151 Lawrence Street, Brooklyn, NY

Hours: Full Time – Must be available on weekends and evenings to attend events and run volunteer projects.

BCS was founded by volunteers in response to the plight of Civil War veterans and children who lost their fathers in the war. Volunteerism remains at the heart of what we do. The passion and dedication of our volunteers allows us to leverage limited resources to reach a greater portion of the community. We rely on the energy and dedication of some 800 volunteers every year, who give back through our signature group volunteer events or as dedicated on-going volunteer placements.

Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) empowers Brooklyn residents to maximize their potential. At more than 40 programs and services across 27 BCS sites (and its affiliates, Turning Point Brooklyn and Astella) in neighborhoods that currently include Downtown Brooklyn, Bedford Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, East New York, Brownsville, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bushwick, Sunset Park, Red Hook, Flatbush and Coney Island, BCS empowers Brooklyn residents to maximize their potential. We strengthen families, educate children, and help adults dealing with poverty, homelessness, mental illness and/or disabilities to become self-sufficient. Our  award-winning programs serve over 20,000 individuals every year.

Position Summary

This role is responsible for the goals and vision, as well as the daily operations of our volunteer program. They will also take the lead on our outreach and community organizing efforts to recruit additional clients and introduce the community to BCS.

Responsibilities:

Volunteer Program:

• Manage BCS’s Volunteer Program. Work with program staff to create and implement volunteer opportunities that meet the short and long term needs of the agency and are attractive to volunteers.. Work to standardize a welcoming  volunteer experience across BCS, including the effective background check and onboarding process.  

• Learn, advise and apply labor law regulations pertaining to volunteer and internship placements to all such activities at BCS

• Maintain an internally shared database of all current, former and pending volunteers with notes of volunteer activity and contact information including social media for each volunteer.  Ensure that donations made by volunteers are appropriately noted and tracked in agency fundraising databases. Ensure that volunteers are included in appropriate ERA mailings and social media. 

• Collaborate with ERA leadership to create and implement a plan to boost charitable giving by volunteers.  In collaboration with the ERA leadership and COO, initiate Volunteer recognition events including a targeted “thank you” mailing to volunteers and an annual fundraiser where agency gratitude for volunteers is the primary focus. 

• In collaboration with Program Directors, Division Directors and Executive staff and based on program needs, conceptualize, implement and manage group volunteer events such as gardening, “speed mentoring”, community clean-ups, career days, sporting events and more.

• Strengthen systems for recruitment and retention of long-term volunteers in line with programmatic needs.

• Publicize and encourage the internal use of volunteers by BCS programs.  Maintain a directory of agency requests for support by volunteers (including interns and fellows) and make appropriate volunteer referrals to Program and Administrative staff.

• Manage and regularly maintain a calendar of volunteer events that can be used effectively by Executive and Senior staff to support programmatic and external relations and advancement needs.   Ensure that volunteer events are supported and in line with program schedules and events.

• Organize, promote,  manage and facilitate a brief monthly  Information and Orientation Session for new and prospective volunteers.

• Conceptualize, implement and manage “Spring into Action”, an annual large-scale volunteer initiative  ( a two-week long series of daily volunteer projects across BCS programs with partnering organizations.) Collaborate with ERA Leadership to find and sustain financial and operational support for the initiative.  Collaborate with COO, CPO and Division Directors to ensure that activities are in line with program goals and schedules and to gain operational support from staff.

• Supervise interns and fellows  assigned to work within the volunteer unit.

Outreach:

• Work with BCS programs and Executive staff to increase BCS visibility in local communities, through outreach and community organizing.

• With oversight and direction from the CEO, COO and ERA Leadership represent BCS, at local events, community gatherings, workshops, and training sessions. 

• Identify issues that are important in the neighborhoods served by BCS and in collaboration with Executive Staff, build coalitions with other community stakeholders  to mobilize community members to tackle these issues.

• Develop and maintain a shared agency database of community and stakeholders contact information, including social media and notes regarding their interests.  Cultivate relationships with individuals, community based organizations, churches, and corporations to build strong partnerships. This includes working with corporate volunteers to leverage grant opportunities and other ways to support BCS.

• Spearhead two annual drives for in-kind donations: the Holiday Gift Drive for children, and the toiletry drive for homeless women. Develop new ways for community members to support BCS through in-kind donations that meet the needs of the clients and communities we serve.

• Work collaboratively with the Communications and the Graphics Design Manager to ensure that program staff have adequate outreach materials.  This may include managing print orders and deliveries.

Other:

• Participate in and support ERA activities as assigned.

Qualifications required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a related field.  

• Experience working in the nonprofit sector and a solid understanding of organizations that provide programs and services to people in the community.

• Ability to work within diverse communities; and maintain positive working relationships with volunteers, staff, donors and Board members. Ability to navigate solid relationships with donors, corporate executives, funders, and the media.

• Interest, enthusiasm and affinity for volunteerism, fundraising and working with people.

• Ability to motivate millennials and college students.

• Excellent written and interpersonal communication, with strong organizational skills.

•  Excellent oral communication and ability to conduct public speaking.

• The candidate must be self-motivated, work well under pressure and be able to handle several projects at one time. The candidate must have good judgment.

• Position requires availability on weekends and evenings to attend events and run volunteer projects.

·         BCS and Turning Point require that all employees entering the workplace be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless an exemption is granted as a medical or religious accommodation.