Director of Volunteer Engagement

About the Karsh Center

The Karsh Family Social Service Center (the “Karsh Center”) is in the heart of Los Angeles’s Koreatown neighborhood, one of the city's most diverse communities. The Karsh Center, established in 2016, is a social service center offering integrated services focusing on our program pillars: Food & Nutrition Security, Health & Wellness, Community Services, Parent & Child Well-being, and Volunteer Engagement for individuals and families living near the Karsh Center and across Los Angeles.

Karsh Tikkun Olam Social Service Center (also known as Karsh West), is an extension of the Karsh Family Social Service Center in Koreatown. Karsh’s mission, to repair the world by integrating meaningful volunteer opportunities and Jewish values, now has a home on the west side of Los Angeles at the Resnick Family Campus of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Brentwood. The work at Karsh West extends the Karsh Center's volunteer network on the west side, with the goal of facilitating opportunities for volunteers of all ages.

The Karsh Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-religious organization.

About the Role

The Director of Volunteer Engagement leads the Karsh Center's Volunteer Engagement Department, supervising staff, stewarding lay leadership, and implementing a vision that connects thoughtful, motivated volunteers of all backgrounds—including neighbors, community members, students, Wilshire Boulevard Temple congregants, and corporate groups—to meaningful service opportunities across both the Karsh Center in Koreatown and Karsh West in Brentwood.

As a member of the Karsh Center leadership team, the Director serves as the organization's representative of volunteerism. They maintain and continue to build a diverse, multilingual volunteer corps that strengthens community connections, fosters belonging and social action, supports the delivery of critical services to families across LA, and embodies our values of service and community. The successful candidate will be experienced, relational, engaging, well-organized, and strategic—an experienced, resilient leader able to maintain focus on big-picture strategic goals while tracking the key details that bring programs to life and sustain them.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Planning

• Partner with the Executive Director to identify opportunities for volunteer program growth that align with organizational priorities, including building a volunteer corps that reflects the cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity of the communities we serve
• Lead development and implementation of Volunteer Engagement and Karsh West departmental budgets, ensuring fiscal sustainability and alignment with organizational goals
• Spearhead development, implementation, and monitoring of the Volunteer Engagement segment and volunteer-focused pieces of the Karsh Center's strategic plan
• Design and execute strategies to expand and diversify volunteer recruitment, creating accessible opportunities for families, students, specialized professionals (health, legal, education, technology), and community members at both Karsh Center and Karsh West, with particular attention to recruiting bilingual and multilingual volunteers
• Establish and maintain protocols and standards for volunteer programs, including branding, intake/onboarding, engagement, risk management, and mission alignment
• Represent Volunteer Engagement to the Board of Trustees through materials preparation, meeting participation, and cultivation of meaningful Board relationships
• Co-lead and support the Karsh Associate Board (KAB) with the Director of Development, facilitating the KAB Volunteer Engagement subcommittee and developing high-functioning relationships with KAB members as extensions of the Volunteer Engagement team

Data, Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with the Data/Evaluation and Programs teams to connect volunteer engagement metrics, demographic data, satisfaction surveys, and impact indicators to program outcomes and client experiences
• Use data to demonstrate how volunteers strengthen community connections and contribute to family well-being, and Karsh’s Theory of Change
• Provide strong leadership, mentorship, and coaching to Volunteer Engagement staff on all elements of data collection, analysis, and program refinement

Volunteer Program Design & Implementation

• Oversee continuous provision of meaningful volunteer opportunities that connect volunteers to Karsh Center clients and collaborators through annual events, ongoing programs, and special initiatives
• Lead development of tailored volunteer orientation, onboarding, training, and supervision systems that reflect best practices and match the needs of different volunteer roles—moving away from one-size-fits-all approaches to create welcoming, well-prepared, and supported volunteer experiences
• Oversee volunteer stewardship, recognition, and appreciation activities that celebrate contributions and foster long-term engagement
• Design and facilitate programs such as Lunch & Learns and in-service trainings that build volunteer community, deepen understanding of client experiences, and strengthen connections across the volunteer network
• Supervise the design and implementation of the Volunteer Engagement segment of organizational special events, including the annual Thanksgiving Big Give, Toy Distribution, Ready for School event, and more
• Develop relationships with external groups for off-site volunteer projects, in-kind donations, and corporate/group volunteer programming
• Supervise Volunteer Impact (management database system) to streamline scheduling, tracking, communication, reporting, orientations, training modules, surveys, and feedback mechanisms across all volunteer activities

