Associate Manager of Volunteer Programs

The Associate Manager of Volunteer Programs will report to the Senior Manager of Volunteer and Mentorship Programs and will play an integral role in supporting Community Programs (CP). This person will be one of the first points of contact for Food Forward volunteers and will interact with many individuals new to our organization. Their role is to ensure volunteers have positive, fulfilling experiences and feel welcomed and informed throughout the process. The ideal candidate is highly detail-oriented, an empathetic problem-solver and effective communicator, able to enforce policies as needed, comfortable handling high volumes of correspondence, and passionate about engaging and expanding Food Forward’s diverse volunteer community. This position will work closely with other Community Programs staff in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, providing an opportunity to become deeply involved in the food justice community while collaborating with a prominent, growing nonprofit.

The Associate Manager of Volunteer Programs is expected to attend, lead, and represent Food Forward at volunteer, community, and speaking events. This is a hybrid position that will require working weekdays, weekends, and evenings in the field and at our offices in North Hollywood and Ventura, as well as working remotely. At least 50% of the Volunteer Program Manager's time will be spent building and engaging our volunteer base in Ventura County, with a mix of remote and in-person fieldwork. The person in this role must have reliable transportation and/or access to a vehicle to attend events not accessible by public transportation. This is a Full-time, non-exempt postion.

Core Responsibilities

• Volunteer Coordination & Stewardship
  • Collaborate with program staff to identify, recruit, onboard, train, and retain Event Leaders, who lead 150-200 events per month across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
  • Recruit and coordinate volunteers for 150-200 produce recovery events per month.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for volunteers through email, phone, newsletters, volunteer events, and other community activities.
  • Sustain, create, and coordinate inquiries and partnerships with volunteer groups, organizations, and institutions.
  • Plan and monitor volunteer appreciation, including engagement events
• Program Operations
  • Collaborate with other Community Programs managers to establish and report on annual goals, achieve program objectives, and develop annual budgets
  • Update and maintain volunteer-related data
  • Assist in improving the inclusivity and accessibility of volunteer opportunities to community members of various backgrounds
  • Assist in developing new volunteer opportunities and Event Leader positions as needed
  • Become a trained Event Leader for all programs to lead and train volunteers and support the Community Programs team as needed
  • Act as a point person and play a key role in supervising interns and training new staff
  • Assist in maintaining metrics, tracking, and reporting
  • Act as the point person in developing the Volunteer Program newsletter, organization-wide newsletters, blogs, social media, and other external communication, collaborating with Senior Coordinators and Managers to ensure content is submitted, reviewed, and revised before deadlines
  • Act as a point person for the program on internal projects, and facilitate communication on behalf of the program with other departments
  • Assist with training new staff
  • Support cross-functional initiatives

Minimum Requirements

• • Computer-literate with proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Airtable and ability to learn new computer programs, including our custom database, CITRA
  • Must be willing and available to have a flexible schedule and work weekends
  • Must be willing and available to use a personal smartphone (cell phone stipend paid semi-monthly)

Physical Requirements

• • Ability to work both indoors and outdoors
  • Ability to lift and move boxes of produce and equipment weighing up to 40-55 lbs
  • Alternate sitting and standing as needed; push or pull; grasp; reach above, at, or below shoulder level; and kneel, crouch, and stoop as required.

How to apply: Send a cover letter and resume as a PDF to Forward Forward at https://foodforward.org/careers/#job-listings. The subject line should read: Associate Manager of Volunteer Programs – (Your Name). In the body of the cover letter, include 1) Where did you discover this listing, and 2) If you were a variety of produce, what would you be and why. No phone calls. Please follow these instructions to ensure that we process your application.

• Food Forward is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and strongly encourages people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those from protected-class backgrounds to apply. We value the individuals that we hire and look forward to creating a positive work environment for all identities

Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance Coverage, and Retirement Benefits with up to a 4% employer match. Generous Sick Days, Vacation, Personal Days, and Holiday allocation. Cell Phone and WiFi stipend.

English