Project Co-ordinator - Volunteer Services

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person spec for full details

The Project Coordinator -Volunteer Services is a Band 5 role providing project coordination and operational support to further develop the Trusts Volunteer Services, with a focus on developing and sustaining a safe, sustainable, effective and well governed volunteer workforce.

The role supports Trust workforce priorities and the NHS People Plan by maximising volunteering as a pathway into future careers and widening participation.

Working with the current Early Careers and Volunteer Co-ordinator, The post holder will coordinate and continuously improves volunteer recruitment, engagement, placement and retention across the Trust, ensuring processes are robust, compliant with legislation, and aligned with Trust policies and national guidance.

The role will provide advice and support to managers and volunteers across volunteer management, recruitment, workforce planning and volunteer role development, and will contribute to wider programme and project delivery.

The role will involve building and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including managers, corporate teams, volunteers and VCSE partners.

The post holder will act as a further point of contact for Volunteer Services enquiries, negotiates volunteer placements and role requirements, delivers presentations, and supports recruitment events and community engagement activity.

Strong analytical and judgement skills are required to assess volunteer suitability, support risk assessment of volunteer roles, analyse recruitment and retention data, and evaluate the effectiveness of Volunteer Services through audits, surveys and reviews.

The post holder will make recommendations for service improvement based on evidence and supports governance and compliance.

The role requires effective planning and organisational skills to coordinate recruitment campaigns, engagement activity, meetings and project workstreams, while managing competing priorities.

Responsibilities will include organising meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, tracking actions, maintaining project documentation and reporting on delivery.

There is responsibility for working with workforce teams to support volunteer recruitment, induction and placement, ensuring all required checks are completed, providing HR related advice to managers, and offering ongoing support to volunteers, including signposting to wellbeing and pastoral support where required.

The post holder will maintain accurate volunteer and project records using Trust systems and the Better Impact volunteer CRM, in line with data protection and records management requirements.

The post holder will work with a high degree of autonomy within workforce policies, manages their own workload, contributes to service development and quality improvement, and supports the promotion of volunteering across the Trust and externally.

The role is primarily office based but requires travel across Trust sites and occasional out of hours working to support events.

Qualifications / Training

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience, underpinned by theoretical knowledge or relevant practical experience in Volunteer Management, Recruitment or HR.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of volunteer management, safe recruitment and placement governance, including risk assessment processes and compliance with relevant employment legislation.
• Understanding of volunteering and its mutual benefits, recognising the contribution of volunteers to service delivery and organisational objectives.
• Knowledge of data protection and HR principles to ensure confidentiality, accuracy and compliance.
• Awareness of governance, accountability and best practice in recruitment and workforce activity.

Experience

• Experience of supporting project activity at a foundation level, including planning, coordination and delivery within a complex organisation.
• Competence in Microsoft Office 365 and experience of maintaining and improving administrative processes and reporting systems.
• Experience of supporting, training and advising individuals and groups, including providing basic HR advice with appropriate escalation.
• Experience of developing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to persuade, negotiate and present information clearly in written and verbal formats.
• Analytical and problemsolving skills, including the ability to analyse data, understand stakeholder needs, and know when to escalate issues.
• Excellent planning, organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• High level of IT literacy and keyboard skills.
• Ability to work on own initiative within established policies.
• Mobility across Devon.

Qualifications

• CIPD qualification.
• Project management qualification e.g. PRINCE2.
• Training in safeguarding and its application to preemployment checks.

Experience

• Experience of supporting recruitment processes.
• Experience of coordinating volunteering or similar workforce activities.
• Experience of presenting to groups and stakeholders

Person Specification

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Knowledge of volunteer management, safe recruitment and placement governance, including risk assessment and compliance with relevant employment and data protection legislation.
• Understanding of the principles and mutual benefits of volunteering, and the role volunteers play in supporting service delivery and workforce development.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly in writing and verbally, and to negotiate or persuade where required.
• Good analytical and judgement skills, including the ability to assess information, identify risks, propose solutions and know when to escalate issues.

Desirable

• Knowledge of VCSE partnerships and community engagement approaches.
• Awareness of NHS workforce priorities, including widening participation and volunteering as a pathway to employment.
• Experience of contributing to service improvement, audits or reviews.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience supported by relevant theoretical knowledge or practical experience in Volunteer Management, Recruitment or HR.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to workforce, volunteering, recruitment or project support.

Desirable

• CIPD qualification or working towards.
• Recognised project management qualification e.g. PRINCE2 or equivalent.
• Training in safeguarding and its application to recruitment and preplacement checks.

Experience

Essential

• Please evidence with examples:
• Experience supporting project planning, coordination and delivery in a complex organisation.
• Experience supporting recruitment, placement or workforce activity, including providing basic HR advice with appropriate escalation.
• Experience building effective working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience of using Microsoft Office 365 and maintaining accurate administrative, reporting or tracking systems.
• Experience of handling sensitive or confidential information appropriately and in line with data protection requirements.

Desirable

• Please evidence with examples:
• Experience coordinating volunteering or a comparable nonpaid workforce.
• Experience supporting recruitment campaigns, engagement events or community activity.
• Experience presenting information to groups or stakeholders.
• Experience of analysing data e.g. recruitment, retention or engagement data to inform service improvement.

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

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Employer's website

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