Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteer Coordinator

House of Friendship – Human Resources

At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!

Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is!

Annually, over 1000 committed individuals support the community through the mission of House of Friendship, by volunteering in programs and special events across Waterloo Region. In this important role, the Volunteer Coordinator (in collaboration with program staff) is responsible for ensuring the volunteers are positively engaged at House of Friendship. The Coordinator will support recruitment, screening, onboarding and recognition of volunteers, while maintaining a working knowledge of all aspects of volunteer service practices in order to assess and meet the organization’s needs.

** This is a permanent, salaried, full-time (37.5 hours per week) position with paid sick time,

personal days and vacation; group health benefits and defined contribution pension plan.

Required travel throughout Waterloo Region.

Valid G class driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle are required.

A satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Police Records Check will be required pre-employment. **

Key Responsibilities:

• Support program staff with the recruitment, screening, onboarding and management of volunteers

• Building relationships with volunteers and program volunteer managers, including regularly visiting program sites and participating in programs (where appropriate)

• Take a lead role in volunteer engagement within the Christmas Food Program, responsible for volunteer recruitment, onsite training, and recognition – the Coordinator will be the main point of contact for this program’s volunteers

• Develop and maintain relationships with educational institutions, faith communities and local employers to increase volunteer engagement

• Attend volunteer fairs and events throughout Waterloo Region to increase awareness of House of Friendship’s programs and volunteer opportunities

• Assist in identifying strategies for growing the House of Friendship volunteer team

• Develop and maintain volunteer and student orientation and training requirements and materials

• Lead expert with the Volunteer Database, including providing training and support to House of Friendship team members and volunteers

• Support the Volunteer Manager to work with educational institutions to plan for placements and respond to student inquiries

• Support the Volunteer Manager to create and deliver presentations to schools and business groups, highlighting the opportunities at House of Friendship

• Develop innovative communication strategies, including social media to share opportunities, recognize volunteers and to ensure that volunteers are engaged and equipped as advocates

• Plan and execute volunteer recognition strategies including an annual appreciation event

• Work closely with the Events Coordinator to recruit, train and provide on-site support at House of Friendship’s signature events

• Work with Human Resources team to execute on HR led events such as years of service, social events etc.

• Develop reports and statistics on volunteer engagement across the organization

• Attend workshops and learning opportunities, staying current with volunteer trends and best practice

Education/Experience:

• Post-secondary education in a related field with a Certificate in Volunteer Management preferred

• Minimum two years related experience in human resources, volunteer engagement or supervisory work

• Strong administrative skills including demonstrated proficiency with common office and online products like SharePoint, MS Teams, and Excel

• Previous experience working with data and databases

• Excellent organizational and time management skills

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:

• Proven leadership and teambuilding skills

• Self-starter, ability to take initiative and self-direct work

• Strong ability to work independently and as part of a team, sometimes with individuals who are unknown to you

• Very strong interpersonal skills with a high level of comfort interacting with staff, students, volunteers and program participants throughout most days including in person or on the phone

• Skill in genuinely and inclusively interacting with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and identities, with a strong understanding and demonstrated application of equity principals

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build enthusiasm in a team

• Demonstrated skill in building and maintaining productive relationships (staff, volunteers and community partners)

• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members and community partners

• Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive staff, client and organizational issues

• Ability to speak multiple languages, an asset

• Shared lived experience with and/or direct ties to the communities we serve

Critical Skills:

• Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected

• Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem solving skills required

• Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants and community members

• Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs;

• Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach to volunteer coordination and service delivery;

• Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude;

• Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental illness and other life challenges;

• Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping;

Compensation:

• We value our team members above all else and know that our mission can only succeed through your work

• We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:

• We are a Living Wage employer as defined by the Ontario Living Wage Network

• We use a 3.5:1 ratio meaning that the highest paid team member is not paid more than 3.5 times than the lowest paid team member

• Time off includes 3 weeks of vacation, 3 personal days and sick credits totaling approximately 12 days per year

• Full time benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Group Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (ADD), Long Term Disability (LTD) and Health Care Spending Account

• We believe strongly in supporting the mental health of our team members including providing access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, $1,000 for counselling services and our workplace Wellness and Psychological Health and Safety programs

• We help you save for the future by providing a retirement plan that includes a matched Group Pension Plan as well as a Group RRSP and a Group Tax Free Savings Account

At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of “grades” and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate’s past related experience will be taken into consideration along with where others with similar experience are currently on the pay grid. Note: Due to the internal composition of our pay grids, many team members with lengthy experience are between the start and mid-point of the range and therefore most new team members will be placed accordingly.

Grade: 4

Min: $21.53

Mid: $24.93

Max: $28.33

Working Conditions:

• 37.5 hours per week

• Generally daytime, weekday hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm)

• Occasional evening and weekend work required to support House of Friendship’s signature events and the Christmas Food Program

• Outdoor work in December is required

• Encountering participants at program sites who may be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness can be expected

• Vacation may not be taken during November and early December to support the Christmas Food Program

House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.

We strive to remove barriers that may prevent qualified applicants from fully participating in the recruitment and selection process. Accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and other applicable legislation is available throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Accommodations will be provided upon request.

If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let’s talk.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter

By end of day January 15, 2024.