Volunteer and Communications Manager

We are seeking a Volunteer and Communications Manager to lead our organization in creating meaningful and impactful volunteer experiences for community members.

The Volunteer and Communications Manager will engage and facilitate Nicholas House supporters to give of their time, talent and resources to help Nicholas House serve families who are struggling with housing stability.  The Volunteer and Communications Manager will work with the Director of Development to create opportunities to convert volunteers to financial contributors. The ideal candidate will have a passion for engaging with stakeholders and presenting opportunities for them to help Nicholas House families build a better future. The Volunteer Manager will also oversee Community Engagement.

This position is responsible for ensuring optimal attention, support and retention of volunteers. The Volunteer Manager works in tandem with programs, ensuring that needs are explored and identified, utilizing active inquiry, experiential learning and continuous adjustment/improvement. The overarching goal of this position is to increase and improve meaningful points of engagement for current and potential volunteers. This position reports to the Director of Development, and is part of operations that include general fundraising, events, communications, donor solicitation, special campaigns, and evaluation.

The ideal candidate believes that working together creates more effective and longer solutions for the families we serve. We believe we should “do with”. We work “with” the families in our program, trusting that they are capable of developing their future story; we work “with” community partners instead of competing against them. And we work “with” our volunteers and donors to facilitate opportunities for them to help Nicholas House families make important and lasting changes in their lives.

WHO WE ARE

Nicholas House’s mission is to help families who are experiencing homelessness and support them through their crisis. Nicholas House helps families who are struggling to pay rent move into affordable homes, get themselves to work and their children off to school, and ultimately lift themselves up and out of poverty and toward a better life.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The Volunteer and Communications Manager is responsible for the following:

• Implement and manage an effective volunteer program, which includes collaborating with program staff to identify current and future volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups; providing education, support, and hands-on help to staff to ensure volunteers have a positive and rewarding experience; and engaging volunteers in in-kind drives, awareness campaigns, fundraising efforts, and social engagement opportunities.
• Have a complete understanding of all volunteer roles and duties and create policies and procedures that outline these roles and duties.
• Recruit, screen, orient and retain new volunteers and craft onboarding process to include education about poverty, homelessness and the mission of Nicholas House.
• Provide ongoing education to volunteers regarding poverty, hunger, homelessness, and ways volunteers can make an impact.
• Maintain active, timely communication with individual volunteers and the larger base of volunteers.
• Craft regular volunteer communication, including emails, social media, website, and newsletters in conjunction with the Director of Development.
• Represent Nicholas House publicly at events, meetings, committees, projects, or other activities as assigned.
• Works with the Director of Development on donor communications and strategies to engage donors in meaningful volunteer opportunities and inviting volunteers to become donors.

WHO YOU ARE AND KEYS TO SUCCESS (the must-haves)

To be successful in this job, you will excel in five areas:

• Relationship-building: You will develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders to the organization, the Nicholas House Board of Directors, and Nicholas House staff. You come across as genuine and build authentic relationships and follow  through on commitments.
• Drive to achieve results: You have a track record of accomplishing ambitious goals and getting results even when there are obstacles. You set a high bar and meet it, because you think multiple steps ahead to anticipate hurdles and come up with pragmatic solutions. You plan backwards and involve others appropriately. You hold a high bar even when things are hectic.
• Manages a high volume of work with efficiency: Has, or can create, a system for keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You are able to juggle competing demands and prioritize without sacrificing quality. You are able to plan backwards to make deadlines.
• Entrepreneurial and resourceful: You consistently overcome challenges and leverage resources to creatively solve problems. You Propose solutions to issues without much guidance (but aren’t afraid to ask questions). You proactively asks for help, anticipates problems, and course-correct where needed.
• Attention to detail: You notice and fix errors that others might overlook. You acknowledge mistakes and turn them into learning opportunities. You have a track record of leaving things better than you found them.

IF YOU WERE HERE RIGHT NOW, YOU WOULD BE: 

• Evaluating volunteer management systems to incorporate into the website to allow online volunteer sign-ups and automatic communication with volunteers to streamline work.
• Working with the Director of Development on engagement strategies to convert volunteers to organization donors and to incorporate donors into volunteer opportunities.
• Work with the Director of Development to implement end of year communication plans for donors and volunteers.
• Manage all of the end of year in-kind donation programs and volunteer requests, which is one of our busiest times of the year.

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• The position is full-time. The Volunteer and Communications Manager position is a hybrid position, with the ability to work from home. The salary for this position ranges from $45K to $47K, with exact salary depending on experience. We also offer excellent benefits such as health insurance where a percentage of the benefit is paid by Nicholas House and 50% match to a 403b on all contributed funds up to 6% of annual earnings with NHI. Other benefits include a cell phone stipend, paid vacation, holidays and personal days.

How to Apply Please send a cover letter and resume to Jannan Thomas, Executive Director, jthomas@nicholashouse.org