Cross-Departmental Coordination

• Collaborate with Programs staff to identify volunteer needs, integrate volunteers into service delivery in ways that support client (member) outcomes, and co-design training materials and supervision structures for volunteer roles
• Work with staff to create and maintain volunteer materials (handbooks, orientation content, intake forms, social media, website content, monthly volunteer newsletter) and share volunteer stories that demonstrate impact
• Partner with Development staff to identify grants and funding opportunities for volunteer programming and cultivate volunteers as potential donors
• Establish a Volunteer Governance/Risk Management Lay Committee to evaluate and maintain best practices related to volunteer policies, safety protocols, and sustainability

Wilshire Boulevard Temple Partnership

• Collaborate with Wilshire Boulevard Temple (Wilshire) leadership, clergy, and department heads to design and implement ongoing engagement strategies that connect congregants to Karsh volunteer opportunities and align with both organizations' tikkun olam goals
• Serve as Karsh liaison in key Wilshire leadership gatherings, including Glazer and Resnick Family Campus leadership meetings
• Provide guidance and stewardship for Wilshire leadership toward collaboration and community initiatives that advance both Karsh's Volunteer Engagement priorities and Wilshire's values-driven service culture
• Work with Rabbic Liaison on Tikkun Olam activities with Wiishire to steward volunteer opportunities for Temple congregants
• Navigate the complexities of shared history and distinct organizational goals with care, nuance, and perspective, strengthening co-programming and co-branding opportunities that deepen Temple engagement

Team Supervision & Development

• Supervise the Associate Director of Volunteer Engagement, Volunteer Engagement Manager, and Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
• Define and manage departmental structure, including role descriptions, recruitment, selection, training, and retention of direct reports
• Meet regularly with direct reports to set goals, monitor progress, provide ongoing feedback, and conduct timely formal performance evaluations
• Support direct reports in defining career goals and accessing professional development opportunities; deliver or provide training and resources required for staff to excel in their roles
• Solicit feedback on management style and continuously improve supervisory practices
• Maintain and update department-wide collaboration tools (Monday.com, Volunteer Impact, data dashboards, Google calendars, internal systems)
• Communicate and work in close collaboration with the Karsh Center directors

Financial & Risk Management

• Monitor Volunteer Engagement and Karsh West budgets, ensuring spending aligns with annual plans and organizational priorities
• Review monthly financials and participate in accounting meetings to understand organization-wide financial health
• Supervise risk management systems focused on volunteer safety, best practices in the field, and long-term sustainability of high-quality volunteer experiences
• Provide support and partnership with the Director of Development for future and current funding for volunteer programming

Direct Volunteer Support

• Build authentic relationships with volunteers so they feel appreciated, valued, and connected to Karsh's mission
• Train Volunteer Engagement staff to steward volunteers toward leadership roles, leveraging lay leaders to deepen community engagement and expand organizational capacity
• Guide new volunteer orientation, onboarding, and retention processes to ensure consistent, welcoming experiences
• Provide personalized guidance to Wilshire Boulevard Temple members and community members seeking volunteer opportunities at Karsh or in surrounding Los Angeles communities

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, education, healthcare, communications, marketing, nonprofit management, or related field
• Demonstrated current, extensive work/professional experience with program coordination and large-scale volunteer management
• Excellent public speaking skills; experience and comfort representing the Volunteer Engagement program to a wide array of audiences
• Proven and sustained ability to supervise multiple staff members and steward a diverse field of lay leaders effectively
• Excellent interpersonal skills and customer service-driven approach; significant experience successfully working with diverse stakeholders from varied backgrounds, frequently with different and sometimes competing demands
• Experience and proven ability leading Data and Evaluation initiatives to guide program design and activities with a strategic eye
• Highly detail-oriented, organized, and motivated self-starter
• Professional demeanor and work ethic; high degree of discretion in handling confidential information
• Proven sustained ability to successfully manage multiple projects, priorities, and personality types
• Very proficient with Mac OS, Google web-based platforms, data management software, and comfortable adopting new technology
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed
• This role is primarily based at our Karsh Center (Koreatown) site, with regular time also spent at our Brentwood (Karsh West) location and in the field. A valid California driver’s license and reliable vehicle are required for travel between sites and to off-site events.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in nonprofit management or related field
• Experience designing volunteer programs that reflect community diversity and support equity goals
• Familiarity with volunteer management systems (e.g., Volunteer Impact)
• Experience working in multicultural, multilingual community settings
• Experience working in Jewish communal settings such as camp, school, or synagogues

Reports To

Karsh Center Executive Director

The Karsh Center is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve.