Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement

Friends of the Blue Hills (Friends of the Blue Hills)

Job Description

The Friends of the Blue Hills is a dynamic and growing non-profit organization devoted to preserving and protecting the Blue Hills Reservation’s natural beauty, diverse natural habitats, and many recreational opportunities. You are the perfect candidate if you are outgoing and passionate about caring for our public conservation land. You will be a great fit if you are excited about developing relationships to engage people in helping to improve the Blue Hills.

Core Responsibilities
The Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement will report to the Executive Director. Because the Friends of the Blue Hills does not have a central office, the Director of Volunteer Engagement will work remotely. The Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement will build a base of volunteers and engaged members who will not only physically care for the park by maintaining the trails and helping control invasives, but also develop programs and advocate for the park. The Director of Volunteer and Community Engagement will continually build the organization’s capacity by recruiting new volunteers and cultivating future leaders.

Job Duties

Manage Trail and Forest Volunteers
  • Recruit and train volunteers to maintain the trails and help control invasives through surveys and removal.
  • Partner with the executive director to develop training programs for trail leaders and invasive species volunteers.
  • Organize up to three weekend trail maintenance or invasive removal volunteer events a month between April and November. Staff up to two of these weekend events.
  • Organize one to three weekday events between April and November.

Co-create and Plan Events and Programs
  • Develop a volunteer Program Committee and organize events and programs to engage the community, including members and volunteers.
  • Respond to volunteer inquiries and actively build relationships to recruit and train volunteers and volunteer leaders.
  • Organize at least four seasonal community events in the Blue Hills and three Zoom events during the winter months.
  • Oversee once-a- month volunteer-led hikes.
  • Work with the Board, staff and Membership Committee to organize Membership Month, 125-mile Challenge and other programs to engage volunteers and members..
  • Recruit and manage volunteers for occasional tabling events.

Build Relationships to Cultivate and Engage the Community
  • Identify future leaders and other volunteers for Friends of the Blue Hills’ key strategic efforts through one-on-one meetings and by developing programs and events.
  • Develop a ladder of engagement for volunteers and members.

Qualifications and desired attributes
  • Passion for the Blue Hills and the outdoors
  • Community organizing experience
  • Experience recruiting and managing volunteers
  • Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
  • Enthusiasm to take on a variety of projects as they arise
  • Physically able to hike 4 to 5 miles in the Blue Hills, remove invasives and perform trail maintenance (raking, digging and cutting branches)
  • Self-motivated and self-starter
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Willingness to work some evenings and occasional weekends, to accommodate volunteers’ schedules
  • A people person
  • Access to a car is necessary
  • Able to work up to two weekend half-days a month from April to November. One weekend morning a month during winter months. Evening meetings could be one to three times a week.

Job type: Full-time position with flexible hours, health insurance and paid time off.  Part-time possible for the right candidate.