Coordinator, Volunteer Programs

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Title: Coordinator, Volunteer Program

FLSA Status: Part-time Hourly, non-exempt

Department:  Programs

Reports To: Manager, Programs

Organization Overview

Chicago Cares is redefining volunteerism.  We are committed to community-driven service: service co-designed in partnership with Chicago’s most impactful community leaders and organizations on the south and west sides. We serve “with” not “to”.

Through community-driven service, we build connections and bridges among diverse people in the face of great division and disconnection. Our work to change hearts and minds isn’t a luxury right now.  It is a necessity for a just society.  We can’t legislate our way to caring about one another.  We must do it person by person.

Service can help us build the city we all deserve. It can be a force for a more caring and just society. Chicago Cares is building the empathetic and connected community that is required for an inclusive and healthy city. 

Position Overview

The Program team builds a culture of volunteerism and civic engagement in Chicago. The team is responsible for volunteer engagement and capacity building models that diversify service opportunities, advance civic action in our city, and help volunteers find, champion and lead on causes about which they care. The team is a catalyst for change by promoting diverse civic action opportunities and equipping organizations and corporations, small and large, and civic leaders, young and old, to build a more vibrant and equitable Chicago.

Through the Program teams, Chicago Cares:

Diversifies civic action in partnership with organizations that provide pathways to deeper engagement in service, philanthropy, voice, vote and collective action.

Develops leadership across the corporate, non-profit, and civic landscape and cultivates volunteers for civic leadership.

Strengthens the non-profit and corporate sectors’ strategic use of volunteers through capacity building engagements, consulting, and employee engagement opportunities.

Connects volunteers, across lines of difference, to community-led and collective impact change efforts.

Builds empathy and a deeper understanding of the assets and challenges of Chicago’s neighborhoods.

Cultivates and inspires volunteers to serve in new and different ways.

The Volunteer Program Coordinator will be responsible for providing logistical, administrative, and event assistance support to the Programs team to ensure quality programs and strong execution of volunteer engagement models. They also provide necessary warehouse and inventory management ensuring strong infrastructure support for execution of volunteer engagement models.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Volunteer Project Support: Supply Procurement, Packing, Delivery and Management

Ordering, receiving, shopping for necessary supplies

Packing, organizing, prepping and delivering supplies for volunteer engagement models

Supporting project managers and coordinators in staging supplies and preparing project sites for volunteer events.

Organizing, inventorying and delivering kits and items produced at volunteer engagement models to their respective community partners

Preparing and managing paperwork and printed materials for projects

Volunteer Project Support: Day of Event Support

Staffing volunteer engagement models, providing leadership, volunteer engagement, education and task support.

Providing project preparation and project close-out support, including prep day support and execution, site set-up and deliveries, and site clean-up and after event deliveries

Lead small groups of volunteers to complete assigned tasks at one-day events and/or public-facing programs.

Volunteer Project Support: Warehouse Maintenance

Cleaning, organizing, inventorying, and managing supplies, equipment and materials at the warehouse(s).

Packing, unpacking, and sorting supplies, equipment and materials pre- and post-project.

Maintaining and communicating inventory

Volunteer Project Support: Administration

Collecting, entering, and communicating data for projects, including attendance logs for volunteers, evaluative data, expenses and survey results.

Utilize data management systems to review, edit, and post volunteer projects.

Conduct community partner meetings.

Other administrative and project support, as needed.

Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Commitment to working outside traditional work hours and schedules

Access to reliable transportation

Ability to work collaboratively with our staff, corporate partners, community partners, and volunteers

Comfort and experience with administrative tasks like data input, email communications, phone communications, supply ordering and inventory, etc.

Strong interpersonal communication and customer service skills

Comfort taking initiative to ensure strong volunteer experiences and quality of all program efforts

Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and engage in physical labor associated with loading, unloading and moving project supplies

Ability to drive a cargo van or box truck to make project supply deliveries

Ability to adjust to various physical and environmental conditions as the position may require outdoor work, lifting/moving large items, and/or long periods of time spent inside of a warehouse.

Previous volunteer management or event planning experience a plus

Additional Information: The ideal candidate will be able to work an average of 20 hours a week (typically between the hours of 9AM to 9PM) with evening and weekend assignments. The work schedule is directly related to business demand: therefore, week-to-week assignments vary. This position includes travel within Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. It is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in developing skills in event planning, community development, program planning, non-profit management, volunteer management, and corporate relations.

Salary and Benefits

This is a part-time, non-exempt, hourly position at $19 per hour, with an average of 20 hours per 

week. 

Benefits include:

Flexible work schedule.

Hybrid work environment.

Paid sick leave in accordance with the City of Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinance.

All staff, paid, wellness days where office is closed.

Position Location

This offer is contingent on the successful completion of the pre-employment process and compliance with Chicago Cares Residency Policy, which states: employees are expected to establish and maintain residency in the Chicago Metropolitan Region and maintain residency throughout their employment with Chicago Cares. The six-county Chicago Metropolitan Region includes the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY

Chicago Cares is committed to a community driven, anti-racist approach to service and integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion meaningfully into our practices, structures, and culture. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other category protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. We strongly encourage all interested candidates including all interested Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with lived-experience with racism and/or misogynoir to apply for this role.  

January 2025