Volunteer Coordinator
Company Overview
University of Michigan's Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum (MBGNA) stewards over 840 acres of land and water across four properties in and around Ann Arbor, with Nichols Arboretum and Matthaei Botanical Gardens serving as its two anchor locations. With more than 500,000 annual visitors, MBGNA is committed to becoming a transformative force for social and ecological resilience through the lands and waters we steward.
Job Summary
MBGNA's volunteer programs are designed to support the mission and goals of MBGNA, placing these programs among our most important ways of engaging the public in our work. The Volunteer Coordinator will manage MBGNA volunteer modalities, plan and coordinate volunteer-related events, and work collaboratively with leadership and staff in all departments. As important partners, the volunteer community is diverse and multi-skilled, and we aim to make their experiences with us rewarding - it is not a transactional, labor-based relationship. The Volunteer Coordinator reports to the People + Culture Lead.
Key Responsibilities
- Leadership and Management: Manage regular and episodic volunteer opportunities for 500+ active volunteers
- Develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain volunteers
- Develop and maintain positive, long-term relationships with volunteers
- Match volunteers to roles based on their skills and interests, providing onboarding and training
- Communicate and interact with volunteers using a variety of methods
- Ensure MBGNA's volunteer programs are updated to meet MBGNA's mission and needs
- Supervise one student employee
- Operations and Coordination: Coordinate the calendar and logistics for recurrent as well as episodic volunteers opportunities, e.g. eco-workdays opportunities, Ford Volunteer Corps partnership, etc.
- Collaboratively create strategies to convert more visitors into volunteers
- Ensure accurate recordkeeping using a variety of tech tools (Volgistics, SignUp, etc.)
- Organizational Collaboration: Develop and facilitate volunteer training programs in coordination with staff volunteer leads
- Partner with area leaders to create workflow solutions with and through MBGNA's volunteer programs
- Other duties as assigned
Requirements / Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent (GED)
- 1+ years of experience coordinating people, programs, events, services, or community-based activities
- Experience recruiting, onboarding, training, or scheduling volunteers, employees, students, program participants, or community members
- Experience maintaining participant records, schedules, participation data, or program documentation
- Experience using databases, spreadsheets, scheduling platforms, registration systems, volunteer-management systems, or similar technology
- Experience coordinating activities with community organizations, institutional partners, vendors, or other external groups
Salary & Benefits
In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, The University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:
- Generous time off
- A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions (match begins after one year)
- Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
- Life insurance
- Long-term disability coverage
- Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
Location
Ann Arbor Campus, Ann Arbor, MI
Employment Type
Part-Time (30 hours a week), Regular, Nonexempt
Application Process
A cover letter and resume are important submissions for the hiring team to get a sense of your experience. In the cover letter, one page or less, please let us know how this role aligns with your career aspirations and skills. Submit everything as one file, due to system limitations.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Additional Information
This position requires some weekend and evening work. This is a fully onsite role.
