Senior Volunteer Manager

Senior Volunteer Manager

The Senior Volunteer Manager is a key member of the Corporate and Community Engagement Team (CCET) within the Development Department. The role provides enterprise-level strategic and operational leadership for Food Bank of the Rockies' high-volume, multi-site volunteer program, engaging approximately 24,000 volunteers annually—equivalent to 68 full-time employees and more than $5.5 million in annual impact supporting critical daily operations.

The role owns the performance, consistency, and continuous improvement of the Volunteer Relations program across all service areas and serves as a primary decision-maker for volunteer relations operations, systems, and engagement strategy. It leads the full life cycle of volunteer engagement, including recruitment, placement, training, retention, stewardship, communications, evaluation, and recognition.

As the organization's subject-matter expert in volunteer engagement, the Senior Volunteer Manager influences cross-functional planning and decision-making and ensures a consistent, scalable approach across Denver, the Western Slope, and Wyoming. The role directly supervises Volunteer Relations Specialists, managing performance, priorities, and workload distribution while leading volunteer committees and outreach efforts.

In partnership with Operations, Development, Marketing, Safety, and leadership teams, this role ensures a safe, mission-driven volunteer program that advances organizational goals. It also plays a key role in fundraising and corporate engagement by cultivating volunteers as donors, strengthening corporate partnerships, and demonstrating the operational and financial return on investment of volunteer engagement.

What You'll Do

• Volunteer Program Leadership & Strategy – 40%
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for a multi-site, high-volume volunteer relations program integral to daily organizational operations
• Set department vision, goals, policies, and procedures to scale volunteer impact in alignment with organizational growth
• Lead the growth and scaling of the volunteer program to meet increasing organizational demand
• Serve as the organization's subject-matter expert in volunteer engagement, influencing policy, planning, and leadership-level decision-making across distribution centers
• Own and define the end-to-end volunteer experience strategy, including service journey design, quality standards, and consistency across all locations
• Lead cross‑functional operational planning and accountability with volunteer areas including Volunteer Center, Order Selection, Kitchen, Dock, Mobile Pantries, and other teams ensuring alignment between operational demand and volunteer supply
• Oversee the management and coordination of individual volunteers, volunteer groups, and court-assigned community service volunteers
• Own strategy and resource planning for large-scale volunteer-supported events (e.g., holiday distributions)
• Represent Volunteer Relations program in strategic planning, safety and emergency response planning, and organizational change efforts
• Provide strategy, oversight, and management of the Volunteer Relations Committee and Volunteer Outreach Teams
• Align volunteer initiatives with brand, marketing, and development strategies to enhance visibility and community alignment
• Articulate and advance the financial and operational value of volunteer engagement, including labor cost savings, operational efficiency, and long-term donor and partner pipeline development
• Monitor national trends in volunteerism and service, integrating best practices and representing Food Bank in sector networks and conferences
• Team Leadership & Regional Program Support – 15%
• Build, coach, and manage a high-performing Volunteer Relations team, including hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and professional development
• Own and drive team performance, culture, accountability, and workload prioritization within the Volunteer Relations function
• Serve as the primary escalation point and decision-maker for team challenges, operational issues, and competing priorities
• Provide strategic guidance to volunteer teams in the Western Slope and Wyoming to ensure consistency and regional relevance
• Data, Systems, Reporting & Budget – 15%
• Serve as the lead for VolunteerHub platform, guiding system governance, data integrity, reporting excellence and day-to-day operations
• Lead volunteer data analysis and reporting, including VolunteerHub reports, volunteer surveys, and department-level metrics, using insights to evaluate program performance and inform continuous improvement, policies, and procedures
• Establish organization-wide standards and training for VolunteerHub use along with the Development Operation team
• Create, monitor and manage the volunteer program expense budget, ensuring responsible stewardship of financial resources
• Ensure accurate record-keeping of volunteer and donor engagement data in Raiser's Edge, supporting Development Team strategies
• Recruitment, Engagement & External Relations– 10%
• Develop and execute volunteer recruitment and engagement strategies that expand volunteer pipelines, strengthen community partnerships, and increase volunteer workforce diversity
• Build and steward recruitment relationships with corporate, civic, educational, faith‑based, and community partners to deepen engagement and investment
• Facilitate strong relationships between Food Bank staff and volunteers through staff orientations, cross-departmental meetings, and ongoing trainings
• Partner with Development and CCET leadership to steward volunteers as current and prospective donors, strengthen corporate partnerships, and support donor cultivation strategies
• Training, Compliance & Safety – 10%
• Oversee the implementation and continuous improvement of volunteer orientation and training processes, including a volunteer handbook, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), etc.
• Partner with the Safety Manager to integrate volunteers into the organization's comprehensive safety program and serve on the Safety Committee
• Serve as primary authority for volunteer grievances, safety incidents/injuries, training gaps, and other sensitive or confidential issues
• Events, Communications & Public Representation – 10%
• Partner with Events & Promotions and other teams to design and execute volunteer-related events, including the annual Feeding Hope appreciation reception and special group volunteer days
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communications to ensure accurate, compelling, and strategic representation of volunteer impact
• Co-develop storytelling and content strategies that elevate volunteerism, highlight impact, and attract new supporters across multiple channels
• Serve as the thought leader and representative in Public Relations (PR)-coordinated media opportunities, public presentations, and at volunteer-related events and external engagements
• Other Responsibilities
• Handle confidential information with discretion and care, ensuring privacy and respect of employees, volunteers, partners, donors, or others
• How the Work Gets Done
• The Senior Volunteer Manager demonstrates the following core competencies in daily practice:
• Instills Trust: Builds trust with volunteers, staff, and partners by being transparent, reliable, and following through on commitments.
• Collaborates: Partners across departments with respect and flexibility, balancing organizational needs with strong support for volunteers to ensure both groups are successful.
• Customer-Centric Focus: Prioritizes the needs and experiences of both staff and volunteers, using feedback to strengthen engagement, improve processes, and ensure programs effectively support all stakeholders.
• Ensures Accountability: Establishes clear expectations, monitors progress and takes ownership for delivering results that align with organizational goals.
• What We're Looking For
• Bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university or comparable work experience; advanced training or certification in nonprofit management, organizational leadership, or volunteer management preferred
• 5+ years or more of volunteer management experience, including leadership of high‑volume or multi‑site programs
• 3+ years supervisory experience
• Expertise in volunteer software platforms (VolunteerHub preferred) and experience with donor CRMs
• Comfort leading projects, setting priorities, thinking creatively, and working as a collaborative team member and leader
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise‑level programs and build organizational systems
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to interact with a wide range of constituents in a diplomatic, courteous, and positive manner, maintaining a professional demeanor and responding with urgency when necessary
• Exceptional project management, organizational, time management, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple tasks
• Expected Hours of Work:
• This is an exempt, full-time position. Standard hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, with daily in-person attendance required at the Aurora, CO location. Work schedules may vary each week and consist of weekdays, evenings, and some Saturdays.

Benefits

At Food Bank of the Rockies, we provide a fulfilling workplace along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

Generous Paid Time Off: Flexible paid time off, including 10 paid holidays, sick leave, and opportunities for paid volunteer time.