Head of Volunteering & Internal Engagement

Contract: Permanent, full time
Salary: £53,000 - £56,000 per annum
Location: Hybrid based at one of our offices or sites
Closing date: Friday 10 January 2025
Interview date: Monday 20 January 2025
2nd interviews: Wednesday 29 January 2025

Are you passionate about volunteering, engagement, and inclusion? At Blue Cross, we are seeking a Head of Volunteering & Internal Engagement to lead as our subject matter expert, shaping the strategic direction for volunteering and internal engagement, ensuring our organisational strategy translates into impactful objectives.

More about the role

In this pivotal role, you will partner with the People & People Services senior management team to ensure our people both employees and volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. You ll drive equality, diversity, and inclusion across our activities, fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and diverse environment that supports the One Blue Cross mandate.

A typical day will see you:

• Developing innovative volunteering strategies, policies, and initiatives that drive our goals and support high-quality, compliant volunteering.

• Collaborating with the Resourcing team to create strategies for increasing the diversity and number of volunteers.

• Supporting Learning & Development to ensure training and development opportunities are engaging and effective for volunteers and their managers.

• Managing internal communications to ensure all voices are heard and Blue Cross remains progressive and innovative in its approach.

• Leading on the organisation s culture survey and developing actionable plans to enhance engagement.

• Designing and implementing new volunteering initiatives and solutions that meet the evolving needs of the charity.

• Ensuring compliance with GDPR, DBS, and Health & Safety regulations, and managing the Volunteer Management System to meet organisational needs.

• Driving EDI initiatives across the organisation, ensuring inclusion is at the core of our ways of working.

This is a key leadership role, responsible for managing budgets, providing insights on volunteering trends, and reporting progress on strategic ambitions from a volunteering and engagement perspective.

If you re ready to make a meaningful difference and lead our volunteering and internal engagement work, we d love to hear from you.

This is a full-time position, working 35 hours per week Monday to Friday, with a hybrid arrangement that includes at least two days per week at one of our offices or centres. As part of the application process, we will ask you to specify your preferred work location.
About you

We re looking for a strategic thinker with a proven ability to deliver results through collaboration and influence. You ll bring outstanding problem-solving skills, a consultative approach, and a positive, energetic personality to this pivotal role.

A first-class communicator, you ll thrive under pressure and work effectively within deadlines as part of our senior management team. Leading by example with our values, you ll confidently engage with people at all levels, both inside and outside the organisation, shaping impactful solutions for volunteering and internal engagement.

Knowledge, skills, and experience

• Proven experience of working at a senior level in volunteering.

• An excellent working knowledge of volunteering best practice management.

• Demonstrable record of achievement of strong leadership especially in a matrix structure. Evidence of strong partnering skills, to achieve through results with and through others.

• Experience of developing and implementing EDI practices.

Although not essential, it would be great if you also had:

• Experience of Internal Communications.

• Experience and knowledge of safeguarding and how to develop and implement an effective safeguarding culture.

• Accredited volunteer management qualification.

How to apply

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Friday 10 January 2025.

The recruitment process begins with a first stage on Microsoft Teams on Monday, 20 January. Candidates who are shortlisted will complete a personality questionnaire and participate in a feedback session via Microsoft Teams before attending the second interview and presentation task in person at our Burford offices on Wednesday, 29 January 2025.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.

Blue Cross benefits

Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today.

In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are.

Our generous benefits package includes:

• Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)

• Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support

• Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family

• Free physiotherapy advice and face to face intervention

• Health cash plan

• Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme

• Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution

• Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.

• Life assurance

• 20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance

• Enhanced family friendly policies

• Recognition scheme

• Annual volunteer days

• Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers

To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.