems are in place to capture the impact of the volunteering program.
- Communicate the resources and facilities needed to meet the Volunteering Teams needs.
Personal Development
- Keep updated with legislation and policy relating to volunteering, including DBS and employment law.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent; alternatively, have proven work experience with transferrable skills.
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience in managing volunteer programmes, including recruitment, training and retention.
- Experience in contributing towards and implementing volunteering strategies and policies.
- Experience of leading or managing a team.
- Experience of developing and delivering training programmes.
- Good understanding of safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
- Good working knowledge of GDPR and data protection obligations.
- Good working knowledge of confidentiality and health & safety requirements.
Desirable
- Understanding of community engagement principles and approaches.
- Understanding of asset-based community development principles.
- Knowledge of hospices or the hospice sector.
- Experience of working with diverse communities.
- Experience of identifying and implementing changes to database systems.
- Experience of advocating for volunteering and/or increasing the profile of voluntary sector organisations.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to apply different communication techniques to a range of audiences.
- Proficiency in IT, including MS Office Suite.
- Proficiency in using volunteer database systems.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Confident presenting and public speaking style.
- Ability to write in a clear, engaging and inspiring style.
- Ability to deal discreetly and sensitively with matters of a confidential nature.
Desirable
- Skills in event management for recognition and celebration events.
General
Essential
- A commitment to embody the values of the hospice.
- Embrace diversity and work inclusively.
- Willingness to undergo a DBS check as required.
- Ability to work occasionally outside of standard office hours for events and training.
- Positive and proactive attitude with a flexible approach to work.
- Ability to identify own training and development needs.
- Ability and confidence in travelling to venues throughout our catchment area and, occasionally, elsewhere in London.
Desirable
- An understanding of the local community within the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent; alternatively, have proven work experience with transferrable skills.
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience in managing volunteer programmes, including recruitment, training and retention.
- Experience in contributing towards and implementing volunteering strategies and policies.
- Experience of leading or managing a team.
- Experience of developing and delivering training programmes.
- Good understanding of safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
- Good working knowledge of GDPR and data protection obligations.
- Good working knowledge of confidentiality and health & safety requirements.
Desirable
- Understanding of community engagement principles and approaches.
- Understanding of asset-based community development principles.
- Knowledge of hospices or the hospice sector.
- Experience of working with diverse communities.
- Experience of identifying and implementing changes to database systems.
- Experience of advocating for volunteering and/or increasing the profile of voluntary sector organisations.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to apply different communication techniques to a range of audiences.
- Proficiency in IT, including MS Office Suite.
- Proficiency in using volunteer database systems.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Confident presenting and public speaking style.
- Ability to write in a clear, engaging and inspiring style.
- Ability to deal discreetly and sensitively with matters of a confidential nature.
Desirable
- Skills in event management for recognition and celebration events.
General
Essential
- A commitment to embody the values of the hospice.
- Embrace diversity and work inclusively.
- Willingness to undergo a DBS check as required.
- Ability to work occasionally outside of standard office hours for events and training.
- Positive and proactive attitude with a flexible approach to work.
- Ability to identify own training and development needs.
- Ability and confidence in travelling to venues throughout our catchment area and, occasionally, elsewhere in London.
Desirable
- An understanding of the local community within the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
