Volunteer Officer

**About Us**:
Created in March 2017, The Royal Parks is a charity that supports and manages 5,000 acres of historic and precious parkland across London. Millions of Londoners and tourists visit our beautiful sites, which offer unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of the capital, as well as an important refuge for nature.

We look after eight of London’s largest open spaces; Hyde Park, The Green, Richmond, Greenwich, St James’s, Bushy and The Regent’s Parks, and Kensington Gardens. We also manage other important open spaces in the capital including Brompton Cemetery, Victoria Tower Gardens, Canning Green and Poet’s Corner.

We are now seeking a Volunteer Officer to join our Programmes, Volunteering and Conservation Team on a full-time basis, working 36 hours per week.

**The Benefits***:

- Salary of £29,001 - £35,076 per annum, depending on experience
- 26 days annual leave plus public holidays
- Employer pension scheme
- Private healthcare cash plan and health insurance
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee assistance programme - available to all staff and family members

This is an exciting opportunity for an energetic volunteer officer with experience in leading and training conservation volunteers to join us, in some of the most stunning green spaces in London.

We are committed to tackling the increasing challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, and this role will be vital in achieving this. You will be working in some of the best green spaces that London has to offer visitors alongside a passionate and friendly team of staff and volunteers.

**The Role
***:
As a Volunteer Officer, your main focus will be to manage volunteers to carry out important habitat management tasks at regular conservation group sessions and develop one-off flexible volunteering opportunities. You will also lead on planning and delivering our corporate ‘Park days’ sessions, ensuring to maintain good relationships with involved partners. This role is varied and will see the successful applicant initially working primarily in the central parks, but with regular work in all of the parks with their desk space located in Regent’s Park.

This role involves a lot of in park time, working with and supporting volunteers on the ground in physical conservation work. The ideal applicant will be friendly, open, enjoy spending time outdoors and have experience working with and managing volunteers, in a hands-on conservation or park setting.

You will champion volunteering best practice, inclusivity and diversity across the organisation, develop volunteer resources and ensure the appropriate support and training is in place for volunteers, partners and the staff who manage volunteers.

Additionally, you will:

- Work with the Volunteer and Programmes Manager to plan, develop, deliver and evaluate other volunteer projects and programmes
- Write volunteer role descriptions, work plans, policies and robust risk assessments
- Ensure appropriate and accurate data on volunteers and associated activities are recorded
- Be aware of safeguarding children and adults at risk, and follow guidelines at all times

**About You**:
To join us as a Volunteer Officer, you will need:

- Proven experience of working with, managing, and training volunteers, especially conservation volunteers
- In depth knowledge and practical skills in conservation, park, horticulture or nature reserve management
- Awareness of equality and diversity, health and safety and safeguarding
- Excellent people skills including team working, negotiating, problem solving and the ability to be calm and decisive in challenging situations
- Commitment to The Royal Parks’ values of being responsible, excellent, inclusive, open and respectful, and a commitment to supporting diverse and inclusive teams
- A flexible approach to work including significant evening and weekend working.
- A valid and current clean UK driving licence is desirable.

Excellent operational use of Microsoft Office, CRM systems and other IT solutions to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of the volunteer programme would also be advantageous.

A First Aid Certificate would also be favourable.