Volunteer Experience and Engagement Officer

At Life Charity, our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. They give their time, skills and compassion to support women, families and communities across the UK. We're looking for a passionate and organised Volunteer Experience and Engagement Officer to help us recruit, engage, support and celebrate our volunteers, ensuring they have a positive and rewarding experience from their first enquiry through to long-term involvement.

Accountable to: HR Advisor, Retail and Volunteer Operations Manager

Location: Home Based with travel to sites around the UK and to the Leamington Spa Office

Contract Information: 21 hours per week across a minimum of 3 days/Permanent

Salary: £15,288 actual (£25,480 FTE)

Benefits:

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (pro-rota for part time contracts)
• Pension Scheme
• Flexible working arrangements
• Birthday leave after 1 years' service.
• Paid mileage for travel to locations other than base location.

Internal Relationships: Directors and Heads of departments/HR Team/All staff within Services and Income Generation Teams

External Relationships: Volunteer Centres/Local Communities/Local Councils/Associations that support volunteer management/Training providers

The Volunteer Experience & Engagement Officer plays a key role in ensuring that volunteers have a positive, meaningful, and impactful experience with the charity. This role is responsible for recruiting, supporting, engaging, and retaining volunteers, while fostering a strong sense of community and alignment with the organisation's mission.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment and Onboarding

• Develop and deliver effective volunteer recruitment strategies
• Manage volunteer applications, interviews, and selection processes
• Coordinate onboarding, inductions, and training sessions
• Ensure all volunteers are safely and appropriately onboarded (including checks where required)

Volunteer Experience and Engagement

• Act as the main point of contact for volunteers, providing ongoing support
• Design and implement initiatives to enhance volunteer satisfaction and engagement
• Organise events, recognition programmes, and feedback sessions
• Build a strong, inclusive, and motivated volunteer community

Retention and Development

• Monitor volunteer engagement and identify opportunities to improve retention
• Provide opportunities for skills development and progression
• Address concerns and resolve issues in a timely and supportive manner

Communication and Coordination

• Maintain regular communication with volunteers through newsletters, updates, and meetings
• Work closely with internal teams to match volunteers to suitable roles
• Ensure clear role descriptions and expectations for all volunteer positions

Monitoring and Reporting

• Track volunteer data, hours, and impact
• Collect feedback and evaluate volunteer programmes
• Produce reports on volunteer engagement and outcomes

Safeguarding and Compliance

• Ensure all volunteering activities comply with organisational policies and safeguarding standards
• Promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all volunteers

Key Outcomes

Growth in Volunteer Base

• Increase in the number of active volunteers
• Strong pipeline of new applicants from diverse backgrounds
• Reduced time to recruit and onboard new volunteers

High-Quality Volunteer Experience

• Positive volunteer satisfaction scores (e.g. via surveys/feedback)
• Volunteers report feeling valued, supported, and connected to the mission
• Consistent delivery of a structured and welcoming onboarding experience

Volunteer Retention & Commitment

• Improved volunteer retention rates over time
• Increased average length of volunteer engagement
• Higher levels of repeat participation and commitment

Engagement and Community Building

• Regular and well-attended volunteer events, communications, and initiatives
• Strong sense of community and belonging among volunteers
• Increased participation in engagement activities (meetings, training, events)

Effective Volunteer Deployment

• Volunteers are well-matched to roles aligned with their skills and interests
• Positive feedback from internal teams on volunteer contributions
• Reduced gaps in volunteer coverage across departments

Measurable Impact of Volunteering

• Clear tracking of volunteer hours and contributions
• Demonstrable impact of volunteers on service delivery and beneficiaries
• Ability to evidence volunteer value for reporting and funding purposes

Strong Communication and Relationships

• Consistent, clear, and engaging communication with volunteers
• Positive relationships between volunteers and staff teams
• Timely response to volunteer queries and concerns

Compliance and Safeguarding

• All volunteers appropriately trained and compliant with policies
• Safeguarding standards consistently upheld
• Minimal incidents due to clear processes and proactive management