Job Description

Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Merseyside, Birmingham, Bristol, Plymouth or Bournemouth

Closing date: Sunday 9th May 2021 at 11.30 pm

Do you have a proven ability to support and develop a volunteering programme and experience of delivering innovative volunteer development projects that enhance volunteer engagement? Then join Shelter in the brand new role of Volunteering Development Officer at one of the above locations and you could soon be playing a vital role in ensuring that all of our volunteers have a truly quality experience.

About Shelter
A home is a fundamental human need, as essential as education or healthcare. Yet millions of people across Britain struggle on a daily basis with homelessness, bad housing conditions, soaring rents, discrimination and the threat of eviction. So, we are striving for change, with individuals, in communities, across society, and leading the way to a safe home. We need ambitious, best-in-class individuals who are passionate about our cause to join us at this exciting time. This is your chance to play a part in the fundamental change we are striving to achieve.

At Shelter we are united by our purpose to defend the right to a safe home. Our enemy is the social injustice at the core of the escalating housing emergency. We believe that to win that fight, we must be representative of the people we are here to help and those who support our movement for change. In all our people decisions, we take pride in being inclusive, fair, equitable and transparent.

We have committed to combat racism both within and outside Shelter and welcome you on our journey to becoming a truly anti-racist organisation.

About the team
Our Volunteering Team sits within a People Directorate that engages more than 2,500 volunteers in our shops, Hubs and local communities. As well as supporting the mobilisation of volunteers to deliver Shelter’s strategic priorities, the team provides the infrastructure and insight that enables that mobilisation. Volunteers are a vital part of our growing movement for change and we’re passionate about the positive impacts of volunteering for both individuals and organisations. Over the next financial year, we’ll deliver an ambitious Volunteering Plan that will develop the quality of the volunteering offer. This is your chance to be part of our exciting volunteering vision for the future.

About the role
You’ll play a big part in implementing our Volunteering plan by leading on and delivering key volunteering projects and supporting volunteer engagement across the organisation. The role comes with a broad and flexible remit to harness opportunities and deliver maximum impact too. For example, we’ll look to you to advise on the development of new volunteer roles that will ensure positive experiences for volunteers at Shelter. You’ll also be responsible for creating appropriate resources and processes that empower teams to engage and support volunteers. Building positive relationships with key stakeholders so that volunteering infrastructure and resources are established to meet their needs will be vital too. And, when it comes to facilitating learning to further develop our volunteering culture or heading up elements of volunteer communications and engagement initiatives, again, we’ll count on you.

We are happy to talk about flexible working, personal growth, and to promote a workplace where you can be yourself and achieve success based only on your merit.

About you
You’ll need  an inclusive and innovative approach to volunteer engagement and experience of applying best practice principles in areas like recruitment, managing risk, induction and training, communication and consultation/feedback. The ability to lead on volunteering development projects using a project management approach, whilst planning and delivering your own workload is essential. What’s more, you’ll need the creativity and communication skills it takes to manage stakeholder relationships and influence teams to develop volunteering and champion volunteering internally, adapting your style as necessary for different audiences. You’ll also need experience of providing advice and guidance that empowers teams to engage volunteers, plus a flair for designing, planning and facilitating training and devising resources and/or digital tools to support the development of those best practice approaches.

Benefits
We offer a wide range of benefits, including 30 days of annual leave, enhanced family friendly policies, pension and interest free travel loans. Our employees also have access to a tenancy deposit loan, payroll giving, cycle to work scheme and an employee assistance programme.

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help. We’re here so no one has to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own.

To find out more about the role and the benefits of working for Shelter please visit our website. Apply to be part of our team and be the change you want to see in society.

Safeguarding is everyone's business. Shelter is committed to protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of those we support, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. All our staff will be expected to observe professional standards of behaviour and conduct their work in line with our Safeguarding Policies.

Shelter does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.