Volunteer Co-ordinator at FareShare South West

Salary: £24,132

Hours: Full-time. 37.5hrs per week (usual hours are 8.30am – 5pm Mon – Fri, with occasional evening and weekend work)

Location: Based across FareShare South West’s Depots and Office in Bristol

Reporting to: Volunteer Recruitment Manager

Responsible for: Volunteers

Working with: Volunteer Recruitment Manager and Volunteer Development Team

About FareShare South West

FareShare South West (FSSW) is part of the national FareShare UK (FSUK) network of surplus food redistribution charities. We fight food poverty by tackling food waste. We source quality surplus food from retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers. Our food is a vital lifeline for children and families, people on low incomes, people who have lost their jobs, the homeless, refugees, domestic abuse survivors, the elderly, and key workers.

We rely on over 200 brilliant volunteers from a range of different backgrounds, to help redistribute this food to 400 frontline charities. During 2021, FSSW piloted our first employability programme and we are currently planning the launch of our Volunteer+ programme. The aim of this is to enhance and expand our support to the community and people who volunteer with us.

About this role

Volunteering at FareShare South West is an essential part of our operational model and our charitable objectives. As volunteer coordinator, you’ll work with the warehouse team to effectively coordinate the recruitment, retention, and development of volunteers. Your role has two main aims; - to ensure we have volunteers to safely and effectively deliver our daily operations and to provide every volunteer with a meaningful, enjoyable experience. As well as supporting volunteers, you’ll work with different teams across the organisation and take the lead on volunteer onboarding and diversity.

Duties & Responsibilities

General Recruitment

• Actively engage and promote the volunteer programme across Bristol and the South West (third sector community, social media, support services and partner organisations).
• Work with the Volunteer Recruitment manager and wider FSSW team to enhance volunteer recruitment and support and develop corporate volunteering shifts.
• Utilise and develop new and existing processes to manage proactive recruitment and new volunteer enquiries through successful on-boarding (using various software platforms).
• Work with the Volunteer Recruitment Manager to develop targeted outreach programmes to increase diversity, social impact, and community engagement.

Workforce planning

• Work with the Volunteer Recruitment Manager and Warehouse Managers, to monitor and analyse levels of volunteering against the need for optimum workforce levels for different shifts.
• Contribute to reporting on volunteer activity and other specific KPIs.
• Identify daily/weekly/monthly fluctuation in the volunteer rota and taking action accordingly.
• Identify tasks/roles/needs that would inform future recruitment activity and input into the volunteer development and recruitment plan.
• Develop volunteer roles within the warehouse with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Retention/Support

• Develop and maintain a positive and supportive volunteer programme and experience.
• Lead on volunteer wellbeing throughout the shift and provide different levels of training and support to the volunteer workforce as required.
• Input into volunteer retention analysis and develop strategies to improve.
• Assist Warehouse Manager to deliver volunteer 1-2-1s including performance management and development.
• Organise volunteer celebration events

Administration, policies, procedures, and risk management

• Supporting the Volunteer Recruitment Manager to develop and maintain volunteer policies, procedures, and risk assessments.
• Maintain volunteer information and confidentiality, ensuring compliance with GDPR.
• Use database systems and software to record volunteer information.

Warehouse Support

• Working with the Warehouse Managers, support volunteers to fulfil their responsibilities - including food intake, storage, and distribution.
• Support volunteer van crews to follow safe driving and vehicle maintenance practices.
• Support the Volunteer Recruitment Manager and Warehouse Managers to ensure ongoing warehouse compliance.
• Work with wider Warehouse Tea to reduce waste, maximise the distribution of surplus food to CFMs and make improvements for efficiency.

General

• Respond to enquiries via telephone, email, in person or via in-house IT/systems.
• Receive and positively engage with visitors to the warehouse.
• Support FSSW events and support the comms team with collecting content.
• Carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in support of the main purpose of the role, including liaising with the wider FSSW team.
• Uphold high quality customer care and standards of conduct when dealing with all stakeholders and the general public.
• Ensure the security of the FSSW Regional Centre and all assets located within it, including food, and maintained at all times
• Driving and forklifting duties where appropriate.

Person Specification

Experience / Knowledge - Essential

• Experience of recruitment, either volunteers and/or employees
• Experience of implementing policies and procedures.
• Knowledge or awareness of volunteering.
• Administration experience, including database and record keeping

Experience / Knowledge - Desirable

• Experience of supporting the professional development of others.
• Managing and supporting volunteers and/or teams.
• Experience of safe recruitment practices.
• A working knowledge of the voluntary sector and/or experience of carrying out voluntary work.
• Experience of working in a busy warehouse environment.
• Experience of working in a food environment.
• Experience of fundraising or promoting a charity’s work

Skills / Abilities - Essential

• Ability to establish and develop positive relationships with volunteers as well as a range of external partnerships.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with volunteers and the ability to promote the charity to a wide range of audiences.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills to prioritise work, handle conflicting demands and meet tight deadlines.
• Good level of competence in use of different software packages and databases.
• Ability to notice support needs amongst applicants.
• Awareness of Health & Safety within a warehouse environment.

Skills / Abilities - Desirable

• Ability to inspire and motivate volunteers across the organisation.
• Ability to analyse workforce requirements and targets.
• An understanding of what drives volunteers.
• Forklift driving licence.
• Full clean UK driving licence.

Personal Qualities

• Excellent attention to detail.
• Integrity and sensitivity to vulnerability issues and different support needs.
• Enthusiasm, imagination, innovation, energy, and drive with the ability to inspire confidence both internally and externally.
• High personal integrity and commitment to the charitable aims and values of the organisation
• Enjoys a varied role