Senior Volunteer Experience Specialist

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, MI, seeks a Senior Volunteer Experience Specialist to lead the day-to-day operations of the volunteer program, ensuring volunteers feel welcomed, supported and connected while advancing the organization's mission.

You will oversee volunteer scheduling across departments, develop engagement strategies, and partner with HR leadership to enhance recruitment, onboarding, and recognition—driving continuous improvement and excellent service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• 5–7 years of experience in volunteer coordination, HR operations, workforce scheduling, or nonprofit program management.
• Experience managing complex scheduling environments or high-volume service operations.
• Excellent organizational, communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong analytical thinking, professional judgement, and process improvement mindset.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operations of the volunteer program with consistent service and operational excellence.
• Oversee complex volunteer scheduling and deployment across departments.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for volunteer operations, policies, systems, and best practices.
• Champion volunteer engagement, recognition, and retention initiatives.

Skills

Experience managing complex scheduling

Organizational skills

Communication and interpersonal skills

Conflict resolution

Process improvement mindset

Ability to influence stakeholders

Cross-department collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, or related field

Job description

Location

Grand Rapids, MI

Job Id

864

# of Openings

1

Department

Human Resources & Volunteer Services

Reports To

Manager, Human Resources

Schedule

Full-Time, Salary, Exempt | Primarily Monday-Friday with flexibility for occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays based on volunteer and organizational needs

Be Part of an Exceptional Volunteer Experience

Volunteers are at the heart Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. As the Senior Volunteer Experience Specialist, you’ll lead the day-to-day operations of one of the region’s premier volunteer programs, ensuring volunteers feel welcomed, supported, and connected while helping advance Meijer Gardens' mission. This role combines operational leadership, process improvement, and relationship building to create an outstanding experience for volunteers and the departments they support.

Why This Role Matters

Behind every successful exhibition, event, educational program, and guest experience is a well-supported volunteer team. This position serves as the organization’s senior operational resource for volunteer services, helping departments effectively utilize volunteers while continuously improving the systems, processes, and programs that make volunteer engagement successful.

What You’ll Do

Volunteer Operations & Program Leadership

• Lead the daily operations of Meijer Gardens’ volunteer program, ensuring consistent service and operational excellence
• Oversee complex volunteer scheduling and deployment across multiple departments and institutional priorities
• Serve as the primary subject matter expert for volunteer operations, policies, systems, and best practices

Volunteer Experience & Engagement

• Champion volunteer engagement, recognition, and retention initiatives that strengthen the overall volunteer experience
• Partner with HR leadership to enhance volunteer recruitment, onboarding, communications, and engagement strategies
• Provide guidance and solutions for complex volunteer concerns while fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment

Process Improvement & Development

• Analyze volunteer participation, scheduling, utilization, and engagement data to identify opportunities for improvement
• Lead operational improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, consistency, and program effectiveness
• Develop and maintain volunteer procedures, standards, documentation, and system enhancements

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with department leaders to anticipate volunteer resource needs and recommend operational solutions
• Represent volunteer services on cross-functional committees, projects, and institutional initiatives
• Build collaborative relationships that strengthen volunteer operations across the organization
• Provide onboarding, coaching, and day-to-day guidance to Volunteer Experience Coordinators and other assigned team members
• Share operational knowledge and best practices that improve volunteer services delivery
• Support special projects and perform additional responsibilities that advance organizational priorities

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5-7 years of experience in volunteer coordination, HR operations, workforce scheduling, nonprofit program management, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience managing complex scheduling environments or high-volume service operations
• Excellent organizational, communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills
• Strong analytical thinking, professional judgement, and process improvement mindset
• Ability to build collaborative relationships and influence stakeholders across multiple departments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading operational improvement or organizational change initiatives
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or developing less-experienced team members
• Experience working within a nonprofit, cultural institution, or mission-driven organization

What Makes This Opportunity Unique

• Lead volunteer operations for one of the nation's premier cultural institutions
• Help shape the experience of hundreds of volunteers who support exhibitions, events, educational programs, and guest services.
• Partner with leaders across the organization to improve systems, processes, and volunteer engagement
• Drive meaningful operational improvements that directly support Meijer Garden's mission and guest experience
• Join a collaborative Human Resources team focused on innovation, continuous improvement, and exceptional service

Our Values

We seek team members who embody our shared Values:

• Welcoming: Fostering joy and an inclusive, accessible environment for everyone
• Excellence: Approaching all we do with world-class intentionality
• Innovation: Creating engaging experiences in art, culture, and nature
• Integrity: Operating with honesty, transparency, and accountability
• Stewardship: Preserving and enhancing our community and resources

If you enjoy improving systems, solving operational challenges, building meaningful relationships, and creating exceptional volunteer experiences, we'd love to hear from you.

Working Conditions

This position primarily works in an office environment while regularly interacting with volunteers, staff, department leaders, and guests throughout the Gardens campus. Responsibilities require frequent movement between offices, volunteer workspaces, exhibition areas, and event locations. Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday work is expected to support volunteer activities, special events, and organizational priorities.

Physical Requirements

The Senior Volunteer Experience Specialist must be able to work at a computer for extended periods, communicate effectively with volunteers and staff, and move throughout the Gardens campus. The role occasionally requires lifting and carrying materials weighing up to 25 pounds, assisting with volunteer events or training activities, and working outdoors in varying weather conditions. Strong attention to detail, multitasking, and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, service-oriented environment are essential.

As part of our onboarding process, all new hires are required to complete our background check.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
We believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.