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Careers and Volunteering

Volunteer Programs Coordinator

Employment Status: Full Time/Non-overtime eligible (Exempt)

Work Schedule:
The full-time work schedule is 40 hours per week, Saturday through Wednesday. Some evening hours are required in addition to special event coverage.  

Primary Functions:
This role oversees the coordination and support of Hillwood's volunteer programs, ensuring effective scheduling, communication, and engagement for Visitor Services Volunteers, Mansion Docents, and Garden Docents. Responsibilities include managing volunteer schedules, maintaining records, fostering positive relationships, and contributing to recruitment and onboarding efforts.

Key Responsibilities:              
Volunteer Program Coordination

  • Manages monthly and daily schedules for non-horticulture volunteers, ensuring adequate staffing to support Hillwood’s daily operations, programs, events, group visits, and private tours.
  • Supervises and provides clear direction to weekend Visitor Services Volunteers, Mansion Docents, and Garden Docents to ensure alignment with organizational goals. 
  • Prepares and distributes daily volunteer schedules promptly for use by both volunteers and staff.
  • Communicates efficiently and effectively with volunteers regarding scheduling and related updates.
  • Maintains consistent, proactive communication with volunteers through various channels, including daily rounds/in-person interactions, emails, phone, and updates to the volunteer website. 
  • Recognizes and celebrates volunteer contributions while offering support during significant personal milestones or challenges.
  • Assists with the monthly volunteer newsletter by contributing content, proofreading, and editing to ensure accuracy and alignment with Hillwood’s voice and style.
  • Tracks and manages volunteer information, schedules, and hours in the Volgistics database.
  • Organizes and updates volunteer records to align with Hillwood’s style guide and compliance standards.
  • Collects, analyzes, and assists with the interpretation of volunteer program data (e.g., visitor tour numbers, volunteer engagement metrics) to identify trends and insights that drive continuous program enhancements and support data-driven decision-making.
  • Conducts a biannual audit of volunteer service records, proactively reaching out to inactive volunteers, and ensuring timely updates to maintain accurate and up-to-date records.
  • Serves as a liaison between the visitor services department and volunteers to foster positive relationships and effective communication.

Volunteer Recruitment and Onboarding 

  • Recruits and interviews Visitor Services Volunteers (VSVs), ensuring candidates align with Hillwood’s mission and commitment to delivering exceptional visitor experiences.
  • Leads the onboarding process for new VSVs, including organizing and facilitating three orientation sessions for incoming volunteer classes.
  • Supports recruitment efforts for Mansion and Garden Docents, collaborating with relevant departments to identify and onboard candidates effectively.

Organizational Relationships:    

  • Coordinates with Visitor Services staff, who work side-by-side with volunteers in providing the best possible visitor experience daily, providing effective communication and planning regarding volunteer duties.
  • Coordinates with the People and Culture Team on volunteer recruitment.
  • Interacts with various levels of staff and volunteers. 

Requirements:    

Knowledge 

  • Demonstrated knowledge of volunteer management principles, preferably in a museum or cultural setting 
  • Familiarity of best practices for adult learners.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of various interviewing techniques.

Skills

  • Must possess excellent oral/written communication, presentation, interviewing, and interpersonal skills. 
  • Strong customer service, negotiation skills, and ability to interact with employees at all levels throughout the company. 
  • Proactive and independent with the ability to take initiative. 
  • Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines. 
  • Access and employ job related computer software (i.e.: Microsoft Office, Office 365) at an effective proficiency level.

Abilities 

  • Strong work ethic and sense of integrity, trustworthiness, and ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
  • Creative in brainstorming and proposing new ideas and solutions to existing problems.
  • Goal driven strategic thinker.  
  • Works independently with limited supervision. 

Work Environment and Physical Conditions:
The physical requirements and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job or may be encountered while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions to the extent the Company may do so without undue hardship. The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual who with or without reasonable accommodation can perform the essential functions of the position.    

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to follow and give oral and written instructions; stand, walk, and/or sit for extended periods of time with limited breaks; use hands to finger, handle or feel, reach with hands and arm, and reach above shoulder height. The employee is regularly required to climb or balance, squat, kneel, and crouch.  The employee is occasionally required to detect smells and lift, drag and/or move up to 30 pounds unassisted. The employee is required to visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess. Special vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Employee is required to move about their work area, between buildings and the campus grounds, ascend and descend stairs and steep terrain. While performing the duties of this job the employee is subject to outdoor weather conditions and temperatures which at times can be extreme. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and general does not require the use of hearing protection equipment.    

Notice:
The preceding job description indicates the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.  Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time nor does it proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. This job description is subject to change at any time.