Community & Volunteer Engagement Specialist

Job Description

Jewish Family Service of San Diego is seeking a strategic, mission-driven Community & Volunteer Engagement Specialist to strengthen volunteer engagement, community partnerships, and in-kind giving. This position develops recruitment and retention strategies, advises JFS programs on volunteer needs, cultivates relationships with community partners and donors, and promotes a consistent and meaningful volunteer experience across the organization.

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The Specialist also provides guidance to CVE Coordinators, oversees volunteer and in-kind contribution data, and uses engagement trends to improve programs and processes. The ideal candidate is an experienced relationship-builder who combines sound judgment, strong communication, data accuracy, and exceptional follow-through.

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This fully onsite position typically works Sunday through Thursday, with occasional evening and additional weekend events.

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Total Compensation :

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In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

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• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees
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• Generous employer 401(k) contributions
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• Employer-covered life insurance
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Time Away from Work:

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Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

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• Paid vacation time and sick leave
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• 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays
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• 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness
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Responsibilities:

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Volunteer Engagement and Program Development

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• Assist with the development and implementation volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies aligned with organizational and program needs.
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• Partner with JFS program leaders to assess volunteer needs, define roles, and develop effective placement strategies.
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• Manage complex volunteer placements and serve as an escalation point for placement challenges and service-related concerns.
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• Establish standards for a welcoming, consistent, and meaningful volunteer experience across JFS programs and locations.
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• Develop volunteer communications, targeted recruitment campaigns, and strategies to re-engage inactive volunteers.
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• Assist with the training and provide functional guidance to Community & Volunteer Engagement Coordinators.
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• Lead volunteer recognition and stewardship initiatives that celebrate impact and encourage continued involvement.
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Community Partnerships and Strategic Outreach

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• Cultivate relationships with corporations, schools, faith communities, service organizations, and other community partners.
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• Identify and develop partnerships that expand volunteer participation, in-kind giving, and awareness of JFS programs.
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• Create tailored engagement opportunities for community organizations seeking to support JFS.
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• Deliver presentations and represent JFS at community meetings, corporate events, educational institutions, fairs, and outreach activities.
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• Partner with Advancement and program teams to align community engagement efforts with organizational priorities.
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• Assist in the evaluation of partnership activity and recommend opportunities to strengthen or expand community relationships.
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• Support scheduled evening and weekend events as needed.
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In-Kind Giving and Donor Stewardship

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• Assist in coordinating complex or large-scale in-kind donation activities across JFS programs, locations, and community partners.
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• Maintain procedures for the accurate receipt, valuation, acknowledgment, and tracking of in-kind contributions.
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• Ensure in-kind donors receive timely communication, meaningful acknowledgment, and information about the impact of their contributions.
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Data, Reporting, and Process Improvement

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• Assist with the accuracy and consistency of volunteer and in-kind contribution data across JFS programs.
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• Ensure implementation of standards for tracking volunteer hours, assignments, qualifications, compliance records, and in-kind contributions.
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• Assist with database quality reviews, reporting projects, documentation updates, and workflow improvements.
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• Train and support CVE team members and program staff on database procedures and reporting expectations.
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• Review and validate monthly and annual reports for accuracy and compliance.
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• Assist in the translation of data into impact information and recommendations for leadership, program partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
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• Contribute to cross-departmental projects that improve volunteer engagement, stewardship, reporting, and operational effectiveness.
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Departmental Leadership and Support

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• Serve as a resource to JFS programs on volunteer engagement, community partnerships, and in-kind giving.
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• Coordinate priorities and workflows with Community & Volunteer Engagement Coordinators.
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• Lead assigned volunteer, donor, and community engagement projects from planning through evaluation.
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• Support departmental communications, events, special initiatives
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• Process assigned purchases, invoices, reimbursements, and related documentation.
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• Assist in the administrative tasks related to the JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship.
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• Perform other duties as assigned.
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Qualifications:

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• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in volunteer engagement, community partnerships, donor relations, nonprofit programs, community outreach, or a related field.
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• Demonstrated experience developing or improving volunteer recruitment, engagement, retention, stewardship, or community outreach strategies.
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• Experience building and managing relationships with volunteers, donors, corporations, educational institutions, community organizations, or other external partners.
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• Experience training, onboarding, or providing functional guidance to colleagues, volunteers, or program partners.
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• Strong judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess complex situations, recommend solutions, and manage sensitive concerns appropriately.
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• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing communications and presenting to diverse audiences.
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• Demonstrated ability to analyze participation or engagement data, identify trends, and translate findings into practical recommendations.
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• Excellent organization, project management, time management, and attention to detail. Ability to manage multiple priorities at once is an absolute must for this position.
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• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
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• Ability to work collaboratively across programs, departments, and organizational levels.
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• Availability to work onsite in San Diego on a regular Sunday through Thursday schedule.
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Preferred Qualifications:

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• Experience using a volunteer management system, such as Galaxy Digital.
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• Experience with donor stewardship, in-kind giving, corporate engagement, or community partnership development.
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• Experience creating outreach and engagement materials using Canva, email marketing, or similar tools.
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• Experience developing reports, dashboards, or impact communications using data-analysis or reporting tools.
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• Familiarity with Jewish traditions, holidays, values, and community life, with the ability to represent JFS thoughtfully among diverse audiences.
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Department: Advancement/ CVE

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Position Type : Full-Time (37.5+ hours/week), Non-Exempt

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Work Setting: Fully Onsite

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Schedule: This position works a regular Sunday through Thursday schedule, with Friday and Saturday off. Occasional evening and additional weekend hours may be required for community events, volunteer activities, and donor engagement opportunities.

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Reports To: Associate Director of Community & Volunteer Engagement Specialist

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Pay Range: $31 - $32/hour

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Physical Requirements:

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• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to sit and to use hands. The employee occasionally is required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, lift or carry up to 50 pounds, and lift overhead up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
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Other Duties:

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Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

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About Jewish Family Service of San Diego

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Jewish Family Service of San Diego is a client-centered, impact-driven organization working to build a stronger, more resilient community. For over 100 years, Jewish Family Service has been a trusted resource for the entire community, offering an array of services that are always life-changing, and often life-saving. At Jewish Family Service, we believe our employees are the backbone of our Agency. We strive to ensure that each employee is treated with dignity and respect. Our goal is your success. Come work at JFS and be our partner in Moving Forward Together . To learn more about JFS, please visit jfssd.org.

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*Jewish Family Service is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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