Sydenham Neighbourhood Initiatives Ltd
Job Description
Title: Volunteer Coordinator and Centre Liaison
Monday to Friday 9am - 3pm 27.5 hours per week
Key Objectives
To manage and develop the community centre’s day to day running and maintain efficient and effective volunteer recruitment. To provide a package of support that offers volunteers comprehensive induction, opportunities for training and development and to ensure a positive volunteering experience. To work closely with the SYDNI staff to review and monitor volunteers job satisfaction and progression.
Key Relationships
The post holder will report to the Centre Manager.
The post holder will have contact with volunteers, SYDNI Staff and Trustees, members of the public, service users, and will be required to liaise with professionals working for other agencies and organisations.
Key Duties
Front of house and reception
- To greet visitors: welcome community members, partners and guests warmly.
- Answer enquiries: respond to phone calls, emails, and in-person questions.
- Maintain the space; keep reception area tidy, safe and organised.
- Ensure rooms are clean and presentable with the right equipment for the hirer.
- Provide information signpost visitors to local services and centre activities.
Volunteer management
- Recruitment: source volunteers through local networks, events and online platforms, conduct interviews, background checks and induction sessions.
- Coordinate work placement and work experience requests.
- Scheduling: create and manage weekly rotas to cover reception, café, events and projects.
- Induction: provide a comprehensive induction to new volunteers and assess their needs, aspirations and experience to ensure their placement is relevant to them.
- Support: provide ongoing mentorship, training and regular reviews and feedback
- Liaise with SYDNI staff to support the reviews and monitoring for all volunteers.
- Keep a volunteer notice board relevant and up to date.
- Recognition: organise appreciation events and reward volunteer contributions.
Administration and operations
- Process queries, referrals and applications for potential volunteers.
- Process queries, referrals and applications for work placement and work experience individuals.
- Database management: keep accurate, secure records of volunteer details and hours and ensure all information is kept up to date.
- Compliance: ensure all volunteers follow health safety and safeguarding policies.
- Reporting: track volunteers metrics and feedback for management reports.
- Logistics: manage incoming and outgoing post. Ensure visitors are correctly supported and directed.
- Provide training and development opportunities for volunteers, liaising with the Centre Manager where needed.
- Keep up to date with SYDNI’s initiatives through actively participating in team meetings.
- Assist in updating social media such as the website and Facebook.
- Undertake other duties as may be reasonably requested by the Centre Manager.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) .
Essential
Excellent knowledge of GDPR and data management.
Essential
Knowledge of the positive benefits and challenges of volunteering in the community sector.
Essential
Experience
Experience in customer service, reception or community engagement
Essential
A proven track record of working with or managing people, in particular volunteers
Essential
Willingness to work occasional weekends and evenings
Essential
Skills and Abilities
Ability to work under pressure to deadlines and to deal calmly with conflicting priorities.
Essential
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, verbally and in writing.
Essential
Ability to work under own initiative with minimal supervision.
Essential
Ability to record data, keep records up to date and accurate and monitor progress of volunteers e.g. registration, rotas, review meetings.
Essential
Ability to deal appropriately with sensitive and confidential material.
Essential
Ability to understand volunteer needs and aspirations
Ability to work with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds including vulnerable adults and young people.
Essential
Ability to produce verbal and written reports to the Centre Manager as/when required
Essential
Recruitment process
If you are interested in this opportunity, please fill out an application form which you can request by email or phone as detailed below. The application form will take you through details of your educational and personal experience and will request two people willing to provide you with a reference.
Closing date for Applications is 15 June 2026 at 1700.
Interview Date: Friday 19 June 2026.
Holiday Entitlement (pro-rata): 22 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays per year (this is incremental depending on length of service).
For information on the SYDNI Centre please see our website at sydni.org
Pay: £21,450.00 per year
Benefits:
- Canteen
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
