Volunteer Coordinator

Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $18-22
Work Location: On site
Reports to Shelter Operations Director

Company Overview

Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC) is a dynamic and progressive humane society in contract with Hamilton County to deliver exceptional animal services to our community. We enforce animal laws and prioritize public safety while striving to be a community resource providing education and support to the people and animals of Hamilton County. We value our team of compassionate, open-minded and resilient staff and volunteers who make it possible to care for 8,000 animals each year. We believe that lifesaving is a community ethic and implement a collaborative, holistic approach to animal sheltering and Dog Warden services.

Position Summary

The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, training, and organizing volunteers to support the shelter’s operations and programs. This role will focus on creating a positive and rewarding experience for volunteers, ensuring their skills and interests are matched with appropriate opportunities within the organization. The Volunteer Coordinator will also plan and implement strategies to increase volunteer participation and retention.  This role requires a dynamic “people-person” with a talent for building strong relationships, communicating effectively, and inspiring action. The individual in this position will be results-driven and committed to fulfilling the organization’s volunteer needs by collaborating with department managers, recruiting a diverse volunteer workforce, and creatively identifying engagement opportunities for volunteers.

The successful candidate will thrive in an environment of uncertainty and ambiguity, rising to the challenges inherent in a start-up entity. This is a unique opportunity for self-starter. We are looking for someone who can rise above the day-to-day demands of the job to take a holistic approach to program coordination, using data to make decisions, anticipate challenges and execute a strategic response.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Plan and implement volunteer recruitment strategies.
• Conduct outreach to attract diverse groups of volunteers.
• Coordinate and lead volunteer orientation sessions and training programs.
• Ensure all volunteers complete volunteer orientation training
• Responding to corporate and community volunteer partnership opportunities
• Schedule and assign volunteers to various roles and tasks based on their skills and interests.
• Provide ongoing support, supervision, and recognition to volunteers.
• Through collaboration with departments, ensure that volunteers receive additional training as appropriate.
• Maintain the volunteer spaces within the shelter with information and supplies
• Swiftly address volunteer concerns with the shelter and shelter concerns with volunteers; up to and including termination
• Be available on-site and actively interact with volunteers on a daily basis
• Update and maintain the Volunteer Handbook
• Coordinate large group volunteer programs; project identification, scheduling, communicating with group-leaders and staff, and ensuring a safe and fulfilling experience.
• Create and maintain volunteer role descriptions.
• Update volunteer policies and procedures.
• Plan and coordinate volunteer appreciation events and activities.
• Train other staff members about the value of volunteers and how to work with volunteers
• Perform regular safety reviews and implement strategies to mitigate safety concerns
• Work collaboratively with department managers to ensure strategic, efficient overall shelter operations that save the most lives
• Coordinate systems and protocols to ensure volunteer program sustainability
• Perform regular assessments of the operational effectiveness of the volunteer program and protocol
• Maintain regular communication with volunteers through newsletters, emails, and social media.
• Collaborate with other staff members to identify volunteer needs and opportunities.
• Represent the shelter at community events and volunteer fairs.
• Respond to emails and phone calls from volunteers in a timely manner
• Maintain accurate volunteer records and track volunteer hours.
• Prepare reports on volunteer activities and program outcomes.
• Support leadership in evaluating the effectiveness of volunteer initiatives and make improvements as needed.

Requirements:

• 1+ years of animal shelter or animal welfare experience preferred
• 2+ years of volunteer coordinating experience preferred
• Schedule will generally be set but must be flexible to attend and assist with marquee events throughout the year
• Unwavering composure, integrity, and professional maturity
• Passionate about animal welfare
• Ability to coordinate strong teams
• Operates with a sense of urgency driven by the recognition that we are in a lifesaving business
• Innovative mindset- inspired and unafraid to bring something new to this space
• Results-oriented – ability to drive results to plan with full accountability
• Nimble – demonstrates learning agility, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change
• Growth-minded – self-reflective, humble and open; seeks, welcomes and incorporates, professional feedback with an authentic commitment to improve and grow
• Inquisitive- has a history of seeking out best practices and successfully assimilating them into their organization
• Embodies unwavering commitment to CAC’s values and positive workplace culture

Working Conditions:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in high, precarious places; and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
• Exposure and handling unvetted animals and their waste is frequent.