Volunteering Development Officer - Local Groups

The RSPB strategy to 2030 is all about saving nature through people. Our aim is that our volunteers and Local Groups are embedded in this strategy and continue to deliver impactful work to save nature. To do this, we want to build on our existing relationships and ways of working and harness their enthusiasm, working as one team for nature. 

This role would continue the smooth transition from the Saving Nature through Local Groups project into core delivery, taking responsibility of the Vision and Local Group action plan. 

What's the role about? 

The successful candidate will raise the profile of our groups externally as well as empower and support staff to build productive and collaborative working relationships with the groups.

You will develop resources and guides that will help groups run efficiently, improve their activity programmes and grow their membership. Working closely with country teams you will deliver workshops, training and support to Local Groups as appropriate. 

You will raise awareness and understanding of volunteering, championing it to ensure that it is valued and seen as a positive way of meeting business needs.

You will also deliver a recognised and respected source of leadership, support and transformational advice to the UKHQ team seeking to develop new volunteering initiatives.

This role would have an individual specialism but with the ability to be flexible to cover the priorities required across the department and the UK wide needs, ensuring that they identify and own the ‘once for all volunteering work’, i.e. the information, processes, procedures and projects that affect volunteering across the whole organisation, and support this through funding, project development, training and resources.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience: 

• Understanding and knowledge of volunteering innovation, best practice and sector standards.
• Demonstrable track record of having successfully and effectively developed a range of volunteering roles and schemes across an organisation.
• Experience of providing operational advice and guidance on volunteer involvement to people at all levels.
• Building effective stakeholder relationships with a focus on community groups.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills; ability to manage and deliver a portfolio of work and balance the priorities and needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to be proactive, use initiative and work independently.
• Strong skills in identifying and analysing problems, issues and areas of improvement, working collaboratively to develop creative strategies and solutions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, successfully influencing, persuading, guiding, listening to, and negotiating with others, constructively challenging thinking.
• Experience of working in a customer-focused environment.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Qualification in volunteer management.
• Good training, facilitation and coaching skills; ability to enthuse and inspire and increase others’ confidence.
• Experience of working in an HR/Customer database.

This is a Permanent Part-Time role for 22.5 hours per week. 

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from 4th June 2025. For further information please contact [email protected] 

As part of this application process you will be asked to complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

This role is not eligible for UK Visa Sponsorship - the successful applicant will need to have a pre-existing Right to Work in the UK in order to be offered an employment contract.