Healthwatch projects officer jobs

We are looking for an enthusiastic Volunteer Officer to plan and deliver our new Volunteer Strategy. This role involves leading and coordinating our voluntary role holders across different roles and integrating with the wider work of the team.

We want someone who is passionate about volunteers and who will rise to the challenge set by our Chief Officer for all our work to have a clear fingerprint of volunteers demonstrated. The post holder will have latitude to develop a modern, exciting, and vibrant volunteer base and will work across the team to embed new roles which enable us to spread our reach further into the District.

We work closely with the local health and social care system to use our volunteer’s skills and lived experience to support Patient Safety Walkabouts and Patient Led Assessments of Care Environments (PLACE). We also have the power and responsibility to deliver Enter and View visits as a Local Healthwatch organisation. The Volunteer Officer will coordinate and oversee these activities to continue our successful partnership approach.

We are committed to providing social value to the local population, we do this through our opportunities which include volunteering, collaborating, work experience, and placements.

Purpose

To have responsibility for the Healthwatch Wakefield Volunteer Strategy. To lead on recruitment, co-ordination, and support of a diverse range of volunteers for Healthwatch Wakefield; including a ‘buddy’ system to help overcome barriers to involvement. To facilitate and maintain an activity and training record, and report on volunteer contributions on a regular basis. To remain up to date with relevant legislation and good practice in volunteering. To review and develop the roles available for volunteers in Healthwatch, working collaboratively with volunteers, contributors and the team.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Promote and deliver volunteering opportunities
  
• Recruit, induct, support and develop volunteers
• Lead Enter and View visit planning and coordinate patient safety activities
• Provide leadership for the volunteer programme

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of supporting and supervising volunteers, including recruitment and induction.
• Experience of producing systems and procedures for volunteers.
• Experience of delivering and co-ordinating training.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of communities.
• Experience of working in partnership and with external stakeholders.
• Experience of report writing.
• Communication, facilitating, and liaison skills.
• Ability to confidently build and maintain professional relationships.
• Ability to work as part of a team and to collaborate with others.
• Good planning and organisational skills, including ability to prioritise workload.
• Able to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines.
• Able to produce succinct, articulate and well-formatted documents and reports.
• Ability to understand, interpret and analyse basic financial information
• Competence in IT skills and internet use.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of developing a volunteer policy.
• Experience of working with volunteers within a health or social care setting.
• Experience of managing a project budget.
• Knowledge of the third sector in Wakefield District and the environment within which it works.
• Knowledge of health and social care structures.

This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of a creative, varied and meaningful communications portfolio within a small, supportive charity. You’ll lead on digital content, social media, and storytelling — working closely with NHS, local authority, and community partners to ensure people’s experiences are heard and acted upon. If you’re looking for a role where your work has real purpose, where you can grow your skills and where new ideas are genuinely welcomed, we’d love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to lead a varied and meaningful engagement and volunteering portfolio within a small, supportive charity. You’ll support and develop volunteers, build relationships with community partners, and coordinate public engagement activities to ensure that people’s voices shape local health and care services. If you’re looking for a role where your work has real purpose, where you can grow your skills and where new ideas are genuinely welcomed, we’d love to hear from you.