Part-Time Volunteer Co-ordinator

The Greenhouse at Barnes Close; Belbroughton CP; On-site; GBP 26,000; Part time

Job summary

An ecumenical retreat centre in the UK seeks a Volunteer Coordinator to develop a sustainable volunteer programme. This part-time position offers flexible hours and aims to enhance the volunteer experience while supporting the centre's vision. The role requires coordinating, recruiting, and nurturing a community of volunteers dedicated to peace and justice efforts.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and grow current volunteer work into a thriving and sustainable programme.
• Design and execute a strategy for volunteer recruitment, training, and retention.
• Establish and support a community of volunteers that thrive as part of the work.

Job description

Contract: One-year fixed term (potential for renewal subject to grant funding)

Hours: Part-time 20 hours per week, flexible schedule including some weekends and evenings

Salary: £13,609 (£25,516 pro rata)

Location: The Greenhouse at Barnes Close, Chadwich Manor Estate, Bromsgrove, B61 0RA

Reports to: Director

About The Greenhouse at Barnes Close

The Greenhouse at Barnes Close is a 36-bed ecumenical retreat centre with five-acre grounds in what was once a Cadbury family home. We are an ecumenical charity shaped and nourished by Christian roots, welcoming people of all faiths and none who share our commitment to peace, justice, and reconciliation.

We are for peace, shalom, salaam — seeking the flourishing of people, communities, and the natural world through just systems and healthy relationships. We believe that reconciliation with self, faith, others, and creation is essential for walking the ways of peace in our time.

With a rich heritage in reconciliation and peace work, The Greenhouse offers a sacred space to retreat to, programmes to explore, and a community to journey with.

Our Purpose and Values

Our four core values reflect the heritage of this place and shape our objectives. Our staff, volunteers, and community members embody and uphold these values in their work and relationships:

• Sharing a Sacred Place – Caring for and making available the house and grounds to all who seek transformation through prayer, rest, learning, and social action.
• Reconciliation and Peace – Offering practices of reconciliation and peace-making that are rooted in justice as expressions of the heart of Christian faith.
• Wisdom from the Margins – Learning from voices from the margins, recognising their wisdom for truth‑telling, transformation, and justice.
• Community at Work and Prayer – Growing a diverse community of people and organisations committed to learning, working, giving, playing, and praying together.

Position Overview

The Volunteer Coordinator will grow and develop our current volunteer work into a thriving and sustainable programme that enables volunteers to flourish while supporting the physical place, vision and work of the retreat centre.

Our current volunteer work includes a small group of local individuals who meet for a monthly volunteer days to work on the grounds and maintenance, and who support our retreat and fundraising events. A relationship with BT has enabled us to begin to offer voluntary opportunities for their local staff and this area is ready to be developed. Volunteers of all faiths and none are invited, but not required, to participate in the rhythm of prayer at the house, and all have the opportunity to hear about the vision and work as part of their experience with us. To work with our bookings a development plan may look like a more regular midweek volunteer day, a regular Sunday volunteer day and a schedule of individual volunteering tasks to be undertaken when staff are onsite during the week.

This post is initially funded for one year. If the role proves fruitful The Greenhouse will seek grant funding to extend it; however, continuation beyond the first year cannot be guaranteed.

The Volunteer Coordinator is a new and developmental role within The Greenhouse at Barnes Close. It offers an engaging opportunity to join our staff team and build upon a small as‑yet underdeveloped volunteer programme in a beautiful and rewarding place to work. They will also enjoy the oversight of a discerning and experienced Board of Trustees, chaired by Rev. Claire Turner.

Key Responsibilities

1. To coordinate and grow our current volunteer work into a thriving and sustainable programme.
2. To design and successfully action a strategy for volunteer recruitment, coordination, training and retention.
3. To establish and support a community of volunteers to thrive, grow and experience belonging as part of the work and vision of The Greenhouse at Barnes Close.