ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.
Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?
If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.
The Volunteer Specialist supports World Relief Western NY’s (WRWNY) efforts of building a welcoming church and community engagement structure that positively impacts program participants, volunteers, the church, and the community. This is accomplished through ensuring individual volunteers, interns, and one-time service groups are engaged in fostering a welcoming and thriving community in Western NY. The Volunteer Specialist will be responsible for the successful implementation and oversight of WRWNY’s intern program, role-based volunteer teams, and one-time volunteer service opportunities, including onboarding, training, placement, engagement, retention, and recognition.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate and lead WRWNY’s Airport Welcome Team, Home Setup Team, Transportation Team, and Mail & Paperwork Support Team
- Lead in screening and providing group orientation to new volunteers, offering guidance through the onboarding process and role placement process within World Relief’s volunteer opportunities
- Maintain a consistent, efficient, and thorough application, screening, and onboarding process of all volunteers and interns that complies with National Performance Standards
- Manage/maintain online and/or paper volunteer logs and report on volunteer activities for federal or private grants and internal use
- Manage the components of the onboarding process for Western NY’s role-based volunteer teams, and one-time volunteer service volunteers, including application review, orientation, processing background checks and reference checks, and tracking completion of general orientation courses on World Relief’s e-learning platform
- Maintain records, and follow-up with all volunteers regarding background checks and motor vehicle registration checks
- Partner with the Community Engagement Specialist to recruit volunteers and interns In collaboration with internal stakeholders, determine volunteer assignment needs for team and individual volunteers and interns
- Support volunteers and interns in finding the best placement(s) in WRWNY
- Closely track database and manage volunteer assignments
- Develop frequent targeted emails, phone calls, and unique methods of engagement within existing volunteer base to increase retention and recruitment
- Provide hands-on support and training for volunteer teams, including but not limited to, setting up homes, helping with airport arrivals, and sitting in on mail and paperwork support
- Monitor the progress of each volunteer assignment, addressing any performance deficits in a timely manner
- Oversee the volunteer and intern onboarding process, provide role-specific training, and provide ongoing training as needed
- Develop a timeline for reaching out to volunteers and interns who have served with WRWNY focused on appreciation, training, and check-ins to strengthen experiences
- Project manage WRWNY’s quarterly volunteer events (Fall Launch, Christmas Cocoa, April Volunteer Appreciation, Summer Picnic)
- Supervise academic year and summer internship programs as well as manage interns’ tasks Ensure volunteers and interns are logging hours/mileage and approve hours/mileage on a weekly basis
- Work as the primary point of contact for non-Gift in Kind group volunteer/service events
- Provide ongoing technical support and follow up with volunteer teams, individuals, and interns
- Provide ongoing volunteer and intern appreciation
- Follow-up with volunteers and interns to increase retention
- Church and Community Engagement Team Collaboration Functions:
- Assist the CCE Team with general volunteer orientations, church and community events, community engagement, trainings, and program activities
- Provide monthly input into the Volunteer Newsletter
- Meet 1-on-1 with GNT leaders, friendship partners, church leaders, community partners, and other relevant individuals regarding partnering with WRWNY
- Attend departmental meetings to share input on program participants adjustment and integration, and to better guide volunteers and interns in assisting to meet programmatic and missional goals.
- Participate in relevant national World Relief community of practice(s) on a periodic basis
- Serve as the primary point of contact for at least one local church
- Develop volunteer ambassadors and/or interns related to volunteer teams
- Participate in conversations regarding monetary donations with relevant constituents
- Pray for World Relief, program participants, the church, and the Western NY community
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Mature and personal Christian faith
- Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
- Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
- Able to affirm World Relief’s Core Beliefs and Statement of Faith, and acknowledge World Relief’s Christian Identity and National Evangelicals For the Health of The Nation document
- Current driver’s license and access to reliable transportation required
- Ability to work one weekend/month and one evening/week for meetings/trainings with volunteers, churches, and community partners that may fall outside normal business hours (You have significant control over these times)
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
- Previous experience with volunteer management and training development
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Strong leadership skills to motivate, inspire, and encourage a diverse group of people
- Self-motivated worker with the ability to problem solve and demonstrate initiative Demonstrated love for adventure
- Must have the ability to work under pressure with flexibility both in person and using technology
- Detail oriented
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate logistics
- Ability to both ask for help and step into situations where help is needed
- Proven ability to troubleshoot unique situations, multi-task, and manage multiple deadlines with a limited degree of supervision
- Strong written and verbal communication English
- Experience working with churches and comfortable with public presentations
- Demonstrated ability to solve problems in an efficient, calm manner
- Excellent interpersonal, collaborative, active listening, and communication skills
- Ability to build positive inter-departmental relationships
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively and sensitively with people of diverse cultural and religious backgrounds
- Experience working or volunteering with refugee or immigrant communities strongly preferred
- Strong computer knowledge, including MS Office and the ability to learn new programs
TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are typically representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Please review job description for exceptions to these requirements.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations
- The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds.
- Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information.
- The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, and communicate.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Extended periods of time may be required for computer work, reading from a screen, data entry, utilizing office equipment such as copiers and fax machines, as well as participation in phone or online meetings.
- Year-end archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending.
- Physical, emotional and intellectual demands
- Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, and copier.
- All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.
