Volunteering Manager – Kent Fire and Rescue Service

Job Title: Volunteering Manager

Location: KFRS Headquarters, The Godlands, Straw Mill Hill, Tovil, Maidstone, ME15 6XB (hybrid working available)

Hours: Full time 37 hours per week

Ref: R000876

The post holder will be required to work outside of normal office hours including evenings and weekends (where necessary) to attend events, training, and inducting new volunteers, and occasionally at incidents where the Volunteer Response Team has been requested to attend.

Being a part of Kent Fire and Rescue Service

Everyone is unique. Everyone has value. Everyone helps to make Kent Fire and Rescue Service a great place to work. We are one team. Together with our customers, we are creating a safer future for Kent and Medway.

Being a Volunteering Manager

This is a very rewarding role, working with our incredible team of volunteers.

As volunteering manager, you’ll be responsible for the management and direction of the day-to-day activities of the volunteers, including the work of our Volunteer Response Team (VRT) that supports our customers at the scene of a fire.

The role involves developing and delivering our scheme, ensuring excellent practice, including identifying, managing, and prioritising risks.

You’ll be key to enhancing our volunteers’ experience, including the impact they have on customers and the benefits they bring to the community. You’ll develop new initiatives and help us deliver customer care and our ambition to create a safer future for Kent and Medway.

In 2022, we received national recognition by securing the ‘Investing in Volunteers Award’. We’re proud of our scheme and the support our volunteers give. You’ll continue to build upon this success and work towards securing the award again later this year.

What you’ll do:

• Lead on the strategy, development, implementation, and evaluation of an inclusive volunteer scheme.
• Manage policies, procedures, standards, and budgets related to the scheme.
• Investigate best practices in volunteering and cultural sectors to increase volunteer diversity, developing links with key partnerships and the wider community.
• Deliver a plan to recruit diverse volunteers with the right skills to match organisational needs.
• Coordinate, develop, and deliver appropriate training to ensure volunteers’ success and motivation.
• Ensure activities and events comply with health, safety, and safeguarding guidelines, conducting risk assessments as needed.
• Provide data and reports for internal and external use.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of volunteers and the scheme, ensuring positive outcomes for volunteers, customers, and stakeholders.
• Maintain excellent practice and work towards retaining the ‘Investing in Volunteers Award’ later in the year.

What you’ll bring:

• ILM Level 5 in Leadership and Management or equivalent in volunteering management.
• Experience as a volunteer manager with a proactive, motivational, and people-focused leadership style.
• Experience in health, safety, and safeguarding activities, including risk assessments.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with knowledge of various communication channels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to remain calm and think clearly in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Flexibility and adaptability to rapidly changing situations.
• Ability to work independently, use initiative, and lead a team.

How to apply:

Please complete an online application and CV by midnight on Sunday 20th July 2025. Interviews will be held on 28th and 31st July 2025.

The interview process includes a presentation. Details will be provided upon shortlisting.

If you have the skills and experience to become our Volunteering Manager, click ‘apply’ today – we’d love to hear from you!

Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We value diverse thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and backgrounds to create the best working environment.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service, its employees, and volunteers are committed to safeguarding children, young people, and adults at risk. Pre-employment checks, including references and DBS checks, will be undertaken.

As a Public Sector organization, we are committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, understanding their importance in our work.