Community Developer (Part-Time)- AFS USA - San Francisco Bay Area

Over the past 60 years the AFS network has become one of the largest volunteer based organizations of its kind in the world spanning more than 50 countries. The AFS-USA commitment to volunteering is an important element of our mission statement, which reads:

"AFS-USA works toward a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities through a global volunteer partnership."

Volunteerism is deeply embedded in the history and roots of our organization going back to the "volunteer" ambulance drivers who comprised the original American Field Service. Those original volunteers founded AFS Intercultural Programs on the belief that by promoting the exchange of high school students between local communities in the U.S and local communities in other countries, they could foster a worldwide culture of cooperation and understanding among peoples and nations.

The Volunteer Development Department at AFS-USA operates within the context of four core principles:

1. AFS-USA will be an organization which seeks, tracks, and maintains enduring relationships with all its supporters.

2. AFS-USA will be an organization of continuous learning

3. AFS-USA will be an innovative volunteer organization

4. AFS-USA will be a well managed volunteer organization

Community Developer Job Responsibilities
As a Community Developer you will be responsible for developing and supporting the volunteer structure in a designated area of the United States for AFS-USA. Working in close collaboration with local volunteers, your goal as a Community Developer is to ensure that AFS-USA volunteers receive the support and assistance they need to create and maintain strong sustainable teams capable of implementing AFS-USA programs with quality. In addition, you will work with local volunteers to identify potential growth areas and work to establish new volunteer teams in those areas in order to expand the footprint of AFS-USA. While your specific responsibilities as a Community Developer will be very dependent on the specific characteristics, needs, and potential of the territory to which you are assigned, responsibilities may include:

1. Ensuring a process for on-going volunteer/team needs assessment in the identified territory.

2. Development and implementation of plans for volunteer recruitment, training, and retention to support the identified needs of the existing volunteer structure in the assigned territory as well as plans to expand into undeveloped or underdeveloped areas where potential for growth exits.

3. Promotion and facilitation of AFS community awareness campaign(s) and/or other community outreach that result in the recruitment of new volunteers and other forms of support for the AFS-USA program.

4. Establishment and implementation of new volunteer orientation and integration processes within the assigned team, including the implementation of a returnee engagement program.

5. Organization and facilitation of local volunteer trainings, meetings and events.

6. Identification of future leadership volunteers and development of leadership succession plans, election processes, etc.

7. Promotion and facilitation of volunteer recognition efforts including the identification of opportunities to recognize AFS volunteers in the broader community through volunteer award programs outside of AFS.

8. Development of communication platforms to ensure that all local volunteers have consistent access to information and materials, as well as the means to seek out assistance and contribute their own ideas to the work of the team.

9. Development of school outreach strategies to assist teams in maintaining strong relations with current schools and identification of new schools with which AFS can work

10. Remain well-informed about AFS, CSIET, and State Department policies, standards and regulations regarding international student exchange to ensure consistent compliance to all policies, standards, and regulations. Ensure that volunteers in the assigned area are aware of and work to ensure AFS-USA's compliance in their area.

As a Community Developer you will need to be responsive to questions and concerns from volunteers, volunteer leads and staff via incoming calls, email, fax and regular mail in a timely manner. In addition, your success in this position will be heavily dependent on your ability to build strong collaborative relationships with all of the volunteers in your assigned territory as well as with the other staff also working with volunteers and programs in your assigned territory.

Skills and Qualifications:
1. Background in organizational/community development

2. Experience working with or managing volunteers, strongly preferred

3. Knowledge of AFS organizational structure or international exchange industry strongly preferred

4. Local knowledge of school systems, government, towns and surrounding communities

5. Excellent written and oral communications skills, including public speaking and group facilitation.

6. Ability to maintain good rapport and cooperative relationships with staff and volunteers, as well as the ability to approach conflict in a positive manner.

7. Strong organizational skills, self-motivated, and the ability to be managed from a distance

8. Proficiency in MS Word and Excel, skill in updating and maintaining databases, and other computer application skills desired

9. Experience working with diverse communities a plus

10. Excellent interpersonal and intercultural skills

Other Requirements
1. Access to a car and a current driver's license
2. Access to a computer with internet access
3. Access to a phone for making and receiving calls.

Salary and Benefits:
Salary will be negotiated at the time of hire.

Regular part-time employees who work under 20 hours per week are not eligible for insurance coverage, and are not entitled to vacation pay sick pay, personal days, or floating holidays. Holidays will be paid only if they fall on a day when the employee is normally scheduled to work,

Work Conditions
Position will be out-posted in designated areas and home-based.

Extensive local travel is required, as will be some domestic travel to AFS meetings, trainings, or conferences.

Daily and weekly hours are flexible but are commensurate with deadlines, budgets and milestone timelines. Evening and weekend work will be required.

Mileage and other travel-related expenses will be reimbursable, within AFS-USA guidelines.

Other:
It is the policy of AFS-USA to provide equal employment opportunity in all employment practices without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or any other unlawful basis. Our goal is to foster a diverse workforce which reflects a broad spectrum of society and maintain an organization free from unlawful discrimination towards any employee or applicant for employment. Full commitment to this policy is required to produce a work environment in which we can take pride.