Country research manager volunteer roles

Position Overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an early-career development professional to gain practical experience in operations and administration while supporting impactful community and conservation programmes in southeast Madagascar. Based in the coastal town of Fort Dauphin, the Junior Operations and Support Officer will play an important role in supporting the systems and processes that enable SEED Madagascar’s projects to run effectively.

SEED Madagascar is a UK registered charity dedicated to creating long-term, sustainable change in partnership with communities in the southeast of Madagascar. Our programmes integrate community health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, rural livelihoods and environmental conservation initiatives, while contributing to international best practice through research and publications.

Working within a collaborative team of national and international staff, the Junior Operations and Support Officer will contribute to the day-to-day operations that underpin SEED’s work. This office-based role provides a wide range of responsibilities, offering valuable experience across administration, organisational systems and programme support. The role will also involve occasional interaction with SEED’s Conservation Research Team in the field, providing orientations and pastoral care to the volunteers on their programme.

The position sits at the heart of SEED’s operations and offers broad exposure to the practical realities of working within an international development organisation. The successful candidate will support organisational policies and procedures, assist with the recruitment of international staff and volunteers, coordinate onboarding processes for new team members, and contribute to the management and promotion of SEED’s short-term conservation volunteer programme.

This role is ideal for someone who is organised, proactive and motivated to support a diverse team. It offers an excellent opportunity for an early-career professional who is interested in building skills in operations, administration and organisational support within the international development sector, while contributing to programmes that support both communities and ecosystems in Madagascar.

Title: Junior Operations and Support Officer

Location: Fort Dauphin, Madagascar

Commitment: 12 months; Monday to Friday (35 hours a week)

Salary: Voluntary for 12 months, with stipend of 800,000 MGA per month towards accommodation and a contribution of £650 towards insurance

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide pre-departure logistical support and advice with visas, hotels, flights, accommodation, medication etc to new international staff and short-term conservation volunteers

2. Lead on supporting international staff during their initial time with SEED including arrival, orientation, social inclusion, cultural understanding, housing and integration into the SEED team. 

3. Provide pastoral care, working with line managers to ensure that new and existing international staff and volunteers’ wellbeing is supported. 

4. Support the Conservation team in Sainte Luce on providing orientations and pastoral care of volunteers when required

5. Support the Communications team with advertising the volunteer programme and helping volunteers to increase their fundraising efforts

6. Support on the recruitment of international staff, including the advertisement of vacancies

7. Assist in the preparation of reports for internal and external audiences including Annual Reports and Malagasy Ministry reports

8. Work with the Director of Operations and Programmes, and the International Operations Manager in developing, updating and implementing organisational databases, systems, policies and procedures across the NGO

9. Oversee the training schedule for international staff and work alongside national and 

10. International staff to increase their skills and capacity, providing mentoring or training where appropriate

11. Support with the writing of minutes and note taking across the organisation

12. Ensure all of SEED’s policies and procedures are evident throughout the work of the department, including those for safeguarding, whistleblowing and anti-corruption, and undertake continual training to ensure these are always promoted

13. Assist with administration tasks and any other tasks required by the International Operations Manager or Director of Programmes and Operations in line with the tasks of the post

Required Skills & Experience/Person Specification 

• Hold an undergraduate degree in or relating to Development or be able to demonstrate a passion for this area

• Be able to work independently and be proactively

• Have good all round computing skills and experience in Microsoft Office 

• Have previous experience working to deadlines and have ability to successfully manage their time

• Communicate clearly and engagingly in written English across a range of media forms

• Communicate verbally to encompass the range of cultures you will be working with

• To have a good level of written English and be able to proofread documents to a high standard

• To have a curious mind and a patient, problem solving attitude

• Ideally have previous experience living, working or travelling in a developing country, though is not essential

• Be fluent in English. A working knowledge of French is desirable but not essential

• Be capable and comfortable adapting to life in a least developed country with sometimes basic living conditions

• Be comfortable with campsite conditions whilst supporting the team in the field for days at a time

• Be able to work and socialise within a small group of people and to be respectful and take personal responsibility for maintaining a good reputation for the NGO in the community

• Be able to adjust to life in another culture and a foreign language and be able to always work with cultural sensitivity

• Demonstrate the ability, social skills and confidence to give clear guidance and support to other members of the team in respect of the philosophy and procedures of SEED to protect both their safety and the reputation of the NGO.

About Roots Academy

At Roots Academy, we’ve built a learning experience that’s changing the lives of the ummah’s future leaders, change-makers and visionaries.

