Volunteering Recruitment and Onboarding Manager

• We work as one team, united by purpose, trust and shared success.
• We recognise, value and celebrate everyone who is part of our journey
• We are driven by curiosity, passion and pride in making a real impact

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the organisation's approach to volunteer recruitment and onboarding in-line with the Volunteering Strategy.
• Oversee all volunteer vacancies, working with volunteer-involving teams to understand current needs, recruitment priorities, and future demand.
• Monitor volunteer recruitment activity across the organisation, identifying shortages, hard-to-fill roles and any emerging trends, making recommendations as needed.
• Manage and develop a Grange-based team of 2 to 3 in the Volunteer Recruitment & Onboarding section of the wider Volunteering Team.
• Work collaboratively with Volunteering, Services, Marketing & Communications, IT and People teams.
• Represent Hearing Dogs externally where appropriate and develop relationships with volunteer centers, community organisations and other partners.
• Act as a champion for excellent volunteer recruitment and onboarding practice across the charity.

• Work with volunteer-involving teams to develop clear, engaging and realistic role descriptions, including expectations, commitments and requirements.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications colleagues to plan and deliver recruitment campaigns.
• Identify and develop new recruitment channels, partnerships, and opportunities to reach potential volunteers.
• Continually review and improve recruitment processes to increase the number of suitable applicants progressing from enquiry to active volunteering.
• Maintain the volunteer roles on the Hearing Dogs website.

• Ensure recruitment and onboarding processes are welcoming, accessible, and inclusive.
• Identify and remove avoidable barriers that may prevent people from volunteering.
• Promote inclusive recruitment practices that encourage applications from a diverse range of communities.
• Support colleagues to apply fair and consistent selection processes.
• Seek feedback from applicants and new volunteers and use it to improve volunteer experience.

• Own and continuously improve the volunteer onboarding journey from application through to volunteer role offer.
• Develop and maintain volunteer recruitment resources, communications, guidance and tools for volunteers and staff.
• Establish clear service standards and timescales for onboarding activity.
• Work closely with Volunteer Experience & Engagement Manager to ensure volunteers are welcomed, prepared and supported when starting in role.
• Monitor onboarding times and identify opportunities to improve efficiency without compromising quality or safeguarding requirements.
• Ensure applicants who are not suitable for a role receive timely, professional and respectful communication.

• Lead the development and review of volunteer recruitment and onboarding policies, procedures, and guidance.
• Ensure processes meet organisational, safeguarding, data protection and compliance requirements.
• Provide advice and support to managers and colleagues, promoting good practice and consistency across volunteer recruitment and onboarding.
• Develop standard operating procedures that support safe and consistent recruitment and onboarding practice.

• Lead improvements to the digital volunteer recruitment journey, playing a key role in the implementation of a Volunteer Management System.
• Work with IT and Digital teams to improve systems, workflows and automation, reducing manual administration where possible.
• Ensure volunteer recruitment systems provide accurate and meaningful information.
• Keep up to date with volunteering sector trends and good practice and recommend improvements where appropriate.

• Develop meaningful recruitment and onboarding reporting to support decision making.
• Monitor vacancy levels, application volumes, conversion rates, onboarding times and diversity data.
• Analyse trends, evidence and feedback to recommend improvements to recruitment outcomes.
• Produce regular reports and insights for leaders and stakeholders.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience of leading or managing volunteer recruitment, volunteer services, recruitment, applicant experience within a charity.
• Experience of designing and improving recruitment or onboarding processes that are accessible and inclusive.
• Experience of leading projects, process improvements, or organisational change.
• Good understanding of volunteer recruitment and onboarding.
• Knowledge of volunteer management good practice.
• Understanding of accessibility, inclusion, and reducing barriers to volunteering.
• Understanding of safeguarding, data protection and safer recruitment principles.
• Knowledge of digital recruitment methods and channels.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and manage multiple projects.
• Ability to analyse data and information to identify practical solutions and improvements.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to create clear and engaging information including policies, procedures, or guidance.
• Confidence using CRM systems, databases and reporting tools.
• Ability to influence and support colleagues at all levels of the organisation.

• A strong commitment to creating positive volunteer experiences.
• A collaborative and approachable way of working, with a wide range of stakeholders.
• A practical, organised and solution-focused approach.
• A commitment to inclusion and accessibility.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of organisation-wide work.

• Promote and uphold Hearing Dogs' values and contribute to an inclusive culture in which people are treated with dignity and respect.
• Follow all relevant policies and procedures, including safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality.
• Complete the level of deaf awareness and communication training required by Hearing Dogs.
• Work flexibly and collaboratively, including occasional travel and agreed evening or weekend activity where required.
• Undertake other reasonable duties consistent with the purpose and level of the role.

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Programme
• Death in Service Payment
• Annual leave enhancements recognising long service
• Day off for your birthday
• Defined contribution group personal pension plan
• Enhanced sick pay
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Eye care
• Hearing tests
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Discounts on merchandise at Hearing Dog gift shops
• Pet Dog Policy