Eli Samuels
If you're hiring a volunteer coordinator, you're not just filling a position. You're putting someone at the center of your community engagement strategy.
This article gives you:
- A complete, ready-to-use Volunteer Coordinator Job Description Template
- A clear breakdown of what the role actually involves in today’s volunteer landscape
- Links to practical resources for recruiting, interviewing, and supporting your coordinator
Whether you’re a nonprofit, government agency, or corporate social impact team, this guide is built to help you write a job description that attracts the right candidates—and sets them up to succeed.
What Does a Volunteer Coordinator Do?
A volunteer coordinator is responsible for recruiting, training, scheduling, and supporting volunteers, while making sure volunteer efforts align with your organization’s goals.
But the job has evolved. In 2024, it often includes:
- Volunteer data tracking and reporting
- Cross-department collaboration
- Using volunteer management software
- Communicating with stakeholders and funders
This person needs to be part HR, part program manager, part relationship-builder. Here’s a deeper dive on the role of volunteer coordination.
Core Responsibilities
While job descriptions should reflect your organization’s needs, most volunteer coordinator roles include:
- Recruitment & Outreach: Promoting opportunities, screening applicants, working with community partners
- Training & Onboarding: Orienting new volunteers, supporting role clarity, creating materials
- Scheduling & Communication: Managing calendars, sending updates, handling last-minute changes
- Volunteer Engagement: Checking in, resolving issues, recognizing contributions
- Data & Reporting: Tracking hours, collecting feedback, preparing reports for leadership or grants
- Program Improvement: Evaluating volunteer satisfaction, improving systems, working with staff
If you're hiring, your candidate should also have a basic understanding of volunteer management principles.
Essential Skills and Traits
The best volunteer coordinators tend to be:
- Organized and detail-oriented
- Strong communicators, both written and verbal
- Comfortable with software and reporting tools
- Empathetic and good with people
- Able to juggle multiple priorities
They should also be aligned with your mission—that emotional connection is often what keeps them (and your volunteers) invested.
Volunteer Coordinator Job Description Template
Here’s a copy-and-paste-ready job description you can adapt to your needs:
Job Title: Volunteer Coordinator
Reports To: [Program Manager, Executive Director, etc.]
Status: [Full-Time / Part-Time / Contract]
Location: [In-person / Hybrid / Remote]
Position Summary:
The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for overseeing all aspects of volunteer involvement at [Organization Name]. This includes recruiting, training, scheduling, and supporting volunteers across programs, while ensuring volunteer efforts support our mission and community impact goals.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement volunteer recruitment strategies
- Conduct orientations and training sessions
- Create and manage volunteer schedules
- Maintain accurate volunteer records and reports
- Foster positive relationships with volunteers
- Evaluate and improve volunteer programs based on feedback and metrics
Qualifications:
- 1–3 years experience in volunteer coordination or related field
- Strong organizational and communication skills
- Comfortable with volunteer management software (we use [Your Tool Here])
- Ability to work with diverse individuals and teams
- Passion for [Your Mission Area]
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with nonprofits, public agencies, or CSR programs
- Bilingual abilities
- Event planning or community engagement experience
Compensation:
[Include range or "based on experience"]
How to Apply:
Please send your resume and a brief cover letter to [contact info]. Applications accepted until [date].
Tips for Hiring the Right Volunteer Coordinator
Once your job post is live, the next step is interviewing. Be sure to check out our resource on volunteer coordinator interview questions to identify strong candidates who understand both people and systems.
Also consider what tools and support they’ll need from day one. A modern volunteer management software platform can make their work 10x easier.
Final Thought
Hiring a volunteer coordinator is a major step in growing your impact. A clear, thoughtful job description helps you attract the right person—and helps them hit the ground running.
Use the template. Align it with your values. And invest in the systems that help your coordinator (and your volunteers) thrive.
