Overview
Two Vice-Chair positions are currently available to jointly lead the Volunteer Committee at WCS. If chosen, you will collaborate closely with your co-vice-chair to oversee the Volunteer Committee’s operations and, ideally, undergo training together. We will select two candidates to fill both open positions for the Volunteer Committee. You will report key committee activity to the Chair of the Volunteer Committee, who is a Board Director, on a regular basis.
Applications close Monday, September 30. If selected for the next steps, interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis and decisions will be made by the end of October. The current Volunteer Committee leaders will train the incoming Vice-Chairs.
ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
As a Volunteer Committee Vice-Chair, you play a crucial role in overseeing our volunteers across all WCS committees and programs. Your role involves ensuring a seamless, robust, and enriching volunteer experience. Your responsibilities encompass recruiting, onboarding, training, retaining, and nurturing our volunteer base. Moreover, you collaborate closely with volunteers to empower them to pursue their own development objectives within WCS. Further, your position on the WCS Board grants you the opportunity to shape the organization’s strategic trajectory.
Responsibilities & Duties
Role 1 of 2: Vice-Chair of Volunteer Committee – Operations
This Vice-Chair will focus on the operations and implementation of the Volunteer Program across WCS. This person should be skilled in process development and implementation as well as creating reports and summarizing recommendations from data. The committee currently uses Trello to track volunteer metrics – so knowledge of this software would be beneficial, but not necessary. Specific duties include:
- Continually improve Volunteer onboarding, reports, and offboarding processes.
- Maintain and optimize the Volunteer Intake process through automation
- Create a Monthly Volunteer Metrics report for each committee and make recommendations
- Ensure volunteer benefits are fulfilled
- Update SOPs and ensure committee procedures and documents are up to date
- Process volunteer requests from other committees
- Schedule and facilitate marketing meetings for committee members to discuss announcements, project updates, and new ideas and initiatives
- Delegate administrative tasks to the marketing coordinator as needed (note that as of Feb 2024, the marketing coordinator takes the lead on the development of graphics, copy for social media or CTAs, setting up newsletters, and handling the website updates; direction and support from the marketing co-chair on these items is appreciated, but not the sole responsibility of the marketing co-chair)
- Work with the board to define and articulate WCS organization & board priorities, vision, and goals and objectives.
- Develop an annual marketing strategy in line with organizational objectives.
Role 2 of 2: Vice-Chair of Volunteer Committee – Vision and Culture
This Vice-Chair will focus on creating an empowering and fulfilling experience for WCS Volunteers. This person should be skilled in mentorship and guidance and have experience in creating a supportive and inclusive environment, effectively delegating tasks, and facilitating opportunities for growth and development within the volunteer community. This should be someone who has a knack for connecting people. Experience in people management is preferable but not required.
Specific duties include:
- Distribute, Analyze, and Create recommendations from the Annual Volunteer Satisfaction Survey
- Host Annual Volunteer Appreciation events – one in-person and one virtual
- Create a monthly volunteer newsletter with opportunities and volunteer features
- Coordinate with WCS Staff on making updates to the Volunteer page on the WCS Website
- Work closely with the events committee to ensure all events are sufficiently staffed with volunteers
- Fulfill volunteer and board appreciation gifts
- Host monthly office hours for current volunteers
- Actively engage in the Slack channel, WCS Connect, to foster connections with like-minded volunteers
- Host “producer training” for volunteers interested in supporting virtual events
- Conduct offboarding meetings with volunteers as needed
Both Vice-Chairs Duties
- Work closely with the other Vice-Chair of the volunteer committee
- Report key activity to the Chair of the Volunteer Committee (Board Member)
- Keep up to date with Volunteer Committee Emails, Slack, and other correspondences
- Meet with and onboard new volunteers
- Work closely with other committees to understand their volunteer needs
- Develop and implement the committee’s Budget and Strategy
- Meet with, manage, and coach volunteer committee volunteers
Skills & Qualifications
The skills below are preferred but not required for consideration:
- Experience in managing and leading a group of volunteers
- Enjoy meeting new people
- People development skills
- Experience in volunteer management
- Maintain confidentiality of board issues and volunteer data
- Passionate about empowering women in the cleantech and sustainability space
Benefits
- Priority consideration for Chair of Volunteer Committee, Board Director position when open (one year of Vice-Chair service on the committee is strongly preferred as a qualification)
- Build a strong network of women in the sustainability field (board members and volunteers)
- Gain experience in a nonprofit board setting
- Deepen marketing and interpersonal skills, particularly in leadership, mentorship, and recruitment
- Gain experience in making and enacting executive-level strategy decisions
- Attend WCS events for free
- Stay informed of trends in the cleantech and sustainability industry
- Receive complimentary Individual Membership
- Opportunity to shape the marketing and planning of WCS
Commitments
- 5 hours per week dedicated to WCS
- Ensure reports are prepared for the quarterly board meetings, quarterly leadership meetings, executive committee meetings, and volunteer committee meetings as needed
- 2-year commitment
If interested in the role, fill out the Volunteer Intake Form. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Thank you to everyone who applies. Only selected applicants will be notified.
