THE OPPORTUNITY

For nearly 25 years, Citizen Schools has been a pioneer in educational equity. Since opportunity, unlike talent, is not equally distributed, we have provided hands-on learning experiences that ignite curiosity, build confidence and expand horizons for over 50,000 underrepresented middle school students. Together with our partners, including 25,000 career mentors, we have exposed students to ideas and connections, helping them access even better opportunities than previous generations.

Today, we engage underserved students in hands-on learning, in school and after school. Our students are creators and problem-solvers, not just consumers. They become scientists, artists, mathematicians, engineers, writers, and programmers. We also apply best practices from our direct service work to systems-level advancement of STEM mentorship and learning by working with communities. 

Together we are transforming education in school, after school, and across communities.

THE ROLE

The Volunteer Engagement Coordinator (VEC) will be responsible for recruiting individual volunteer Career Mentors and managing a portfolio of relationships with organizations that are pipelines of volunteers, with a particular focus on nonprofits and institutions of higher education. Specifically, the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator will plan and execute recruitment events, steward existing relationships, research and cultivate new relationships, and provide operational support to the Senior Manager of Volunteer Engagement. The Volunteer Engagement Coordinator will work closely with the Senior Manager of Volunteer Engagement, and other members of the program leadership team to meet goals for Citizen Schools' brand and presence throughout the region.(NC)

Reporting to the Senior Manager of Volunteer Engagement (SMVE) and remotely based in Charlotte or Durham, North Carolina, the VEC will work as part of a larger program team that leads both program implementation as well as civic engagement for the organization. The VEC will also work closely with program staff  to understand what competencies and skills are most needed in volunteers to partner successfully with students.  The role is an exciting opportunity for a very detail-oriented and highly organized relationship builder with a sales mindset to learn the full breadth of volunteer and partnership management and operations. 

The VEC role is based in one of our core volunteer markets in NC (Charlotte or Durham). This position offers the flexibility of remote working.  

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Career Mentor Recruitment & Stewardship: Catalyst (60%)

• Work collaboratively with the Catalyst team to understand the specific skills and competencies required for volunteer engagement 
• Leverage information provided by the Catalyst team including planned location of programs and curriculum delivery to inform the recruitment strategy
• Engage current community partners (50+ institutions) as an opportunity for their employees to serve as Career Mentors  in Catalyst classrooms
• Partner with Learning & Systems Manager to manage online postings of volunteer opportunities on Citizen Schools' volunteer engagement platform.
• Lead in-person lunch and learns at community partner offices or virtual info sessions to attract qualified candidates
• Conduct 1:1 calls or in-person meetings with interested volunteers to generate interest and screen for qualifications
• Partner with Training & Development manager to ensure attendance of volunteers at all Career Mentors Training sessions 
• In partnership with Senior Manager of Volunteer Engagement, develop tightly coordinated communication plans with program leaders with respect to volunteer stewardship to ensure that all Career Mentors feel supported throughout their engagement.
• Engage in front-end planning with Career Mentors to conceptualize partnerships that will meet targeted student and school needs
• Share an understanding of each Career Mentors background and needs to allow Citizen Schools Catalyst  program  staff members to differentiate support for each individual volunteer
• In partnership with Senior Engagement Manager, execute the stewardship plan of Career Mentors from training to engagement end.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT: NEW PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: (25%)

• Research local  institutions that could supply highly skilled, qualified, diverse and culturally competent volunteers for Catalyst 
• Conduct cold outreach to local organizations including local companies and academic institutions based on research
• Attend events (tech meetups and other networking events) to build relationships with individual prospective volunteers and seek entre to CSR or employee engagement teams

SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT (15%)

• Ensure all contacts and conversation/meeting history with external volunteer prospects and institutional contacts  are consistently updated and 100% accurate in Salesforce 
• Database Management - execute comprehensive clean-up and norming of volunteer records and contact lists

QUALIFICATIONS

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below: 

• 2+ YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE (e.g. education, nonprofit administration, community outreach) 
• Commitment to and passion for changing the educational outcomes of students in low-income areas
• Exceptionally strong project management skills; proven ability to develop and execute complex action plans and fierce detail-orientation
• Strong team orientation and ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people
• Highly organized with the ability to track and manage multiple projects and staff simultaneously, including the ability to prioritize work streams and meet deadlines 
• Proactive attitude, out of the box thinking, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment 
• DESIRE AND EXCITEMENT TO MODEL CITIZEN SCHOOLS' CORE VALUES: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Curiosity, Teamwork, Perseverance, and Confidence

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $45,000 - $50,000 and is commensurate with similar roles at non-profit organizations of comparable size, and you will also receive a robust benefits package. We offer medical, vision, and dental insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with a match up to 3%, flexible Paid Time Off, professional development stipend, and more.

ABOUT CITIZEN SCHOOLS

Citizen Schools helps all students to thrive in school and beyond through hands-on learning and career mentors. Our vision is all students have experiences and career mentors that ignite curiosity, build confidence, and help them develop into the next generation of leaders. Together we are transforming education in school, after school, and across communities.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.citizenschools.org. 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Citizen Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. Citizen Schools is compliant with the American with Disabilities Act and we are committed to making special accommodations for your interview or work as a member of our team. If specific accommodations are needed, please contact us and we will work to accommodate your needs.