Chief governance administrative officer jobs

Are you passionate about creating meaningful volunteer experiences and strengthening how volunteers are supported and managed? ​

Do you enjoy supporting and developing volunteer leaders, helping them build confidence in leading volunteers and supporting strong volunteer relationships?​

Are you able to use volunteer feedback, insight, data and best practice to develop innovative approaches that improve volunteer retention, engagement and support, helping shape the future of volunteering at Samaritans?

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Samaritans is looking for a dedicated Volunteer Experience Advisor to join our dynamic team and help shape the future of volunteering across our network. Our incredible volunteers run more than 200 branches and locations across the UK and Ireland. They offer their time to help to deliver our 24-hour emotional support service to callers in many ways, from answering telephones and emails, to fundraising, generating publicity, administration and finance.

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About the Role

Our Volunteer Experience Team support over 20,000 volunteers and no two days are the same. You’ll be responsible for supporting our network of volunteers and volunteer leaders in engaging and managing volunteers, as well as involved in a variety of creative new projects helping us to provide a positive and rewarding experience for anyone that gives their time to Samaritans.

You’ll play a key advisory, analytical and development focused role, supporting volunteers and volunteer leaders on all volunteer management matters, including sensitive and sometimes complex situations. You’ll also deliver impactful initiatives and projects that strengthen and enhance the volunteer experience, helping shape the ongoing development of Samaritans’ volunteer management and support practices.

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About the Role

Our Volunteer Experience Team support over 20,000 volunteers and no two days are the same. You’ll be responsible for supporting our network of volunteers and volunteer leaders in engaging and managing volunteers, as well as involved in a variety of creative new projects helping us to provide a positive and rewarding experience for anyone that gives their time to Samaritans.

You’ll play a key advisory, analytical and development focused role, supporting volunteers and volunteer leaders on all volunteer management matters, including sensitive and sometimes complex situations. You’ll also deliver impactful initiatives and projects that strengthen and enhance the volunteer experience, helping shape the ongoing development of Samaritans’ volunteer management and support practices.​

Contract terms

• £30,000 - £35,000 per annum

• Permanent

• Full time (35 hours per week)

• Hybrid working: Linked to our Ewell (Surrey) office
• In-person working: Meeting in person and working collaboratively are things we value. We work in person around 2 days or more per month.
• We are passionate about flexible working, talk to us about your preferences
   

What you’ll be doing

• Providing expert advice and guidance to branches and regions on all volunteer management matters.
• Analysing complex or sensitive situations to identify key issues, risks, and appropriate courses of action.
• Developing and delivering initiatives and projects that strengthen and enhance the volunteer experience at Samaritans.
• Drafting clear, well-structured and professional written communications, including reports and formal correspondence.
• Supporting learning, training and resources that build confidence and capability in Volunteer Leaders.
• Contributing to the development and refinement of volunteer policies, processes and guidance.
• Supporting the fair, balanced and proportionate handling and effective resolution of volunteer concerns and complaints
• Identifying themes, risks, and organisational learning opportunities to inform continuous improvement.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation.

​You’ll ideally bring:

• Experience working with or supporting volunteer, or advising on people related matters.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret complex and sensitive situations, producing analysis and meaningful conclusions.
• The ability to exercise sound judgement and take a balanced, proportionate approach.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong project management experience, including the development and delivery or improvement focused initiatives.
• A proactive, solutions focused and improvement-oriented mindset
• Knowledge of principles of natural justice and complaints management, and effective people resolution good practice.
• Experience of providing advice, training or support on volunteering matters.
• Experience and understanding of navigating organisational risk and safeguarding related volunteer matters .
• Report writing and presentation skills.
• Experience in prioritising workloads and working to deadlines with speed and accuracy.

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Why Samaritans?

At Samaritans, you’ll be part of a people-first organisation deeply committed to inclusion, compassion and learning. You’ll contribute to a team where your voice matters, your expertise makes a difference, and your work helps save lives.

We welcome applications from individuals with lived experience and encourage those from underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to creating an environment where all our people feel seen, heard and supported.

You’ll join a values-led organisation with a powerful mission and a collaborative culture. We offer flexible hybrid working, excellent benefits, and the chance to make a tangible difference in suicide prevention across the UK and Ireland.

For further information about Samaritans, including our charity structure, values, employee benefits, and application process, please read our recruitment brochure. You can also visit our careers website to access this.

We recognise the enormous benefits and the social justice imperatives of ensuring diversity at every level of our organisation. Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. To ensure Samaritans is representative of those we support and who support us, we particularly welcome applications from disabled, racialised minority and LGBTQ+ candidates, as these people are under-represented at Samaritans. 

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Apply now

If this sounds like the opportunity for you, please apply. You will be asked to some answer short application questions and to upload your CV.

​Applications close: Thursday 16th April @ 09:00am

Interviews: w/c 27th April

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At Samaritans, human connection is at the heart of everything we do.

We do not use AI at any stage during the selection process. Your application will always be carefully reviewed by the recruiting manager or a member of the Talent Attraction Team.

We kindly ask that you avoid using AI tools to generate your application or interview answers. We want to hear your own ideas, insights, and writing style so your unique strengths can shine through.