Volunteer Coordinator

At Austin Creative Reuse (ACR) we believe that the arts should be accessible to everyone and that creative materials belong in the hands of artists and makers and not in the landfill. In 2015, we opened Austin’s first creative reuse center where we collect, process and re-sell gently used creative materials donated from individuals and businesses and offer workshops and special events to connect our community to art and to one another.

Our center receives more than 6,500 visitors per month drawn by our low cost, high quality art materials, artist networks and art experiences for all ages. We are now the largest creative reuse organization in Texas and one of the largest in the country.

To date, ACR has diverted more than 3.2 million pounds of usable creative materials from the landfill, fighting climate change and driving real environmental impact through our grassroots efforts right here in Austin. Artists and crafters can access those rescued materials at very affordable prices, and local teachers can utilize our special pay-what-you-can programs to ensure their students have the classroom supplies they need to be successful.

Together, we are creating a community hub where all kinds of people can come together to shop, donate, volunteer and create.

Title :
Volunteer Coordinator
Position type :
Full time, non-exempt, some weekends and evenings required
Starting wage : $21.00 - $24.00 per hour (commensurate with experience), plus paid time off (PTO) accrual after 90 days of employment
Reports to :
Community Programs Manager
Direct reports :
Staff, volunteers, Ameri Corps VISTA members and/or interns assigned to the volunteer department

Description of Role
Volunteers are essential to Austin Creative Reuse’s (ACR) ability to fulfill our conservation mission, accounting for up to 50 percent of our total labor hours. The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for maintaining and growing ACR’s robust volunteer program and creating impactful volunteer experiences that keep our volunteers engaged and coming back. The primary responsibilities of ACR’s Volunteer Coordinator include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing all aspects of ACR’s volunteer department, including both direct work with volunteers and strategic and administrative tasks related to the department
• Supervising a small team of paid and unpaid individuals assigned to the volunteer department

What You’ll Do

• Serve as primary point of contact for the volunteer department for both internal and external stakeholders, providing excellent customer service to all
• Manage all programs within the volunteer department, including but not limited to, core volunteering, community volunteering, group volunteering, event volunteering, corporate team building, and life skills engagement
• Work alongside and engage volunteers in efficient and accurate sorting, processing, packaging, and/or pricing of material donations
• Train new volunteers and volunteers starting new projects or taking on new roles
• Effectively lead groups of volunteers through small and large group volunteer events that may take place in our center or at external locations
• Regularly communicate with volunteers to keep them informed and engaged so they feel welcome, productive, and valued
• Serve as primary contact for volunteer feedback and suggestions, following up and/or implementing changes, as appropriate
• Maintain volunteer portal, ensuring that volunteers are able to accurately and easily sign up for shifts and projects, including in-center shifts and take home projects
• Actively manage and maintain area of the center known as “Volunteer Land”
• Responsible for recruitment of new individual volunteers and groups, including creating outreach materials and campaigns to promote volunteer opportunities
• Responsible for maintenance of volunteer department processes and documentation, including material processing, making adjustments as needed to ensure volunteer tasks are completed accurately and efficiently
• Identify and address areas for continuous improvement within the volunteer department
• Responsible for risk management within the department, including health and safety, abuse prevention and vehicle usage
• Proactively…