Volunteer Coordinator

Forever Balboa Park; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Forever Balboa Park seeks a Volunteer Coordinator to schedule and supervise weekday and weekend volunteer projects across garden stewardship, park cleanups, and events. The role includes onboarding, training, and coordinating volunteers with staff and partner organizations in Balboa Park.

The position requires strong communication, experience with volunteers, and a willingness to engage with diverse community groups. This is a full-time hourly role based in San Diego.

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating volunteers and events.
• Excellent written and oral communication.
• Willingness to learn Balboa Park specifics.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with Garden Steward Leads the day before shifts to outline location and goals.
• Open Volunteer office for lead volunteers and provide access to tools.
• Meet volunteers after projects to sign out and answer questions.
• Respond to volunteer interest forms and onboarding inquiries.
• Schedule and facilitate volunteer training as needed.
• Coordinate with the Natural History Museum for maintenance volunteer needs on specific days.
• Facilitate volunteer check-in/out and safety in the office and surrounding areas.
• Drive the Forever Balboa Park vehicle to collect and drop off garden waste.

Skills

Volunteer coordination

Communication skills

Landscaping / horticulture

Balboa Park knowledge

Team coordination

Education

Bachelor degree preferred

Tools

Volgistics

Excel

Word

Job description

Reports to: Sr. Manager of Volunteer Programs
Employment Type: Full-Time, Hourly
Salary Range: $20-24 per hour

Forever Balboa Park is the nonprofit conservancy dedicated to enhancing and helping maintain all 1,200 acres of Balboa Park. From caring for the Park’s gardens and urban forest to greeting thousands of guests at the Visitor’s Center and info booths daily, our staff and hundreds of volunteers work year-round to ensure Balboa Park remains a natural source of wonder for all who visit.

Position Summary:

The Volunteer Coordinator schedule will work full time. They will help schedule and supervise weekday and weekend volunteer projects for Forever Balboa Park. These volunteer projects include scheduling and supervising Garden Steward projects, Park Cleanups, Event Volunteers and other weekend volunteers.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate with the Garden Steward Lead volunteers the day before their
  volunteer shift to outline project location and goals
• Open the Volunteer office for the Garden Steward Leads so they can access tools for their projects.
• Meet volunteers at the Volunteer Office after their projects are complete and
  guide sign out process, answer any volunteer questions.
• Respond to volunteer interest forms and be a point of contact for volunteers
  as they go through the onboarding process.
• Schedule and facilitate volunteer training as necessary.
• Coordinate with the Natural History Museum for Tuesday and Saturday Nat Garden Corps Maintenance volunteer needs
• Facilitate volunteers signing in and out before and after their respective shifts
• Drive the Forever Balboa Park truck or golf cart to pick up garden volunteer green waste at various gardens and drop it off at the green waste location.
• Coordinate and facilitate one-time weekend park cleanups (trash pickup) with community groups.
• Drive Forever Balboa Park Golf Cart to drop off trash collected at park
  cleanups at correct dumpster locations
• Serve as an advocate for the needs of all Forever Balboa Park Volunteers
• Ensure that all aspects of the Volunteer Office, shed, and immediate
  surrounding area remain safe, welcoming, and clean in collaboration with Forever Balboa Park’s facilities and maintenance staff and Park personnel as needed.
• Collaborate with the Volunteer Project Manager and other Volunteer Projects
• Coordinators to recruit, train, retain volunteers for year round and/or seasonal work as necessary.
• Develop and enhance relationships with Park organizations and City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department staff
• Assist other Forever Balboa Park team members

Other Responsibilites

• Restock volunteer food, water and first aid materials
• Coordinate with Institutional Advancement team to insure Forever Balboa Park Branding and information is correct at weekend projects
• Coordinate with the Communications Specialist to send photos and
  descriptions of various weekend volunteer projects for newsletter, social
  media, and blog posts.
• Attend weekend events as needed
• Plan and implement formal and informal ways of expressing appreciation for staff & volunteers.
• Support the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner.

Qualifications & Skills

• Partner with the Database Specialist with gift processing and reconciliation, donor acknowledgements, data verification, and fundraising reporting.
• Collaborate with the Digital Engagement Manager to coordinate fundraising campaigns and stewardship communications.
• Gather program information and impact stories from staff to support donor communications and grant reporting.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor degree preferred but not required
• Previous experience working with volunteers preferred
• Experience with landscaping, horticulture, or sustainability preferred
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about Balboa Park
• Excel and Word proficient
• Proficient in or willingness to learn using Volgistics (volunteer database)
• Other responsibilities as required

Physical Requirements

• Clean driving record, able to safely drive a truck or golf cart
  Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
• Lifting, bending, stooping and kneeling are all a part of this position
• Ability to communicate well to large groups as well as via email
  communications
• Ability to receive and execute on detailed information through oral
  communication

Forever Balboa Park is an equal opportunity employer. Forever Balboa Park is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of its staff, visitors, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and donors. We do not and shall not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin or ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include but are not limited to hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision
of services. We will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant.

No phone inquiries, please.

This job description is intended as a guide to the general job responsibilities and is not inclusive of all everyday duties the employee is expected to perform.