Volunteer Coordinator (New Forest)

Do you enjoy supporting people and would you like to make a positive impact for nature? We are looking for a strong people person with well-honed organisational skills to champion and coordinate our practical conservation, gardening, wildlife survey and outdoor centre volunteer teams.

With your help we can do even more, by creating new volunteering opportunities and developing existing teams. Volunteers are key to the smooth running of our reserves, so we want to make sure we give them the best experience possible – you will play an important role in helping us do this!

This role is very flexible, so can fit around your other commitments. We’d envisage it being part home based (eg, 1 to 1.5 days a week) and part reserve based (eg, half a day a week) so proximity to the reserve is important.

As part of your volunteering from home set up, we’d supply you with an RSPB laptop for ease of accessing RSPB Systems and MS Teams for meetings.

When you’re volunteering from the reserve, this not only gives you the chance to get to know the volunteers and reserve staff, but it’s also a fantastic setting to work from!

Hidden away in the northern corner of the New Forest, Franchises Lodge is home to a wide range wildlife and a landscape scale habitat restoration project is well underway. It’s also where the RSPB’s first ever activity centre has been created, Cameron’s Cottage, designed to help teenagers and young adults to create lasting memories in nature.

You will be helping us by:

•Being the first point of contact for dealing with enquiries from those interested in volunteering.

•Helping to answer queries where you can for existing reserve volunteers, in liaison with the staff who line manage the volunteers.

•Supporting staff in recruiting new volunteers. Help by proofreading new role profiles, creating adverts/posters, promoting roles on external websites, provide admin support for interview process.

•Assisting staff to plan and deliver volunteer inductions.

•Organising volunteer thank you events (a couple of times a year) and long service awards (special pin badges).

•Compiling volunteer reserve newsletter to keep volunteers up to date with the latest news.

•Monitoring Assemble (our Volunteer Database) to ensure key details for volunteers like emergency contact details and training records are kept up to date. Follow up with reminders to volunteers when data is missing.

•Helping keep volunteer records current/up to date on Assemble.

•Carrying-out other administrative tasks like processing volunteer expense claims and create ID badges.

Why volunteer with us?

•Flexibility- the home working element of the role can fit in around your other commitments.

•The opportunity to meet new people- volunteers and staff alike.

•The chance to work in a beautiful reserve setting.

•You will be part of a large and diverse team of staff and volunteers. This is a chance to gain experience in working with people of all ages and to learn new skills and develop existing ones.

•You'd be making a real difference by helping us keep the reserves well-supported by volunteers, ensuring they are safe for visitors and well-managed for wildlife.

•There is room for development within the role, an opportunity to volunteer for additional days or role-share.

•You'd be helping us to ensure that volunteers have a rewarding and enjoyable time with us. It's a wonderful opportunity to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation.

You'll be trained in everything you need to know before starting in role, including in our Volunteer Database, Assemble. We'll also support you in your role every step of the way.

Beneficial skills include:

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.

• You need to be a great people person, friendly and approachable.

• Excellent telephone manner and written communication skills.

• An ability to lead/inspire others and work as part of a team.

• Creative and forward thinking.

• Computer literacy (including Microsoft Office).

• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a small team.

• Excellent record keeper.

• Ability to work from home.

• Tact/diplomacy.

The RSPB is the UK's largest nature conservation charity! Join our fantastic volunteers who are helping to inspire everyone to give nature a home and secure a healthy environment for wildlife. We will help you gain skills and give you an invaluable insight into our essential work.