Volunteer Support Officer

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 12 May 2025

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a committed, highly self-motivated individual to join the Trusts Volunteer Service, as a Volunteer Support Officer.

The Volunteer Support Officer will be responsible for providing outstanding administrative and team support to enable the delivery of our volunteering programme Trust wide.

The Volunteer Support Officer will work with our Volunteer Service Lead, to ensure that our volunteers feel empowered to provide helpful and empathetic support for patients and staff.

This role will require frequent travel to Trust sites across the whole of Sussex, and therefore the post holder must be willing and able to travel to carry out duties of the role.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide "hands on" and administrative support for the operation of our volunteer service and ensure efficient and effective systems are in place to support volunteers and staff onsite.

It will be expected of the post holder to develop a positive/close working relationship with volunteers and all divisional departments, in both Clinical and Non-Clinical areas.

The post holder will need to have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, be able to prioritize and adapt to constant demands on the workload as well as to demonstrate the ability to work as a team member.

The post holder will support with the design, development and delivery of volunteer recruitment and associated volunteer policy, guidance and support structures for volunteers and services.

About us

We are a large NHS Mental Health Trust in South East England and are looking for skilled and enthusiastic people to help us provide high quality services for the patients, carers and local communities that we serve.

Joining our team you will become part of a service dedicated to helping to provide the best outcomes and experience for people using our services and a great working experience for staff.

We do not underestimate the challenges ahead and work together to support one another to drive forward innovation and change.

Your personal professional development is important to us and you will be provided with opportunities to develop, as well as a flexible and supportive approach to your work life balance.

Sussex Partnership is an equal opportunities employer, with a sincere commitment to our people's health and emotional wellbeing and as such, we have signed the Time to Change pledge and provide a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.

Date posted

28 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

354-CO-21626

Job locations

Portland House

44 Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To be responsible for the support of volunteering Trust wide, including the induction, support and training of volunteers, and adhering to the Trusts volunteering policy.
  • Provides secretarial/administrative support to the Volunteer Service.
  • Liaises with own and other departments as appropriate
  • Oversee the supervision and support of volunteers onsite
  • Ensuring all volunteers are up to date with mandatory training
  • Promote and organise volunteer events and projects
  • Recruit volunteers in the area
  • Promote volunteering to groups/clubs in the area
  • Create and deliver reports on volunteer activity

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To be responsible for the support of volunteering Trust wide, including the induction, support and training of volunteers, and adhering to the Trusts volunteering policy.
  • Provides secretarial/administrative support to the Volunteer Service.
  • Liaises with own and other departments as appropriate
  • Oversee the supervision and support of volunteers onsite
  • Ensuring all volunteers are up to date with mandatory training
  • Promote and organise volunteer events and projects
  • Recruit volunteers in the area
  • Promote volunteering to groups/clubs in the area
  • Create and deliver reports on volunteer activity

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
  • GCSE English Language and Mathematics (Grades A-C/Level 4 and above) or equivalent

Knowledge / Experience

Essential

  • Knowledge of relevant guidelines, legislation and policies relating to volunteering
  • Experience and understanding of the volunteer recruitment process and the retention of volunteers in an organisation.
  • Experience of organising staff or volunteer rotas to cover a service, being able to balance the needs of volunteers and the service.
  • Experience of working with internal and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
  • To be an expert in the relevant guidelines, legislation and policies relating to volunteering.

Desirable

  • Experience of delivering training.

Analytical & Judgemental Skills

Essential

  • Skilled in using judgement involving facts or situations, some requiring analysis
  • Exercises judgement when dealing with enquiries.
  • Ability to collate, input and clearly visually present impact data.
  • Demonstrate an understanding and importance of confidentiality.

Planning & Organisational Skills

Essential

  • Plan and organise complex activities i.e. recruitment campaigns, surveys
  • Ability to work independently in own role, showing initiative but understanding where to seek appropriate guidance
  • A strong ability to use IT systems, MS Office, and databases and learn new IT systems quickly

Physical Skills

Essential

  • Advanced keyboard use
  • Advanced Ms Office skills

Approach/Values

Essential

  • Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the practices of Human Rights in the delivery of this role
  • Ability to travel across sites in good time
  • Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required
  • Effectively manage distressing or emotional circumstances
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Evidence of continuous personal and professional development
  • GCSE English Language and Mathematics (Grades A-C/Level 4 and above) or equivalent

Knowledge / Experience

Essential

  • Knowledge of relevant guidelines, legislation and policies relating to volunteering
  • Experience and understanding of the volunteer recruitment process and the retention of volunteers in an organisation.
  • Experience of organising staff or volunteer rotas to cover a service, being able to balance the needs of volunteers and the service.
  • Experience of working with internal and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
  • To be an expert in the relevant guidelines, legislation and policies relating to volunteering.

Desirable

  • Experience of delivering training.

Analytical & Judgemental Skills

Essential

  • Skilled in using judgement involving facts or situations, some requiring analysis
  • Exercises judgement when dealing with enquiries.
  • Ability to collate, input and clearly visually present impact data.
  • Demonstrate an understanding and importance of confidentiality.

Planning & Organisational Skills

Essential

  • Plan and organise complex activities i.e. recruitment campaigns, surveys
  • Ability to work independently in own role, showing initiative but understanding where to seek appropriate guidance
  • A strong ability to use IT systems, MS Office, and databases and learn new IT systems quickly

Physical Skills

Essential

  • Advanced keyboard use
  • Advanced Ms Office skills

Approach/Values

Essential

  • Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the practices of Human Rights in the delivery of this role
  • Ability to travel across sites in good time
  • Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required
  • Effectively manage distressing or emotional circumstances

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Portland House

44 Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Portland House

44 Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Volunteer Service Lead

Natalie Poland

natalie.poland1@nhs.net

07810656746

Date posted

28 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

354-CO-21626

Job locations

Portland House

44 Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)