Volunteer Manager
Deadline for Applications: May 25, 2018.
Beakerhead Creative Society is the organizing team at the heart of an annual movement that culminates in a five-day spectacle bringing together the arts and engineering sectors to build, engage, compete and exhibit interactive works of art, engineered creativity and entertainment. The society’s activities at the provincial, national and international level are coordinated by a core secretariat located in Calgary, Alberta.
Beakerhead transforms Calgary—with contests, mechanical sculpture gardens, robot fashion shows, interactive street art, feats of engineering, larger-than-life theatre, and spectacular performances.
Primary Purpose of the Position
Under the general direction of the Outreach Coordinator, the Volunteer Manager will implement and oversee a volunteer program for Beakerhead. The position includes responsibility for areas of communications that are closely related to volunteer dispatching and support, including merchandising, event signage and transportation.
Nature of the Work
This is a results-oriented position for a high achiever with a positive and enthusiastic attitude.
It is a four-month contract.
Weekend and evening hours will be required as the event approaches. The successful candidate can work a flexible schedule to accommodate slow and peak periods of work, and this may be accomplished in conjunction with work from a home office.
Primary Roles
Primary Role: Volunteer recruitment, orientation and placement
Secondary Role: Management of merchandising, signage and transportation
Support Roles: Event management
Responsibilities
As Volunteer Manager, this position is responsible for building and managing a network of volunteers including artists, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, students, educators, inventors and more, to:
- Coordinate all areas of the volunteer cycle (including recruitment, screening, orientation, placement, training, recognition and evaluation).
- Identify and pursue potential volunteer recruitment opportunities within the community, including in diverse communities.
- Ensure volunteer records are up-to-date and accurate through data entry or by training others in data entry (while adhering to confidentiality and privacy policies).
- Provide regular progress updates and identify successes, issues and challenges.
- Develop and maintain relationships with community groups.
- Coordinate with Beakerhead colleagues to support community programs that culminate with events, installations, competitions, etc during the annual Beakerhead festival. This includes taking a lead role in the acquisition and sale of merchandise, production and distribution of signage, and transportation plans for volunteers.
- Engage in public presentations regarding Beakerhead, volunteer opportunities, and related activities and community workshops.
Tasks and Duties
The scope of duties includes:
- Develop structure and processes for Beakerhead’s volunteer program.
- Lead and implement Beakerhead’s volunteer program.
- Host volunteer recruitment, orientation and training sessions.
- Recruit, intake and place volunteers.
- Implement and maintain database and tracking system.
- Review the volunteer-related sections of all online and print marketing materials.
- Liaise with marketing team on outreach efforts to solicit and recognize volunteers.
- Lead the acquisition of merchandise worn and sold by volunteers.
- With the support of program and marketing personnel, lead the design and production of signage for event sites, and the delivery and pickup of signage by volunteers.
- Liaise with program team to support the engagement of donor employees as volunteers.
- Support program team with volunteers from the community as needed.
Qualifications/Expertise Required
The position requires outstanding interpersonal and organizational skills, along with data management skills and lots of endurance!
It requires good judgment, strong communications skill, confidence and natural leadership abilities. This position has the ability to proactively establish relationships with other associations and teams, and collaborate with a variety of communities. This person must demonstrate a high degree of independence and initiative in volunteer program management and works well with all members of the Beakerhead secretariat in proactively creating a well-informed community.
Specific expertise includes:
- Volunteer recruitment, planning and management experience.
- Minimum three years (or seasons/festival cycles) in a direct volunteer lead role.
- Event management experience.
- Understanding of Calgary’s arts, science and engineering, and/or educational communities.
- Familiarity with basic office software, data management software, and Google Apps.
- Superior organizational skills.
- Reliable and detail oriented.
- Ability to lead and motivate a team, and work well within a team, as well as independently.
- Creativity and problem-solving skills; ability to work within a fast-paced environment of a newly launched organization.
- Ability to work flexible hours and capacity to work under pressure.
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
- A desire to build something great.
Accountabilities
Accountabilities include effectively representing Beakerhead through interaction with key stakeholders and strengthening the organization’s everyday value and presence among the full spectrum of collaborators.
Beakerhead will be presented in a creative, energetic and professional manner. Specific marketing and communications targets will be defined and measured.
The Volunteer Manager will build, nurture and grow relationships that help to build the world’s most talked about and respected annual creative engineering spectacle.
Remuneration
This is a part-time contract position that requires an independent self-starter with leadership ability and experience. As such, it offers the opportunity of a flexible working environment, including work from home. This position is a contract role (four months, July to October) and offers $10,000 for services rendered.
Workplace Culture
Beakerhead is a workplace that values the following characteristics of team members:
Open Communication:
- Sharing information in an effective and collaborative manner.
- Flexibility: Constructively adapting and responding to a changing environment.
- Initiative: Creating and demonstrating initiative to generate improvements and foster positive outcomes.
- High-Quality Work: Applying a high level of proficiency and professionalism in technical and job knowledge (and willingness to continually learn) to achieve a high level of performance.
Leadership:
- Achieving positive outcomes by encouraging, supporting, coaching, developing and mentoring others.
Personal Effectiveness:
Demonstrating respect, dignity and integrity in interpersonal relationships and positive personal coping and wellness strategies.
Teamwork: Functioning effectively in team situations to achieve optimal collective results.
Context Understanding: Achieving effectiveness for the public good with measurable impact through a large-scale collaboration.
To apply or for questions email danielle
