Manager of Volunteer Resources

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:

• 2006 NOC: Community and Social Service Workers (4212) 
• 2006 NOC-S: Community and Social Service Workers (E212) 
• 2011 NOC: Social and community service workers (4212) 
• 2016 NOC: Social and community service workers (4212) 

Managers of volunteers are in charge of volunteer engagement within their organization. Engagement includes:

• Attracting and retaining volunteers with the same interests and values as the organization
• Helping volunteers understand the organization’s mission and goals
• Providing meaningful opportunities for volunteers to contribute so their needs and the organization’s needs are met

Much of a volunteer manager’s work involves supporting volunteers in their duties and helping staff and volunteers work together. Volunteer managers may work closely with the executive director, chief executive officer (CEO), or a board of directors.

Duties and responsibilities vary from one position to another. In general, managers of volunteer resources determine organizational needs that volunteers could fill. They then match volunteers with opportunities to share their time and talents.

Volunteer managers:

• Create and implement volunteer recruitment strategies
• Research, develop, and lead volunteer programs
• Identify opportunities for volunteers to engage in not-for-profit, voluntary, and public sector organizations
• Work to incorporate volunteers as a vital component of the organization’s human resources
• Recommend organizational policies related to volunteer engagement
• Design roles and write job descriptions and project contracts for volunteers
• Design orientation and training programs for volunteers
• Recruit, interview, select, and evaluate volunteers
• Maintain files on each volunteer, and ensure screening practices are documented
• Create policies and implement risk-management strategies
• Develop volunteer recognition programs and activities
• Make staff members and the public aware of the volunteer program
• Educate and train staff members about working with volunteers
• Supervise volunteers or support staff who supervise them
• Evaluate volunteer programs and volunteers
• Collect statistics (qualitative and quantitative) and write reports
• Source and write funding proposals
• Manage volunteer program budgets
• Stay aware of trends and initiatives to ensure effective, relevant volunteer engagement
• Establish relationships with organizations and colleagues to share and implement best practices managing volunteer resources

They also liaise with post-secondary schools to help place high school students in volunteer roles. Students are encouraged to show volunteer hours on their post-secondary applications.

Most managers of volunteer resources work in offices. They may need to travel to meetings during the day and to activities or events during evenings or weekends. They may juggle volunteer management with other roles in the same organization.

Managers of volunteer resources work in not-for-profit, voluntary, and public sector organizations. These may include:

• Human and social service agencies
• Cultural organizations
• Leisure and sports organizations
• Schools and religious institutions
• Health-care institutions
• Law, advocacy, and political organizations
• Environmental organizations
• International development organizations

Volunteer resources managers may work on a part-time, full-time, or contract basis. They often work with small budgets. Most entry-level positions are for coordinators, while senior positions are for managers. Advancement depends on the nature of the organization and the manager’s experience and qualifications.

Managers of volunteer resources are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 4212: Social and community service workers. In Alberta, 76% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Health Care and Social Assistance [pdf]
• Public Administration [pdf]

The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• Trends and events affecting overall employment, especially in the industries listed above
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation

In Alberta, the E212: Community and Social Service Workers occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.9% from 2016 to 2020. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 354 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA) website: cvacert.org

Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: www.hsaa.ca

Propellus website: www.propellus.org

Volunteer Alberta website: volunteeralberta.ab.ca

Volunteer Edmonton website: volunteeredmonton.com

Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada (VMPC) website: www.vmpc.ca

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.