Volunteer Officer

**The Organisation**

The Royal Parks (TRP) is a charity created in March 2017. We manage over 5,000 acres of diverse parkland, rare habitats and historic buildings and monuments in eight Royal Parks across London. These are Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, The Green Park, St James’s Park, The Regent's Park and Primrose Hill, Greenwich Park, Richmond Park and Bushy Park.

We also manage other important public spaces including Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens. Our eight Royal Parks and other iconic green spaces are among the most visited attractions in the UK with 77 million visits every year.

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, including minimum of 1 weekend per month.

**The Benefits**
- Salary of £32,666 - £35,644 per annum, depending on experience
- 26 days' annual leave (pro rata) plus public holidays, increasing to 29 days after 3 years’ service
- Pension scheme (3% employee contribution; up to 10% employer contribution)
- Hybrid/agile working options
- Private medical insurance and healthcare cash plan
- Employee assistance programme and access to mental health first aiders
- Learning and development opportunities
- Cycle to work scheme
- Offices in a beautiful location

**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 and weekend volunteering opportunities. You will also support on delivering our corporate ‘Park days’ sessions, as well as also working on the Hedgehog project in Regent’s Park. This role is varied and will see the successful applicant working primarily in the Regents Park and Greenwich Park, but with work across all of the parks when support is required.

This role involves a lot of in park time, working with and supporting volunteers on the ground in physical conservation work. On average the Volunteer officer will spend 3-4 days each week in the parks delivering sessions. 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 and always follow guidelines safeguarding of children and adults at risk.

**About You**

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

- Proven experience of working with, managing, and training volunteers, especially conservation volunteers. With a strong knowledge of safe use and maintenance of all hand tools.
- In depth knowledge and practical skills in conservation, park, 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.

Other organisations may call this role Conservation and Volunteering Officer, Project officer, Volunteer Services Co-ordinator, Volunteer Co-ordinator, or Volunteer Development Co-ordinator.