Job title: Volunteer Manager

Organisation: People First

Salary Details: Salary: £31,824 depending on experience

Closing date for applications: 31 Dec 2025

Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Location: Carlisle Office (Milbourne Street)/Hybrid

Holiday Entitlement: 20 days (FTE) plus bank holidays and Christmas closure, length of service increments.

Additional Benefits: An employer pension contribution of 6%, working for a value-based organisation, birthday off, flexible working and staff wellbeing programme.

Who we are:

People First is an independent charity that’s been supporting people in Cumbria for nearly 35 years. We believe in treating everyone with equality, respect, and kindness.

Our team is dedicated to offering a wide range of advocacy, helpful services and information across Cumbria, Lancashire and the North East, all with the goal of helping people live happy, healthy, and fulfilled lives.

Purpose of the Role

To lead the development, coordination, and delivery of a comprehensive volunteer programme that supports organisational objectives, engages diverse communities, and ensures high-quality volunteer experiences across projects. Your time will be split between Cumberland Carers (18.5hrs) and People First Volunteers (19hrs)

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment and Promotion

• Develop and implement strategies for recruiting volunteers from diverse communities.
• Organise promotional activities, recruitment drives, open days, and networking events with partners and community organisations.
• Build and maintain relationships with local networks, businesses, and stakeholders to support volunteer recruitment.

Induction, Training, and Development

• Design and deliver induction programs for new volunteers.
• Provide ongoing training and development opportunities to ensure volunteers are equipped for their roles.
• Maintain links with external training providers for volunteer progression.

Volunteer Supervision and Support

• Offer regular supervision and guidance to volunteers in various roles.
• Ensure volunteers receive continuous support to perform effectively.
• Recognise and celebrate volunteer contributions through events and acknowledgments.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting

• Develop and maintain systems to record volunteer activities and hours.
• Monitor and evaluate volunteer engagement to demonstrate impact and effectiveness.
• Collect and collate data for reporting to funders and stakeholders.

Community Engagement and Networking

• Foster partnerships with health, social care providers, and other professionals to enhance project delivery.
• Participate in local and national networking activities to share best practices and resources.

Compliance and Policy

• Ensure adherence to organisational values, policies, and procedures.
• Keep up to date with legislation and best practices in volunteer coordination.
• Contribute to maintaining quality standards and organisational objectives.

Creative Promotion and Evidence Gathering

• Capture and present evidence of volunteer activities, outputs, and outcomes for reports and media channels.
• Work creatively to engage volunteers and promote the organisation’s mission.

Additional Responsibilities

• Carry out client screening (phone and in-person) to assess eligibility for volunteer services.
• Conduct home visits and risk assessments for clients and volunteer placements.
• Facilitate introductory meetings between clients and volunteers.
• Identify and develop new volunteering opportunities within projects.
• Manage budgets appropriate to the post.
• Organise volunteer events and share learning, resources, and good practice with partner organisations.
• Research and implement best practices in volunteer coordination.
• Maintain accurate records in databases and offline sources.
• Contribute to organisational objectives, ISO quality standards, and reporting requirements.
• Attend regular supervisions, staff meetings, and networking activities.
• Undertake any other duties as required by the Senior Management Team.

Other Duties

The duties outlined above are not intended to be exhaustive and may change as the needs of the organisation alter in line with current agendas. Due to the developing nature of our organisation, we require staff to remain highly flexible in their approach, and work to meet the changing needs of the projects.

• Post is subject to satisfactory DBS Clearance.

For more information please click HERE.