Our vision is enabling university students to live God-centred lives, so we teach structured, engaging and transformative face-to-face foundational Islamic education to over 1,800 students across the UK.

Role Summary

As the Fundraising Coordinator, you will be responsible for helping create and implementing strategies to fundraise from both existing and new sources (individuals, mosques, grants etc.) with the aim of securing the long-term financial stability of Roots Academy.

Key tasks

Fundraising Planning:

• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising plans to achieve income goals.
• Identify potential new funding sources and opportunities for income generation.

Campaign Management:

• Plan and oversee fundraising campaigns and events, including direct appeals, online campaigns, and fundraising events at mosques.
• Coordinate with marketing and communications teams to develop compelling fundraising material.

Proposal Development:

• Research trusts, foundations and corporations for grant opportunities.
• Work with the team to develop proposals, supporting with grant writing when needed.

Budget Oversight:

• Work closely with the finance team to monitor fundraising budgets, expenditure, and financial projections.

Donor Relations:

• Support with Donor Communications in activities related to donor relationship management and stewardship.

What we’re looking for

• Experience in organising fundraising campaigns and events, including digital fundraising strategies
• Strong understanding of fundraising principles and techniques, including donor cultivation
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate the organisation’s mission and impact to diverse audiences
• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and execute effective fundraising plans
• Strong understanding of Islam and the Muslim Community
   

What we have to offer

• Be part of a team of 40+ dedicated volunteers from across the country.
• Receive continuous rewards for those that seek Islamic knowledge from the Roots platform.
• Be a part of a growing organisation that aims to revive and educate Muslims from a grassroots perspective.
• Receive in-house tarbiyah sessions to develop your deen.

Please note this is an unpaid volunteer position.

Volunteers are entitled to claim expenses incurred for food, travel and equipment, in line with our Expenses policy.

About us:

Write Back is a young charity helping marginalised young people develop their self-esteem, literacy and creativity through storytelling. Currently based in Barking & Dagenham, since 2020 we have run storytelling programmes for more than 200 young people, helping them tell their stories and printing and celebrating their work. 9 out of 10 participants on our programmes see significant improvements in their self-esteem, and in our short period of operations, we have published over 20 anthologies of young writers’ work, exploring themes like immigration, identity and social isolation.

What we do:

We run 10-week long storytelling programmes in Barking and Dagenham, east London, to build self-esteem among young people aged 13-16. In each session we do confidence building activities, engage with the writing of a young author and then develop the participating young people’s own stories. The 10-week project involves developing their ideas individually and collectively and culminates with the publication of their work, including in books, local museum exhibitions and much more.

We are working with six secondary schools in Barking and Dagenham, who have been referring young people to our programmes or inviting us into their premises to run bespoke programmes for selected students Barking and Dagenham is the 9th most deprived local authority in the country and 37% of the young people and children live in poverty. Despite this recent research shows that Barking and Dagenham has the joint fewest charities per head in the country.

About the role:

Write Back has grown considerably since its founding five years ago. Now with paid part-time staff, strong local networks, secure medium-term funding and proof of impact, we are entering a new phase of organisational growth.

To oversee this, we are looking for a new Chair of Trustees to oversee a significant period of strategic choices. We are looking for someone who wants to get closely involved in setting the strategy, direction and priorities of Write Back as we transition from new ‘start-up’ into a more established charity. As a small charity, the Chair will be someone who can think ‘big picture’ but also is happy to get involved with day-to-day matters when necessary - securing new funding, overseeing our staffing model, building networks with other organisations and more. We are therefore looking for an individual with:

• Experience of organisational governance (ideally experience being on a board of trustees before).

• Experience in a leadership role in a growing organisation (either teams/departments or the whole organisation).

• Strong fundraising and networking skills and experience.

• Knowledge and expertise of the charity sector.

• A strong commitment to the work of Write Back and empowering young people.

• The passion and enthusiasm to throw themselves into a new and exciting charity for young people to help us in our next phase of growth.

• The ability and experience of working at a strategic level, providing expert oversight, advice and guidance, but willing to get involved day-to-day where necessary.

• The skills and temperament to collaborate effectively in a small, growing organisation.

• A good understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of charity trusteeship and an appreciation of the personal implications.

• A demonstrable commitment to equality and diversity.

• Experience in the education sector, or in legal, HR or other operational or governance matters, is a plus but not required.

Core requirements:

• This is a voluntary unpaid role, for which any reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

• Your initial term will be for 2 years, with the possibility of renewal.

