Volunteer Projects Co-ordinator (Blossom Service)

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Luton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Luton seeks a Volunteer Projects Coordinator to manage the Blossom Volunteer Service. This role involves recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers who assist patients in end-of-life care. The ideal candidate has strong interpersonal skills, a compassionate approach, and experience in community engagement and training. A full UK driving license is essential. Competitive benefits and a commitment to inclusivity are offered.

Benefits

Access to high-quality training and development

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Experience developing and delivering training.
• Ability to create social media and publication content.
• Experience working with sick and dying patients.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate the recruitment of volunteers and related processes.
• Organize and deliver volunteer training.
• Provide regular contact and support to volunteers.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Relationship management

Organizational skills

Fundraising experience

Emotional intelligence

Education

Maths and English GCSE

Project Management Qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

CRM database

Job description

Volunteer Projects Co-ordinator (Blossom Service)

Closing date: 07 December 2025

As a Volunteer Projects Coordinator, you will be responsible for running the Blossom Volunteer Service which supports patients receiving end‑of‑life care and their families at both the Bedford and Luton and Dunstable Hospitals. This includes recruitment, training and coordinating the activity of volunteers, working collaboratively with nursing teams across the hospital, to ensure we deliver a high‑quality service that enhances patient, family, and staff experience.

For this role we need a person with a passion for volunteering, a good understanding of recruitment and relationship management, exceptional interpersonal, emotional intelligence and communication skills, and a compassionate and sensitive approach to the needs of those in the last few days or hours of life. You will embody the Trust values, including inclusivity and valuing everyone in need of support from the diverse communities our hospitals serve.

You must be flexible and hold a full UK Driving Licence with access to a vehicle to enable attendance at both hospitals and community events.

Note: This role is not eligible for Visa application support or sponsorship.

Main duties of the job

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with volunteers and stakeholders, networking across a wide range of services.
• Experience of supervising and motivating volunteers, and supporting their wellbeing.
• Ability to deliver volunteer training, community talks and presentations.
• High level of relationship skills: empathy; caring; acceptance; mutual affirmation; supportive and able to give constructive feedback.
• Ability to support fundraising and donations.
• Good IT skills including the use of Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including creation of impactful content for social media, web-based platforms and publications.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritise own workload and work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Lateral thinking and problem‑solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing and emerging needs.
• Experience of data collection, administration and recording procedures, use of a bespoke database, production of reports.

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of about 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high‑performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high‑quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience – we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trust's core values. We achieve this by using values‑based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when a sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering the first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all attached documents to ensure you are familiar with all requirements of the job.

Job responsibilities

In conjunction with the Voluntary Services Team (as required), facilitate the recruitment of volunteers and related administrative processes including interview and selection.

Work collaboratively with stakeholders, building good working relationships to enhance project delivery and ensure smooth running of the service.

Organise volunteer training and ensure that all mandatory requirements are met and regularly updated. Deliver awareness sessions to staff groups.

Provide regular contact and support to volunteers to encourage motivation and loyalty and ensure that their role is valued, including 1:1s, team meetings and socials twice a year.

Manage and act on calls to the Blossom (or other project) telephone, and Blossom Service referrals.

Align the Blossom Service and volunteer involvement to the Trust's key objectives around end‑of‑life care and best practice in the care of palliative / end‑of‑life care patients and their families.

Promote the recognition of the Blossom brand as a symbol for patients in the last few days and hours of life across all wards in the Trust and in the community.

Liaise with ward staff, Palliative Care team and Palliative Care Link Practitioners to match Blossom volunteers with patient needs, including patients identified as being acutely unwell and in need of additional support.

Source and purchase merchandise to support the delivery of the Blossom Project and ensure wards have the required merchandise to create awareness and to promote a compassionate environment.

Work collaboratively with the Chaplaincy team to provide pastoral support and supervision for Blossom volunteers, including regular feedback.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate and create a weekly rota for volunteers involved in projects.
• Contribute to the development of outcome measures to assist service evaluation and annual review, to include surveys of stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate data collection utilising IQVIA and Microsoft Office software to analyse information and produce reports on service activity and performance to be delivered to a variety of stakeholders.
• Create and submit internal reports to the Voluntary Services Manager for submission to the Board and the Charitable Funds Committee and Palliative Care.
• Work with the communications team to ensure continual promotion/visibility of the project and sharing of feedback, specifically across social media, our website and internal and external publications.
• Co‑ordinate and manage external functions and fundraising to include promotion of projects and Thank You Events, including selection and booking of appropriate venues.
• Support internal fundraising from ward/department areas.
• Provide post‑visit support to Blossom volunteers, ensuring sensitive information and conversations are managed appropriately and with kindness and compassion.
• With support from the Voluntary Services Manager, and Palliative Care teams if required, address initial stages of conflict, grievances and complaints as appropriate and progress if required with the support of the Community Engagement and Voluntary Services Manager in alignment with the Volunteer Policy Problem Solving Procedure.
• Identify and enable project development across sites and within the community.
• Keeping continually abreast of national developments and ensuring networking and sharing of best practice with external counterparts providing end‑of‑life support.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• In conjunction with The Charity, Voluntary Services Team and Palliative Care Team explore funding streams to develop and further support projects to include end‑of‑life patients and their families and for the acquisition of Blossom Service merchandise.
• Build and nurture the relationships with donors to ensure their continued support.
• Manage project donations to include appropriate recording of income and gifts in kind, liaising with Financial Services as required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Maths and English GCSE
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Demonstrates knowledge of Microsoft packages including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Project Management Qualification

Experience

• Experience developing and delivering training
• Ability to create social media, web and publication content
• Experience working with sick and dying patients
• Good admin and accurate record‑keeping skills
• Ability to use a CRM database, manipulate data and provide reports
• Experience engaging with community groups and a range of stakeholders
• Ability to manage conflict resolution
• Fundraising and financial management experience

Knowledge

• Understanding of confidentiality, infection control and hospital policies
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

Personal Skills

• High level of emotional intelligence, empathy and excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Aware of gaps in knowledge and willing to seek help
• Positive and proactive, willingness to learn

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust