Volunteer Coordinator

Summary 

The Downtown Women’s Center, located in Skid Row, is dedicated to serving and empowering individuals experiencing homelessness. Our mission is to end homelessness in greater Los Angeles through housing and supportive services centered on wellness, employment, and advocacy. The Individual Volunteer Coordinator is a passionate relationship builder who will support DWC’s individual volunteer program and promote a culture of volunteerism throughout the agency. Under the supervision of the Community Relations Manager, this positionworks with program staff to identify volunteer needs and opportunities; recruits, trains, and schedules volunteers; stewards relationships with DWC’s volunteer community; and collaborates across all departments to ensure the needs of the Center are being met. Part of the Development team, this position supports DWC’s public profile and community relations efforts. We welcome applicants of diverse backgrounds who can speak to their experience building relationships and coordinating projects, and who are committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles. Please submit a resume and cover letter through DWC’s application portal. This role will require a combination of remote and on-site work at DWC’s Downtown LA office.

Essential Functions

• Recruit, train, orient, lead, and supervise volunteers to support DWC’s programs and operations
• Manage the volunteer email inbox. Provide timely and accurate responses to volunteer inquiries, communicate about upcoming shifts, and connect volunteers with skills-based opportunities.
• Lead monthly volunteer orientations (Volunteer orientations consist of in-person and virtual sessions held both during the week and on weekends)
• Regularly review and update handbooks, training presentations and manuals, and other program materials to help volunteers meet the mission of DWC.
• Coordinate with program staff to:
• Identify volunteer opportunities that further programmatic and advocacy goals.
• Manage volunteer schedules/shifts
• Maintain up-to-date roles
• Organize trainings for new volunteers
• Ensure program needs are being met
• Maintain DWC’s volunteer calendar with information about upcoming volunteer shifts
• Create and distribute monthly volunteer newsletter.
• Maintain accurate data for reporting by tracking volunteer engagement and activities in databases.
• Steward relationships with DWC’s community of volunteers through volunteer appreciation events campaigns, and engagement activities. Implement volunteer retention strategies, including gathering feedback through an annual volunteer survey
• Collaborate with the Communications team to highlight DWC’s volunteer opportunities and celebrate our community of volunteers.
• Support volunteer recruitment and train volunteers for large-scale events and initiatives, such as the Homeless Count, United Way LA Walk, and Every Woman Housed Gala.
• Coordinate logistics for the annual Homeless Count by communicating with Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and ensure staff and volunteers are prepared to take on their roles for the event.
• Support special volunteer opportunities and programs, including Whole Woman Sundays, MADE by DWC pop-ups, and more.
• Collaborate with supervisor to identify opportunities to convert volunteers to donors (and vice versa).
• Conduct regular tours and provide presentations on DWC’s work to our community partners.
• Support volunteer ambassadors in growing their knowledge of DWC through educational trainings. Identify opportunities for volunteer advocates to engage with the broader community, support with volunteer orientations, and other appropriate activities.
• This role requires flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed (e.g. volunteer orientations, special volunteer opportunities, and special events, etc.)
• Provide additional assistance as needed with activities that further Development and Communication activities, including advocacy and fundraising.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Competencies

• Relationship building
• Project Management
• Attention to Detail
• Verbal and Written Communication
• Problem Solving
  
  

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Assisting with lifting (up to 30 pounds) and sorting in-kind donations as well as carrying supplies and setting up for events is expected. This position would also require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, non-exempt position. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm with the flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed. Weekend volunteer orientations are expected to take place every other month. The first weekend session of the month will take place online and the second weekend session will take place in person. Please note that the orientation schedule is subject to change based on business needs. Dates will be determined in advance and the Volunteer Coordinator’s work schedule will be adjusted to ensure they fall within a 40-hour work week.

Travel 

Local travel for presentations, training, off-site volunteer activities, corporate/community events, and other fundraisers is required.

Work Location

Expectation to work either in the field or the office at least two days per week. Must be able to work on-site as scheduled for in-person meetings, trainings, and events.

Required Education, Experience, And Qualifications

• BA/BS or equivalent experience preferred
• One year volunteer program coordination preferred
• Proficiency with donor and volunteer databases preferred
• Ability to identify events in need of volunteers and be proactive with recruitment and engagement
• Strong project management skills, including communicating expectations, meeting deadlines and coordinating across departments
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a proven track record of building meaningful relationships in the workplace
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including an ability to tailor communication style based on audience
• Comfortable with public speaking
• Outstanding attention to detail and organizational skills
• Successful team player, including the ability to develop and maintain a goal-oriented, positive attitude throughout the organization
• Compassion and understanding of the Center’s unique approach to service provision. 
• Commitment to racial equity and social justice; recognition of the role of race, gender, and other identities in contributing to homelessness and inequity
• Commitment to DWC’s mission to end homelessness in greater Los Angeles through housing, wellness, employment, and advocacy
• Must be a CA resident and live no more than 80 miles from DWC; must be available for in-person meetings at DWC.
• Must provide documentation of a negative TB test result within the last twelve months, on first day of hire.  
  
  

Pay Range

$26.27-28.00/hourly

Work Authorization

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. DWC does not sponsor employment visas, such as H-1B.

Fair Chance Act Statement

Downtown Women’s Center will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Downtown Women’s Center is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Right’s Department Fair Chance Act webpage.

Downtown Women’s Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants and actively seeks candidates who reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we serve. We are committed to a work environment that embraces and promotes individuality and inclusion. We believe that diversity and inclusion of varied perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences are essential to our organization’s effectiveness, and allow us to serve our clients in the respectful, responsive, and understanding way that they deserve. We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental or physical disability, marital status, pregnancy, military and veteran status, medical condition, geography, socio-economic status, and other unique attributes that make us who we are.

Downtown Women’s Center complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Other Duties 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.