• Attendance at trustee meetings every two months (either online or in person, for roughly 90 minutes), as well as preparation for these meetings and any follow-up tasks.

• Working with the Director and the Treasurer, overseeing all governance, financial and operational matters and reporting requirements as necessary.

• Fulfilling any or all other requirements for trustees as outlined by the Charity Commission.

• We estimate the time commitment to be no more than two days per month in total.

Trustee Opportunity at Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire is seeking new trustees to help shape the future of our high-performing advice charity.

With offices in Grantham, Spalding and Stamford, plus outreach centres across the region, we support a population of 225,000 people. Last year, we helped 14,000 clients with 60,000 issues and secured over £7 million of additional income for them. We are here for everyone to help people move on with their lives.

As a trustee, you’d join a well-known, respected charity, influence strategy, strengthen governance and contribute to meaningful change. This is an opportunity to share your expertise with other professional, dedicated trustees, gain valuable experience, build on your leadership and strategy skills, and increase your employability. Prior Board experience is not required.

We welcome expertise in digital media, finance, fundraising, HR, IT, law, marketing, PR, risk management, senior management, local government, or strategy.

What do you need to become a trustee?

Trustees don’t need specific qualifications, but we expect all trustees to have six core skills:

● Insight into the organisation: considering CASL’s objects and its public benefit strategically

● Challenging constructively: clarifying facts; stimulating thought

● Analysing issues: being objective; evaluating risks; using evidence; planning ahead

● Weighing up opinions: using evidence; balancing long- and shortterm; prioritising value

● Interpersonal skills: communicating clearly; listening actively; supporting a healthy culture

● Confidence and self-awareness: collaborating with others; treating everyone with respect.

The Board also values specialist skills as assets among its members:

● experience or qualifications in:

 ‣ business or charity leadership

 ‣ equity, diversity and inclusion

 ‣ facilitation

 ‣ finance and accountancy

 ‣ human resources

 ‣ IT, AI or digital media

‣ law or governance

‣ local government

‣ marketing, PR or communications

‣ risk management, or

‣ strategy development

● past experience as a client or service user of this (or a similar) organisation

● a track record of charitable fundraising, or

● being an effective chair. 

Finally, competent trustees should have these six personal qualities to some extent, and demonstrate them in their behaviours:

● Committed - motivated, dedicated, persevering; plays an active role.

● Responsible - accountable, independent, reliable; accepts collective responsibility.

● Trustworthy - ethical, principled; is a critical friend and focuses on continuous improvement.

● Collaborative - team-oriented, approachable; builds relationships and seeks consensus.

● Confident - independent; contributes constructively and expresses opinions courageously.

● Thoughtful - curious, adaptable, open-minded; appropriately challenges the status quo

Provide a welcoming and supportive first point of contact for clients and visitors across our Dudley and Wolverhampton offices.

Role Responsibilities:

• Provide reception cover and welcome clients into the Information Hub.

• Carry out initial triage by listening to clients’ needs and directing them appropriately.

• Book in clients who have appointments with advice staff

• Handle calls and emails, and record client information accurately.

About You:

• Friendly, approachable, and empathetic.

• Good communication and basic IT skills.

• Organised, reliable, and able to work independently and in a team.

• Willing to travel between Dudley and Wolverhampton offices.

Commitment:

• Volunteer 1 day a week (you can volunteer if you want up to 5 days a week), volunteering between the hours of 9am – 3pm, for minimum 6 months commitment.

NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED, FULL TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED
Plus, we'll reimburse your travel expenses (fuel or bus fares, car parking), so volunteering won't cost you anything but your time.

Why Volunteer with Us? 
✨ Valuable Experience: Gain practical skills and a sense of fulfilment with a trusted charity that has over 80 years of experience.
✨ Training and Support: Enjoy comprehensive training and ongoing support to help you succeed.
✨ Social Connection: Meet like-minded individuals and become part of our wonderful team.
✨ Personal Fulfilment: Experience the joy of making a real difference in someone's life.
✨ Flexible Hours: We offer flexible volunteering hours to suit your lifestyle.
✨ Health and Wellbeing: We prioritise the wellness of our volunteers, contributing to professional   success.
✨ Professional Development: We're committed to continuous development and growth opportunities.
✨ Diversity and Inclusion: We embrace individuals from all walks of life and encourage authenticity.

