Volunteer Coordinator

Volunteer Coordinator

Background
Allegheny County and CFA are building a team at the Engagement Center in downtown Pittsburgh that
will help adults move from homelessness to housing and advance in the other goals that matter to
them.

The Engagement Center is a low-barrier, welcoming place for adults to get the services and advocacy
they need—and where they can come inside, get a shower, socialize and “just be.” Some of the clients
who come into the Center may be unsheltered while others will be connected to emergency shelter,
including the shelter in the building. The building also is home to a health clinic, a behavioral health
residential program and is a place for community providers to meet their clients and a hub for crucial
information.

Summary of Role
The Volunteer Coordinator will create, organize and implement both a client-volunteer program and
community-volunteer program that deliver concrete benefits for the people who use the Engagement
Center and help the Center achieve its goal of being a good neighbor. This role also will serve as a backup Supervisor. Volunteer Coordinators will be excellent collaborators—asking others what gaps
volunteer programs could fill at the Center; consulting with the street Occupational Therapy program
and other providers about how volunteering can be habilitative; and finding ways of improving the
Center’s capacity to support clients in moving ahead.

Ideal Candidate
We are looking for a person who listens well, cares, and who appreciates how volunteering can make a
big difference in a person’s sense of hope and pride in contributing. The ideal Volunteer Coordinator is
creative, organized, good writers, excellent at building networks and great at follow-through. They also
are discerning. Recognizing that time and Engagement Center space is precious, they ask themselves
about potential volunteer opportunities: “Will this help clients prepare for housing or feel more
motivated to pursue their goals?”

Responsibilities
Volunteer Coordinators extend the Engagement Center’s ability to help clients by performing these
roles:

• Client-volunteer program
  • Create a program in which clients have the opportunity to apply their skills, learn additional ones and contribute to the health, wellbeing and order of the Engagement Center and the neighborhood
  • Structure the program so that it is possible to qualify for State approval as a volunteer site
  • Recruit and schedule volunteers in a fair manner
  • Coordinate thank yous/recognition
• Community-volunteer program
  • Identify needs within the Engagement Center that community volunteers could help to meet
  • Create a volunteer program that meets those needs
  • Recruit, prepare, support and recognize community volunteers
• Back-up Supervisor
  • If needed, take on the role of Supervisor during scheduled time off

Skills and experience
Preferred

• Two years or more experience in leading a successful volunteer program with clients and with the community
• Two or more years of supervisory experience in human services, health or education
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and collaborate with other professionals
• Very good written and oral communication skills
• Skill in building partnerships with a wide range of individuals and organizations
• Approachable, flexible, organized and ready to solve problems
• Ability to efficiently manage time and work well under pressure of a fast-paced environment, while maintaining confidentiality and professional conduct
• Ability to work independently

Minimum:

• Experience in leading a successful volunteer program
• Respects clients, sees each client as an individual, and is skilled in establishing rapport and trust with people who have diverse life experiences.
• Able to use Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint). Able to learn the software and computer applications that are integral to the Engagement Center program.
• Maintains the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct, including maintaining client confidentiality and treating others with respect.
• Willingness to serve as a back-up supervisor, when scheduled.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions, consistent with applicable law.

Salary and Benefits
Salary range: $55,000 - $60,000

Benefits:

• 18 days of Paid Time Off
• 5 Sick Days
• Health Insurance Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Life Insurance
• Short Term/Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Benefit Option Fund

Educational Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in a Human Services-related field of study
-OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience which meets the required knowledge,
skills and abilities.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Act 33, 34 and FBI clearances.
-AND Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable, insured vehicle, or other reliable form of
transportation to locations around the county is required.