We are recruiting to an exciting position that plays a central role in the work of OCVA. As Volunteering Development Officer you will be responsible for promoting and enabling a culture of volunteering across Oxfordshire. You will administer and promote the website Oxfordshire Volunteers, helping individuals to find the right opportunity for them and supporting organisations to recruit and retain volunteers.
This role combines home and office working with getting out and about across Oxfordshire, meeting organisations and volunteers face to face, understanding their needs and celebrating and sharing their successes. We work in partnership across the county and developing meaningful relationships with other groups and organisations is an important part of how you will work in this role.
Working with the OCVA team you will contribute to our programme of training and support for the sector, working with our Deputy CEO to develop and deliver identified training and support needs that relate to volunteering. You will facilitate network meetings across the county and proactively seek opportunities to raise the profile of volunteering initiatives through a wide range of routes from social media through to local news coverage.
At OCVA we believe that volunteering should be accessible to everyone. Your role will have a focus on removing barriers to volunteering so that together we can build stronger, happier communities.
Enabling a diverse voluntary and community sector to flourish in Oxfordshire.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
- Hours: full time 37.5 hours per week
- Permanent Position
- Hybrid working predominantly in the Surrey area
About us
The South East Rivers Trust (SERT), is the river restoration charity for the South East of England. Our vision is that rivers across the South East are clean, healthy and rich in biodiversity. Our mission is to restore and protect rivers and their catchments against multiple threats and a dramatically changing climate. We do this by:
- delivering evidence-based and nature-based solutions on land and in rivers;
- inspiring and empowering more people to protect rivers for the future.
Working at SERT is rewarding, fulfilling and busy. We work collaboratively and with passion, and this is reflected in our core values of: delivering high quality work, using expertise and scientific understanding, building good and effective relationships, and bringing positive energy to all we do. With rivers and catchments needing serious action to survive, our aims are growth and impact – so you’ll be comfortable with challenges and excited by change. If this sounds like an environment that you would thrive in, we would love to hear from you.
The role
This is a fantastic opportunity to utilise your educational skills, in a natural environment, whilst engaging young people, as well as our local communities. You will have a background and passion for teaching and engaging a range of audiences, to learn about the importance of our rivers, together with the ecosystems that survive and thrive around them. You will have a hands on approach, with the ability to design, develop and deliver a range of educational activities to suit your varying audiences. You will enjoy having time working independently to create your teaching sessions, either in an office environment or at home, as well as being outside, delivering your teaching or activities.
Whilst you will predominately cover the Surrey catchment area, you will be happy and flexible to work anywhere within the south east, together with some degree of flexibility with the hours that you work, so that events can be held on occasional evenings and weekends. Your time will be spent at home developing your sessions, delivering a range of activities such as guided walks or talks, as well as hands on activities in and around a river, or educational events.
The South East Rivers Trust has an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic individual who loves our natural environment, and wants to engage and teach local communities. As our Education and Engagement Officer, you will inspire children and their families through a range of fun, hands-on activities that connect them to our amazing rivers and their wildlife.
Please see the full Education and Engagement Officer job description for more information.
How to apply:
Please send the following documents to us (details are on our website):
- Your CV
- a completed SERT Application form
- Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form (optional)
The deadline for application is 11:59pm on 8th June 2025. We reserve the right to close the recruitment early.
We help rivers thrive again for communities and nature.