�� What Our Volunteers Say:
"Now that I am retired, volunteering at Citizens Advice gives me a purpose in life. I feel I can serve my community and make a difference to local people who are in difficulty. I learn a lot, use my skills and discover new skills as well as having new and varied experiences every day."
-Volunteer Generalist Advisor

"I now feel braver when looking at new job opportunities. I can utilise my skills and experience from volunteering in the hubs."
-Cost of Living Support Hub Volunteer

Ready to make a difference?
�� For further information about the individual roles, please visit our website:

If you require any of the information in an alternative accessible format, please let us know and we will be happy to assist.

Support Dudley residents with long-term health conditions or disabilities by providing information regarding welfare benefit applications and delivering structured self-management group programmes.

Role Responsibilities:

• Facilitate small group Welfare Benefit Guider sessions (up to 6 residents) to those who need assistance to complete their own welfare benefits application forms (e.g. Personal Independence Payments (PIP) application forms).

• Deliver 6-week Long Term Health & Wellbeing Programmes (2.5 hours per week) to groups of up to 12 residents per group with long term health conditions or disabilities to help improve their quality of life.

• Create supportive, inclusive group environments and record participant information accurately.

About You:

• Lived or caring experience of long-term physical or mental health conditions is preferred but not essential 

• Ability to empathise with clients is essential. 

• Confident speaking in group settings (in person and online) with good communication and basic IT skills.

• Able to handle sensitive information with tact.

Commitment:

• Deliver sessions at community venues across Dudley (and potentially Wolverhampton), including some evenings/weekends. 

• Deliver 3 x 6 weeks Long-term Health & Wellbeing Programmes per year

• Deliver 2 x 3-hour Welfare Benefits Guider Sessions per month

• An enhanced DBS check is required (arranged and paid for by the organisation).

NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED, FULL TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED

Plus, we'll reimburse your travel expenses (fuel or bus fares, car parking), so volunteering won't cost you anything but your time.

Why Volunteer with Us? 

✨ Valuable Experience: Gain practical skills and a sense of fulfilment with a trusted charity that has over 80 years of experience.

✨ Training and Support: Enjoy comprehensive training and ongoing support to help you succeed.

✨ Social Connection: Meet like-minded individuals and become part of our wonderful team.

✨ Personal Fulfilment: Experience the joy of making a real difference in someone's life.

✨ Flexible Hours: We offer flexible volunteering hours to suit your lifestyle.

✨ Health and Wellbeing: We prioritise the wellness of our volunteers, contributing to professional   success.

✨ Professional Development: We're committed to continuous development and growth opportunities.

✨ Diversity and Inclusion: We embrace individuals from all walks of life and encourage authenticity.

�� What Our Volunteers Say:

"Now that I am retired, volunteering at Citizens Advice gives me a purpose in life. I feel I can serve my community and make a difference to local people who are in difficulty. I learn a lot, use my skills and discover new skills as well as having new and varied experiences every day."

-Volunteer Generalist Advisor

"I now feel braver when looking at new job opportunities. I can utilise my skills and experience from volunteering in the hubs."

-Cost of Living Support Hub Volunteer

Ready to make a difference?

�� For further information about the individual roles, please visit our website:

Please download and complete the application form

If you require any of the information in an alternative accessible format, please let us know and we will be happy to assist.

Volunteer Admissions Assistant

You'll be multitasking throughout the day, with a mix of responsibilities including customer service, ticket sales, promoting Gift Aid donations, shop duties, guiding visitors and providing information about the Museum and the collection. If you enjoy a fast-paced environment and love engaging with people, this is the role for you. 

The Volunteer Admissions Assistant role is all about making a lasting impression and creating a memorable visitor experience. You’ll be:

• Welcoming and engaging with visitors, sharing information about the museum and its collection.
• Selling tickets and gift shop items, ensuring smooth transactions and great customer service.
• Collecting data for Gift Aid and marketing purposes, including how visitors found out about us.
• Creating positive experiences to encourage return visits and word-of-mouth recommendations.
• Helping visitors explore the Museum through interpretation, answering questions and distributing trails, accessibility and family activities.
• Maintaining the gift shop, including restocking, counting stock, and setting up attractive displays.
• Conducting online research and building contact lists to support marketing efforts.
• Promoting the Museum locally, raising awareness and encouraging more visitors to discover what we have to offer!

