Volunteer and Development Support Specialist

Volunteer and Development Support Specialist

 Literacy KC

Literacy KC’s mission is to advance literacy among Kansas City area adults through direct service, advocacy and collaboration. Our vision is "literacy for all." Literacy KC offers adults and their families a welcoming community to develop and enhance literacy skills and quality of life.
 
Literacy KC is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion. We are able to grow and learn better together with a diverse team of employees. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents not only part of our culture, but our shared potential success, as well. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that one can bring in terms of education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
 
We take a community literacy approach to teaching adult students. Through an innovative social learning model, lead instructors are supported by a team of tutors in each dynamic classroom setting offered in partner locations throughout the metro area. This full time position is a busy workweek and requires some night and weekend work.

The Volunteer and Development Support Specialist is critical to the operations of Literacy KC as this person oversees the volunteer journey in its entirety, from first introduction to the organization and orientation and enrollment for both our tutor and non-tutor volunteers, and every other aspect of ensuring a quality volunteer experience. Duties specific to various programs will be assigned as needed, including duties located at partner site facilities.

Responsibilities:

1. Volunteer Program Development
   1. Continue the development, implementation, and management of our comprehensive volunteer engagement program that aligns with the organization's mission and goals.
   2. Create and maintain volunteer recruitment strategies to attract a diverse group of volunteers.
   3. Develop and deliver volunteer training programs for both tutors and non-tutors to ensure volunteers are well-prepared and understand the organization’s goals and expectations.
2. Volunteer Engagement and Retention
   1. Foster positive relationships with volunteers to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.
   2. Develop regular communication strategies (emails, newsletters, meetings) to keep volunteers informed and engaged.
   3. Monitor volunteer satisfaction and gather feedback to continuously improve the volunteer experience.
   4. Organize and lead volunteer recognition events and initiatives to celebrate their contributions.
3. Volunteer Cultivation into Donors
   1. Identify and cultivate potential donors from the volunteer pool by building relationships and understanding their philanthropic interests.
   2. Develop personalized engagement strategies to transition volunteers into donors, including tailored communications and involvement opportunities.
   3. Collaborate with the fundraising team to integrate volunteers into donor stewardship activities and campaigns.
   4. Track and report on the success of volunteer-to-donor conversion efforts, adjusting strategies as necessary.
4. Collaboration with Other Departments
   1. Work closely with Programs team to place tutors in classrooms and ensure a quality tutoring experience.
   2. Work closely with development team to align volunteer engagement strategies with fundraising initiatives.
   3. Coordinate volunteer involvement in fundraising events and campaigns to increase engagement and awareness.
   4. Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to ensure volunteers are featured in promotional materials and social media campaigns.
5. Volunteer Data Management
   1. Maintain accurate records of volunteer hours, activities, and contact information in the organization's volunteer management system.
   2. Analyze volunteer data to identify trends, measure engagement, and make data-driven decisions to improve the program.
6. Community Outreach and Networking
   1. Build relationships with local community organizations, schools, and businesses to increase volunteer opportunities and partnerships.
   2. Represent the organization at community events to raise awareness and recruit new volunteers.
7. Strategic Planning
   1. Regularly assess the effectiveness of the volunteer engagement program and develop strategies for improvement.
   2. Set measurable goals for volunteer engagement and donor conversion, and track progress over time.
8. Corporate Group Volunteering
   1. Develop and manage partnerships with corporate organizations to create volunteer opportunities for employees, developing a brief or profile specific to each corporate partner
   2. Design and coordinate corporate volunteer events that align with the organization's mission and provide meaningful impact.
   3. Work with companies to organize group volunteer projects, ensuring they are well-organized and engaging for participants.
   4. Build relationships with corporate partners to foster long-term volunteer and donation commitments.
   5. Promote corporate volunteer opportunities to encourage employee engagement and strengthen corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
   6. Track and report on corporate volunteer engagement and evaluate the success of corporate volunteer events.
   7. Collaborate with the development team to identify opportunities for corporate sponsors to also become donors or fundraisers.
9. Other
   1. Create and promote a positive work environment through teamwork mentality and creative problem-solving
   2. Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Excellent writing/editing and verbal communication skills
• Honesty; ability to manage confidential information
• Demonstrated time management and efficiency skills; proven dependability
• Strong project management skills including ability to prioritize multiple tasks
• Empathy and cultural competence
• Self-motivated and willing to work independently; entrepreneurial self-starter who enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite, G Suite, etc.
• Excellent knowledge of social media communication techniques
• Ability to grasp new concepts and learn new programs quickly
• Commitment to the mission of Literacy KC
• Must be available to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work harmoniously as part of a team within a culturally diverse environment
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use his/her hands to feel objects, tools or controls. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required for this position include close vision, peripheral vision and depth perception.

Reports To: Chief Development Officer
Supervises: Volunteers
Exemption: Exempt
Classification: Full-time

To Apply: Send your resume and cover letter to hr@literacykc.org with "Volunteer & Development" as the subject.