Volunteer Manager

Volunteer Manager (VM)

Volunteers are critical to achieving KHS's mission. Our 350-plus active volunteers work in every aspect of our operation from direct animal care to outreach events. We could not operate the shelter without their support. Recruiting, training, scheduling, and retaining our volunteers is crucial to the success of our organization.

The VM is responsible for the success and management of our volunteer program, ensuring that volunteers are effectively utilized and continuously supported throughout the organization. The VM interacts closely with all volunteers and staff from all departments and must be supportive and approachable.

The Volunteer Manager reports to the Director of Animal Welfare.

Specific duties include:

Volunteer Staffing

The VM is responsible for hiring, training, and supervising the full time Volunteer Assistant and ensuring that they are effectively supporting the volunteers and shelter needs.

The VM is responsible for leading KHS's volunteer recruitment efforts through online marketing and social media, community events, in-person networking, and other activities. As a prominent face of KHS in the community, the VM is frequently able to promote the shelter and the wealth of volunteer opportunities here. They work closely with the numerous departments across the shelter to market volunteer opportunities, and to create new volunteer roles to meet department needs.

Orientation and Training

The VM and the Assistant are the volunteer's first contact at KHS and as such, set the tone and expectations for all volunteers. The volunteer department welcomes new volunteers to KHS through regularly scheduled virtual and in-person orientation sessions, creates trainings, schedules volunteers into regular work shifts, connects volunteers with their supervisors, and follows up to ensure that the volunteers are integrating smoothly into their KHS department.

The VM leads a variety of volunteer training sessions for specific volunteer assignments. In other circumstances where job-specific training is provided by department staff, the VM also works with staff to schedule these volunteer trainings, as well as to develop effective training materials and programs.

Volunteer Retention

The volunteer program is only successful if volunteers stay with KHS after signing up. The VM is responsible for maximizing the retention of volunteers:

· Develop a budget and assess available resources for the volunteer program activities.

· Conduct continuous evaluation of the programs and services delivered by volunteers and implement changes when necessary.

· Implement effective strategies to recruit volunteers with the right skills at the right time to match the interest of the organization.

· Setting and communicating clear expectations to volunteers.

· Training staff on how to work with volunteers and how to develop strong working relationships. Provide a supportive, welcoming environment for volunteers;

· Helping volunteers integrate into the KHS environment;

· Representing the needs of volunteers to KHS management, coordinators and staff;

· Seeking ongoing feedback from volunteers;

· Continually looking for ways to strengthen the volunteer program and improve the volunteer experience;

· Scheduling, organizing, and executing volunteer appreciation events.

Volunteer Supervision

Volunteers are supervised by their department manager (or, in some cases, by other volunteers). The VM is responsible for working with those supervisors to ensure the best possible working environment for the volunteers, and to ensure that volunteer service is being utilized in a way that best fits the needs of the shelter. They are available to help supervisors offer constructive feedback or disciplinary action when necessary, and are also responsible for providing direct feedback, coaching, and disciplinary action to volunteers as needed.

The VM also acts as administrator on the Official KHS Volunteer Facebook Group page.

Interdepartmental Support

The VM works closely with other coordinators and managers in the shelter to provide volunteer support for department-specific needs, unique one-time opportunities, and special events. They may…