We are Chester Zoo, and for over 80 years we’ve been a leading conservation and education charity, and an amazing, award-winning visitor attraction.
We’re also a team of passionate, talented, enthusiastic and expert people, doing everything we can to keep the zoo going, from feeding the animals to discovering new conservation ideas, and giving our 1.9 million visitors an inspirational day out. We work hard because we love animals, we care about nature, we love Chester Zoo and we want to be the best zoo in the world!
If you think you can help us to achieve that, then we’d love to hear from you.
We are currently have an exciting vacancy for a Volunteer Manager to lead and develop our volunteering programme, working within our award winning Discovery and Learning team.
The Role:
- Overall responsibility for the ongoing development and management of the zoo’s flagship volunteering programme, including the development of new schemes for particular target groups or to achieve specific learning outcomes.
- Recruitment, training and day-to-day supervision of 200+ volunteers Developing and maintaining systems for tracking volunteer activities, including references, training records, availability and CPD interests, in collaboration with other departments and in line with all relevant legislation.
- Reporting on the volunteer programme to senior management, trustees and other stakeholders.
- Ensuring that all volunteers are kept up to date with zoo news, changes in policy and current opportunities, through the organisation of regular training events and briefings, and via a range of media.
- Development and delivery of our volunteer induction and training programmes, including the delivery of training sessions and development of resources.
- Managing all budgets associated with volunteering.
- Keeping up to date on best practice in volunteer management and public engagement to ensure our volunteer programme continues to work to the highest standards, including undertaking benchmarking exercise as appropriate.
- Leading and collaborating on research projects relevant to the development of the volunteer programme, exploring impacts on volunteers themselves, zoo visitors and the organisation.
- Representing Chester Zoo at conferences, networking events and similar, raising the profile of our work with volunteers, how we engage with them and their impact on the visitor experience.
- Managing and supporting the Volunteer Officer.
The successful candidates will have:
- Substantial experience of managing volunteers and developing volunteer programmes.
- Previous experience working in a large public facing organisation.
- Excellent customer service skills, alongside experience working with and/or supporting volunteers in a visitor facing environment.
- Experience in establishing and maintaining appropriate systems for the management and accurate recording of volunteer programmes.
- Experience developing learning pathways for volunteers.
- Experience developing detailed evaluation a frameworks, managing projects and reporting on outcomes to internal and external audiences.
- Substantial experience working with a range of community organisations, particularly from the voluntary and adult learning sectors.
- Excellent presentation skills and have experience of delivering engaging training sessions preferably to a wide range of participant groups and especially to those who face additional barriers to learning.
- Excellent time management, administration, planning skills and the ability to work under pressure and deal with sensitive issues.
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills; the ability to work collaboratively.
- A high level of competency in the use of all Microsoft packages and the use of digital technologies for public engagement.
Prior knowledge of conservation and zoology would also be advantageous, this is likely be demonstrated by a Zoology or Biological Science degree and/or experience of working within a zoo, conservation organisation or similar environment.
This position is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Hours of work are 40 hours per week within a 5 in 7 roster system which will include weekends and Bank Holidays. A degree of flexibility to cover volunteer events will be required, with time off in lieu given for any additional hours worked.
The salary for this role is £32,639.05 per annum and in addition we offer a range of amazing benefits which can be found at http://www.chesterzoo.org/footer/careers/working-at-chester-zoo..
To apply for this position, please provide your current CV and complete the application form highlighting your skills and experience including why you should be considered for our Volunteer Manager role to http://www.chesterzoo.org/footer/careers.
Closing date for applications is 31 March 2019
Interviews will be held week commencing 8 April 2019