Who we’re looking for:

We’d like to extend an invitation to anyone, particularly members of the local community.  Full training will be provided, we are looking for anyone with:

• Great customer service skills – you will be friendly and confident about approaching visitors of all ages and backgrounds
• Great communication skills – you will be able to clearly explain information about the Museum and ticketing to visitors
• Good computer skills – with training, you will be able to use our ticketing system, email and Microsoft Office
• Good Sales Skills – you will be able to promote ticket sales and gift shop items as well as encouraging Gift Aid donations
• Multitasking skills – with various responsibilities such as selling tickets, guiding visitors, and managing the gift shop, you will be able to juggle tasks efficiently
• A good telephone manner
• Good team working skills

This role offers plenty of variety, and you'll play an important part in making every visitor's experience unforgettable.

Training and support:

All volunteers will first be invited for a training shift.  We have an induction and training process, during which we give volunteers the information they need to enjoy their time with us. Training is mainly 'on the job', supported by an experienced volunteer as well as the manager on duty. Volunteers are given regular feedback and we remain open to suggestions on how we can improve the volunteer experience. The Admissions Assistant receives continued training and development throughout their time with us.

Availability:

We are looking for volunteers who would ideally like to donate 2-4 shifts per month, weekdays or weekends, either as a 10-1.30pm shift, or a 1.30-5pm shift, for a minimum of 3 months. Ideally, you will be able to start immediately, although this is not essential. Travel expenses up to £5 will be paid, with up to an additional £5 for lunch expenses if you are on a full day shift.

Please note: Applicants from some overseas countries are required to have a relevant work permit or student visa to volunteer in the U.K. We’ll need to see this for our records before volunteering can commence.

Citizens Advice Winchester District is a dynamic, values-led, and award-winning local charity which is passionate about creating a fairer society for all.

We do this by helping people to resolve a wide range of problems they’re facing, so that everyone can achieve a good quality of life.Every year, we provide free, confidential and impartial advice on issues such as debt, housing, benefits and employment advice to people across the Winchester district, many of whom are in desperate or challenging situations and have nowhere else to turn. We may also suggest to our clients' other agencies that may be helpful to them, depending on their individual circumstances.

Our greatest asset is our dedicated team of staff, volunteers and trustees, who also advocate for lasting policy change both locally and nationally. To help us in our work, we are seeking an additional 3-4 trustees to complete our board and help us lead the charity over our next phase of strategic development.

The role  

We want our board to have a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds and are looking for strategic thinkers with a commitment to good governance and a willingness to work collaboratively and challenge constructively. Previous experience of Citizens Advice, or of being a Trustee (or equivalent), would be advantageous, but the commitment and enthusiasm to help us shape the work and strategic direction of our forward-thinking charity is essential. 

We would be particularly interested to hear from people with experience in HR (especially those with current CIPD membership), Charitable Trust and Foundation fundraising, and change management.

We are committed to being an inclusive workplace and we value diversity - we welcome and encourage applications from all walks of life, whatever your background or situation.

This is an exciting opportunity to be able to influence the direction of our charity, making a real difference. You will work alongside passionate and skilled colleagues and use your experience to create positive change for thousands of people in the Winchester district every year.

We look forward to hearing from you! 

We’re seeking committed new trustees to help guide a small but ambitious charity supporting children and young people with cerebral palsy, ensuring our funds deliver meaningful, life-changing impact.

Our Board is made up of a small, committed group of trustees who bring a mix of professional expertise and personal connection to our cause. Together, we oversee a grant-making charity that has a long heritage and a clear ambition: to increase our income and ensure we can support more children and young people with cerebral palsy in meaningful, practical ways.

Like many small charities, our challenge is balancing strong governance with growth. We are financially stable and well run, but we want to think more strategically about our future: how we prioritise funding, how we grow awareness and income, and how we ensure every grant we make delivers real, lasting benefit for families. The new trustee will play an active role in shaping these conversations and helping the Board move confidently from steady state to sustainable growth.

The role is hands-on and collaborative. Trustees are expected to attend four board meetings a year, contribute thoughtfully to discussion and decision-making, and engage between meetings when specific issues arise. Depending on interest and experience, the new trustee may also be invited to take a lead role in an area of work or join a small working group, for example around fundraising development, investment oversight, or grant assessment.

This is an opportunity to influence how limited charitable funds are used where they matter most. Trustees are directly involved in decisions that enable children to access therapy, specialist equipment, and support that may not otherwise be available. For someone who wants to make a tangible difference, this is a role where your contribution can be clearly seen in the lives of the children and families we support.

The Board values open discussion, shared responsibility, and a supportive culture, making this an especially rewarding role for someone who wants their time and judgement to have genuine impact.