Job Vacancy: Volunteers Manager

We are looking to hire a part-time Volunteers Manager who will be responsible for the recruitment and management of a large team of volunteers at the Chalke History Festival.

About the Festival 

The Chalke History Festival is a week-long celebration of history that is unique in Britain which includes talks, performance, music, living history, and story-telling. It is the largest festival in the UK (perhaps the world) devoted entirely to history and attracts a local, regional, national and international audience. The festival is owned by a charitable trust set up to promote the understanding and inspiration of the past to the widest possible audience of all ages, but particularly children through the Schools Festival running at the start of the festival week.

Job Description

Part-time Volunteers Manager reporting to the Deputy Managing Director & Operations Director.

Part-time Salary: £8,000 per year.
Hours of work and Location: Flexible depending on time of year, equivalent to 1 day per week + 7 days during the festival week in June. Work from home, with occasional attendance at the Chalke History Festival Office in Broad Chalke for meetings and throughout the festival week.
Pension: Chalke History Festival has a pensions scheme managed by Nest.

This exciting opportunity for a Volunteers Manager has arisen to join our team and play a vital role in the success of our festival.

In this dynamic role, you’ll be responsible for recruiting, managing, and inspiring a diverse team of volunteers, ranging from 16 to 80 years old, with varying levels of experience. Your leadership will be key to ensuring the smooth running of the festival and creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. This position requires full availability during the festival week, 23-29 June, where you’ll be at the heart of the action, overseeing the team and helping bring the festival to life.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Liaise with the festival management team to identify volunteering needs for the festival
  • Manage the online ‘Volunteer Hub’ CRM platform used for volunteer applications, group emails, scheduling and festival feedback
  • Liaise with the Marketing Director to promote available volunteer opportunities
  • Assign volunteer roles and develop rosters
  • Manage the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for certain volunteer roles
  • Establish small Volunteer budget for welfare items, ensuring the volunteers are ‘on-brand’ (Chalke branded t-shirts, lanyards etc)
  • Ascertain catering requirements of volunteers and liaise with campsite manager regarding volunteer camping arrangements
  • Ensure the Volunteers Tent is fully stocked to meet volunteer needs throughout the festival
  • Ensure that all relevant information is communicated from Management Team to volunteers. Organise a volunteers briefing and familiarisation prior to the festival
  • Supervise set up and breakdown of the Volunteers Tent
  • Liaise with wider festival team during the festival to ensure that volunteer arrangements run smoothly and that all requirements for volunteers are met
  • Ensure the wellbeing and effectiveness of volunteers throughout the festival
  • Collect feedback from volunteers and conduct the post-festival review of the volunteering programme. Prepare recommendations for following year
  • Maintain communication with volunteers throughout the year to raise awareness of important dates and relevant information.

Person Specification:

Essential:

  • DBS cleared or willingness to undergo such vetting
  • Proven experience coordinating projects and large teams of volunteers
  • Computer literate – Microsoft Word, Excel, Dropbox, Outlook
  • Ability to speak to and communicate effectively to large groups of people (public speaking experience)
  • Very strong relationship-building skills with a strong teamworking ethic
  • Highly organised and effective problem solver
  • Ability to manage workload with competing priorities
  • Capacity to motive and inspire volunteers throughout the physically and mentally demanding festival week
  • Proactive and flexible to adapt to changing needs and fresh challenges

Desirable:

  • Experience using CRM packages or databases
  • A working knowledge of Health and Safety issues and procedures

To Apply: Please send your CV and a covering letter of no more than two sides of A4 to rachel.holland@chalkefestival.com

Deadline for applications is 18th October, with interviews on 28th October.

If you haven’t heard from us by 31st October, unfortunately your application has not been successful.