Volunteer Coordinator

We are pleased to invite applications for the following opportunity:

Volunteer Coordinator

Hours:  37.5 hours per week

Salary: £38,000 per annum

A rare opportunity to join a unique service user charity working with individuals who have, or have had substance use issues, Build on Belief is looking for a Volunteer Coordinator to work with our team across our London services.

We are particularly interested in recruiting someone who has lived experience of a substance use disorder, either direct or associative.

PLEASE NOTE: This role includes weekend working.

Closing date: Sunday, 10th May 2026

JOB DESCRIPTION: Volunteer Coordinator

TITLE: Volunteer Coordinator

SALARY: £38,000 per annum

HOURS: 37.5 hours per week

BASED AT: BoB Head Office (69 Warwick Road, Earls Court, London, SW5 9HB). The role will involve regular visits to our London services both during the week and at the weekend. There is the option for one day of hybrid working per week.

REPORTS TO: Head of Services

JOB PURPOSE: To cultivate, sustain and manage a volunteer pipeline to help with the effective delivery of our face-to-face services in London; enhance the development and wellbeing of our volunteer team(s), and support the volunteers in the facilitation of activities for our beneficiaries, supporting those who wish to do so to become ready for potential employment within the charity.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1.      Volunteer management & development

·        Support service managers to recruit, induct and train a cohort of volunteers from the local treatment and recovery community, as well as other local community members, ensuring they are trained and supported to undertake their roles safely and with confidence.

·        Develop a range of volunteering pathways, with a focus on supporting those who identify as being in recovery as well as those still in structured treatment, creating opportunities that enhance social connectivity, build personal and professional skills, and provide meaningful activity.

·        Work with service managers to ensure volunteers receive regular and appropriate supervision, and their wellbeing is monitored and supported.

·        Work with service managers to ensure individuals are encouraged and supported to deliver a range of creative and socially based activities within our services, based upon their interests and life skills.

·        Work with service managers to ensure volunteer inductions are conducted according to the policies of the charity and that accurate records of their volunteering are kept on our case management system.

·        Deliver the five core training workshops in person at the services to the volunteer team(s) and work with the CEO to ensure the training is relevant, accurate and up to date.

·        Support and encourage those volunteers who wish to do so to progress through the volunteer programme, attend the relevant training, and undertake the role of team leader, with a focus on potential employment within the charity and elsewhere.

·        Work with the Senior Leadership Team to develop and enhance the volunteer offer across all of our London services.

·        Support individuals with interview preparation and CV writing, with a focus on both job opportunities within the charity, peer support roles within the wider treatment systems, and other relevant opportunities as they arise.

2.      Programme delivery & coordination

·        Collaborate with local community organisations and partners to establish and deliver a programme of cultural, physical, and wellbeing activities that support social connection, encourage participation in safe social networks and help to improve mental and physical health.

·        Plan, coordinate and evaluate activities with the wider staff team to ensure high-quality, trauma-informed opportunities for volunteers that support sustained recovery where appropriate.

·        Work closely with local service managers to ensure referrals to other service providers where necessary to support the wellbeing of volunteers.

·        Work with service managers to identify opportunities in the wider community that would support the development, wellbeing and social integration of volunteers where appropriate.

·        Work with the senior leadership team to regularly review and revise the development of the volunteer programme to ensure its effective delivery.

·        Work with the senior leadership team to ensure the programme delivers measurable outcomes that improve the life chances of the individuals accessing the programme.

3.      Outreach & community inclusion

·        Coordinate outreach sessions in the community with service managers and the volunteer team to increase the visibility of our services and develop wider partnership working and stakeholder management where appropriate.

·        Identify external training sources that may be of benefit to the members of the volunteer team, and support individuals to access such training where appropriate.

·        Work with our stakeholders and local drug and alcohol treatment providers to ensure that volunteering opportunities within the charity are available to anyone who wishes to apply, and individuals are supported to do so.

·        Work with our stakeholders and local drug and alcohol treatment providers to ensure our volunteers are supported to access peer mentoring and volunteer opportunities within the wider treatment system where appropriate and required.

·        Work with local volunteer centres and relevant local organisations, such as universities, to ensure volunteering opportunities within Build on Belief are advertised and available to any members of the wider community to wish to undertake them.

4.      Project & financial administration

·        Manage project goals and expenditure in line with set budgets, working with colleagues to ensure accurate monitoring, and reporting.

·        Support service managers and support workers to ensure volunteer records are up to date and in line with policy and procedures.

·        Ensure volunteering data is accurately recorded on our case management system and work with members of the senior leadership team to ensure relevant data is available for our partners, the Board of Trustees and other stakeholders when required.

·        Work with service managers to ensure data is collected from our volunteer teams and service users for impact evaluations and case studies as required.

5.      General

·        Organize annual volunteer events as agreed with the Senior Leadership Team.

·        To work with the Operations and Training Managers, Innovation and Development Manager and the Head of Services supporting the development of the weekend services and the management of volunteers.

·        To contribute content for social media channels, the organisation’s website, and newsletter.

·        To abide by all the policies and procedures of Build on Belief as given to you at the start of your contract with the organisation.

·        To work with the Build on Belief staff team and the service providers where appropriate, to create a series of borough-wide volunteer pools to develop and improve the delivery of recovery orientated services in those locations.

NOTE WELL: This job specification covers the basic aspects of the post only and is subject to change upon the instruction of the Chief Executive Officer and if necessary, the Board of Trustees.

This post is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service check at an enhanced level and the right to work in the UK.

PERSON SPECIFICATION CRITERIA

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following (E - Essential, D - Desirable):

·        Experience of working or volunteering with service users and/or volunteers in either drug and alcohol services, the wider recovery field, associated areas such as homelessness or mental health and supporting those with complex needs (E)  

·        Experience of recruiting, supporting, or managing volunteers in a charity or community setting (E)

·        Experience of planning, coordinating and delivering group activities or community events (E)

·        Knowledge of barriers faced by people struggling with substance use and social isolation (E)

·        Ability to build supportive relationships with volunteers and service users, particularly those with lived experience (E)

·        Understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality and trauma-informed practice (E)

·        Experience of partnership working with statutory or voluntary organisations (D)

·        Experience of managing budgets or project resources, including monitoring expenditure and tracking outcomes (D)

·        Experience of delivering presentations or training (D)

·        Experience of working collaboratively within a wider staff team. (E)

Knowledge and Skills

·        Proven people skills (i.e.: motivate, engage, supervise a team of volunteers and service users to deliver on the key aspects of the role.)

·        Knowledge of the range of services and activities available and necessary to improve the quality of life for people who have substance use issues, and practical ways to develop recovery capital.

·        Demonstrable skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a range of partners within both the statutory and voluntary sectors.

·        Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a focus on record keeping, monitoring, case supervision, and report writing.

·        Good IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and internal systems.

Personal qualities:

·        The ability to maintain safe professional boundaries with professionals, colleagues, and volunteers/service users at all times.

·        Demonstrable ability to work under pressure, adapt to changing environments and to balance competing demands.

·        Employ a flexible, empathetic, and non-judgmental attitude towards those with substance use issues.

·        Empathy with staff and volunteers who themselves may well be in treatment/recovery (lived experience of addiction or dependency is not essential but would be clearly valued.)

PLEASE NOTE: We especially encourage applications from individuals with direct or associative experience of a substance use disorder.

Build on Belief, April 2026.