PRC Volunteer Coordinator

Position Summary:

Philly Reading Coaches (PRC) is a program that combines early reading support, access to books, and community volunteers to boost the reading skills of our city’s children. The program works by pairing trained volunteers with young students — kindergarten through 3rd grade, and by providing fun and child-guided reading experiences that help build reading skills and motivation. Each child in the program also receives 25 free books to take home. PRC is funded by the Office of Children and Families and implemented by Out-of-School Time (OST) Providers.

The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for recruiting, onboarding, training, and coordinating volunteers to ensure they are adequately cleared and prepared to work with students. This position requires working closely with Community Schools and fellow Volunteer Coordinators to sustain an efficient volunteer program that fosters student engagement and success. It requires a vibrant personality, an enterprising mindset, strong organizational abilities, flexibility, and a commitment to continuous learning.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Build and maintain an enthusiastic, geographically diverse, and robust volunteer network for PRC.
• Capture and report on volunteer demographics, volunteer service hours, and monitor key milestones to assess engagement and impact.
• Plan and engage in special events to boost volunteer engagement and retention.
• Oversee the application review process, ensuring all volunteers meet background clearance requirements and complete the necessary documentation in line with the regulations established by the SDP’s Office of Strategic Partnerships and Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.
• Ensure volunteer records are kept current and accurate in the volunteer tracking databases.
• Identify, organize, and support capacity-building activities, including training sessions, tutorials, and community meetings.
• Oversee PRC program schedules at designated locations, ensuring effective coordination of volunteer schedules.
• Conduct PRC Volunteer Orientation sessions to ensure volunteers are well informed and ready for their roles. City program and department managers to ensure that volunteer positions are adequately filled to meet identified needs and that volunteers have a positive experience.
• Act as an ambassador for Philly Reading Coaches in relation to volunteers and organizations.  Support each PRC site by developing and sustaining a team of high-profile volunteers (e.g., PRC Ambassadors) for ongoing engagement.  Expand opportunities for civic engagement through relationships, training, and innovative strategies.
• Other relevant duties as assigned.

Skills Required: 

• An energetic and results-oriented individual who demonstrates initiative, takes action, embraces accountability, maintains a proactive attitude, and produces high-quality work.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A team player with strong interpersonal skills who can work both independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to multitask and effectively coordinate multiple sites.
• Analytical; capable of using analysis to support decision-making and consistently demonstrates sound judgment.
• Demonstrated expertise in creating and executing successful volunteer recruitment and engagement strategies and managing volunteer databases.
• Experience managing social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, human services, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience in volunteer coordination, community engagement, or program management
• Experience working with schools, Out-of-School Time programs, or nonprofit organizations.
• Knowledgeable about Philadelphia’s public education system and its collaborations with community organizations and institutions of higher education in supporting academic enrichment objectives.
• Profound knowledge of managing volunteer resources.
• Outstanding knowledge of current trends and information for volunteerism.
• Spanish-speaking skills are a plus.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to travel between multiple school sites. .
• Occasionally required to lift up to 25 pounds. .
• Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods during events and orientations. .
• Has flexibility and adaptability in work style and work schedule, including some evenings and weekends as needed.

Essential Functions:

• Develop and implement strategies for volunteer recruitment.
• Ensure adherence to all volunteer documentation and clearance requirements from the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Child Protective Services.
• Maintain accurate records and reports related to volunteers.
• Collaborate with school administrators and community partners to facilitate volunteer integration.
• Organize and lead training sessions and orientations for volunteers.
• Monitor and assess volunteer performance and program effectiveness.
• Foster a positive and inclusive environment for volunteers.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for volunteers, assisting them with enrollment and background checks.
• Create a database of volunteer stories, images, and quotes.

Equal Opportunity Employment:

PMHCC, Inc. is committed to equal opportunity. It is our policy to support equal employment for all employees and applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual preferences, age, national origin, disability, behavioral health status, military status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

Employees as well as applicants who are currently, or become disabled, must be able to perform the functions of the job with either reasonable accommodation or unaided. PMHCC, Inc. will examine reasonable accommodations on a case by case basis in accordance with the law.