Volunteer coordinator : Employers and vacancy sources

The majority of volunteer coordinators are employed within the not-for-profit sector, with the larger charities and universities sometimes having a team coordinating volunteering. Smaller charities and other sectors may have someone in place who undertakes a substantial amount of volunteer coordination, but whose remit may be more diverse and who may operate with a different job title.

Volunteer coordinators are employed by a range of organisations across the private, public and voluntary sectors, including:

• sports clubs and bodies;
• volunteer centres;
• festivals;
• galleries and museums;
• colleges, universities and students’ unions;
• probation and prison services;
• radio stations;
• religious groups;
• hospitals and hospices;
• councils.

With increasing emphasis on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development, many companies have CSR strategies, working with organisations such as Business in the Community (BITC)  and investing in employee volunteering activities, which has generated more opportunities for volunteer coordinators.

Sources of vacancies

• Guardian Jobs  
• Independent Jobs   
• Community Care   
• Third Sector  
• The Big Issue  
• Goodmoves  - for Scotland.
• Recruit3  - for Wales.
• CommunityNI  - for Northern Ireland.

Vacancies can be found through specialist and sector-specific recruitment agencies, for example People Unlimited . There is a list of specialist agencies on VolResource .

For vacancies in other sectors, visit corporate social responsibility (CSR) websites such as Acre , education websites such as Jobs.ac.uk  and FE Jobs , and for the creative industries Voluntary Arts Network . Some larger charities also advertise on jobsgopublic  and Publicjobsdirect.com . Volunteering with an organisation can provide a huge advantage when sourcing vacancies as jobs can often be promoted internally.

Attend recruitment fairs/exhibitions to find out about opportunities, distribute your CV and network. The Forum 3  not-for-profit and public sector recruitment fair in London is a useful event to attend.

Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.