Volunteer Placement Officer

Donegal Volunteer Centre (DVC) is one of 30 Volunteer Centres and Information Services affiliated with Volunteer Ireland, working to promote, support, and enable volunteering across Ireland. Funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and administered by Donegal Local Development CLG, the Centre plays a vital role in encouraging active citizenship and building an inclusive society through volunteerism.

An opportunity has arisen for a Volunteer Placement Officer to join the DVC team and help coordinate the Centre’s activities, promote volunteerism throughout County Donegal, and provide support to both volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. This is a fixed-term contract funded through New Arrivals funding, available until 31 December 2026. The role offers the opportunity to make a real difference in the community by connecting people with meaningful volunteering opportunities and supporting a culture of active citizenship across Donegal. There will also be a focus on creating roles for new arrivals and recognising the valuable skills and strengths they bring. 

The Volunteer Placement Officer will facilitate the effective recruitment and support of volunteers across Donegal and support them to access suitable quality volunteering roles. The Placement Officer will in engage with voluntary and community groups in the county to both develop, support and maintain the availability of a wide variety of roles for volunteers to engage with. They will also support the Centre by developing new and existing volunteer roles within Volunteer Involving Organisation’s across Donegal.

SALARY: Project Officer salary scale – starting point €36,000 per annum 

Conditions of Work: 

• The Volunteer Placement Officer will be required to work 35 hours per week
• A probationary period of six months will apply.
• Supports and performance in role will be discussed as part of ongoing one-to ones.
• This is a fixed term position and is possible owing to funding until 31 December 2026 to support new arrivals.  

Benefits include: 

• Eligibility for a 6% employer-contributed pension scheme  
• 25 days annual leave pro rate & other leave options
• Travel and subsistence allowance
• Flexible working
• Hybrid working options may be requested following successful probation.
• Learning and development opportunities
• Employee Assistance Programme

Main Duties 

Key Responsibilities 

• Support the Volunteer Centre Manager in delivering the Centre’s annual work plan in line with DLDC and National Volunteering strategies.
• Coordinate and support a busy schedule of volunteer events, community projects, and development initiatives to promote volunteering in the community, including some events outside of regular hours.
• Provide a friendly, prompt, and professional service to all service users, in line with National Quality Standards for Volunteer Centres.
• Deliver services in line with DLDC values of Respect, Community, Collaboration, Inclusion and Integrity; and the All-Ireland Standards for Community Work.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of volunteers and volunteering opportunities using the IVOL database (CRM system).
• Recruit volunteers for a range of roles with volunteer-involving organisations (VIOs).
• Assess volunteer needs and provide appropriate support to help them find suitable placements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community and voluntary organisations across the county to expand volunteering opportunities, with a focus on creating roles for new arrivals and recognising the valuable skills and strengths they bring to the community.
• Network and work with community groups, volunteers, and partner agencies to support and promote best practice in the voluntary sector.
• Take part in Volunteer Centre and Volunteer Ireland meetings, networks, and training activities. Support and deliver communications and promotion activities, including PR, outreach, website updates, social media, and local media engagement.
• Assist with Garda Vetting coordination and provide guidance to affiliated organisations on correct vetting procedures.
• Ensure programmes and activities meet governance requirements, funder guidelines, and internal policies.
• Work with the team to maintain the Volunteer Ireland Quality Standards mark.  
• Deliver or arrange training and development workshops for volunteers and volunteer involving organisations.
• Promote Volunteer Centre and local development company services through outreach activities such as information sessions and site visits.
• Manage your caseload effectively and in line with company procedures and good governance practices. 

Report Writing, Monitoring and Evaluation 

• Provide oral and written reports to your line manager, and relevant Steering Groups and the Board on progress and issues of relevance.  
• Monitor and track work outputs as part of reporting on OKRs.
• Maintain up to date records on the IVOL CRM system and other related systems.  
• Ensure compliance with company and funder guidelines. 

Policy, Networking and Funding 

• Maintain relationships with key stakeholders and including volunteer involving organisations, agencies, individuals, community groups and other partners, locally, regionally and nationally.
• •Keep up to date with national policies and their potential impact on the Volunteer Centre and associated projects.
• Keep up to date with relevant regional and national developments through networking as appropriate.
• Ensure that documentation and files are maintained for the use of the Finance and Administration team and for inspection by the Company Auditors, DRCD, VI and other relevant monitoring bodies.
• To participate in both internal and external working groups as are relevant to the Volunteer Centre /DLDC.  

Miscellaneous 

• Carry out administrative duties as required
• Be willing to work evenings and/or weekends as required
• Demonstrate a willingness to take on additional duties as and when required
• This list of job duties is not exhaustive and may be amended in order that all role duties are fulfilled. 

Core Competencies 

Essential 

Community Work experience 

• The person should have prior experience in community work and be committed to promoting equality, social inclusion, and tackling poverty in their work.
• They should also understand how Volunteer Centres and Local Development Companies operate. 

Communication & Initiative 

• The person should be able to work well independently and with groups or agencies supporting local volunteers and voluntary organisations.
• They should be an effective team member, flexible, and able to build strong working relationships.
• They should have excellent verbal and written communication in English, strong listening and group facilitation skills, and be trustworthy and discreet. 

Project Management 

• The person should have experience in planning and organising events, and be able to manage and prioritize their own workload.
• They will also need to produce timely reports on their work, and have good working knowledge of standard business software, MS Office, and IT tools. 

Skills/Experience 

A recognised and relevant Third Level qualification and / OR a minimum of three years’ relevant working experience in the community/voluntary sector. 

‘Other’ 

The successful person must hold a clean, current driving license, and access to own transport is essential. 

Core Competencies Desirable  

• Knowledge of Salesforce CRM
• External experience on community based committees/boards et al. 

DLDC reserves the right to enhance criteria, dependent on the responses received to the advertisement. A panel may be formed from this recruitment process.