Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator | Berkeley Food Network

The Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator plays a critical role in bringing Berkeley Food Network volunteers into our network of community support. This role supports all new volunteer orientation and onboarding efforts, including orientations to BFN, including the Programs and Warehouse operations, and supporting volunteer use of our scheduling software. Beyond scheduling and onboarding, this role serves as the primary point of contact for volunteers during shifts, including providing hands-on training, resolving coverage gaps in real time, and ensuring volunteers feel confident and supported in their assigned tasks.

This team member supports scheduling and filling shifts, communicating with volunteers by phone and email, receiving and incorporating feedback into program improvements and performing light data analysis on attendance. This role works closely with Programs and Operations staff to anticipate volunteer needs and performs light data analysis on attendance and engagement.
This role will also support expanded community outreach activities and corporate volunteering activities.

Pay: $27.00-$30.00 / per hour depending on experience
Hours: Full-time, non-exempt (37.5 hours per week)
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm; occasional nights and weekends as needed
Location: Onsite at our West Berkeley warehouse

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Volunteer Program Coordination 50% - Coordinate volunteer recruitment, orientation, onboarding, and scheduling of shifts - Ensure volunteer shifts across organization are sufficiently filled and volunteers are appropriately trained - Coordinate volunteers at various levels of organizational engagement to promote a culture of growth and learning, including providing hands-on, role-specific training and coaching to volunteers during group volunteer shifts to ensure competency and confidence in assigned tasks - Serve as the point of contact during active shifts to resolve last-minute coverage gaps, no-shows, or volunteer questions in real time - Ensure Berkeley Food Network’s mission, values, and community agreements are conveyed to all who participate as a volunteer - Maintain a safe, welcoming, and positive environment for volunteers - Support creation of volunteer schedule on a quarterly or ad-hoc basis - Perform regular quality check of schedule for accuracy, completeness, and volunteers - Support compilation of volunteer newsletters - Support Volunteer & Outreach Manager in creation of training materials and standard operating procedures for volunteers - Coordinate in-person and virtual volunteer trainings, as necessary - Support the administrative side of ensuring all volunteers are appropriately trained and documentation complete before starting their initial shift Volunteer Communications & Data Management 25% - Support the volunteer schedule by responding to daily cancellations, inquiries, questions, and feedback through email, phone, and in-person communications - Track activity of prospective, current, and lapsed volunteers - Analyze volunteer engagement to optimize recruitment, onboarding, and overall scheduling - Collect and maintain information about volunteer schedules, availability and skills - Maintain SOPs related to volunteer scheduling, records maintenance, and communications - Complete periodical data analysis of volunteer records to track program success Advancement & Outreach 15% - Support BFN’s advancement goals with corporate group volunteer opportunities by supporting scheduling, orientation, and shift training - Support event planning and coordination that include fundraisers, open houses, volunteer appreciation, and other events - Support with identifying, planning, and executing community outreach events and activities - Attend and represent Berkeley Food Network at Outreach Events in the community Organizational Support 10% - Use effective project management to advance volunteer program goals - Collaborate with the Programs and Operations teams on volunteer opportunity coordination, creating new volunteer shifts, and other programmatic changes, as necessary - Proactively communicate with Programs and Operations staff about anticipated coverage gaps, upcoming volunteer needs, and shift-level issues before they become problems - Attend and support Volunteer Team meetings, Staff Meetings, and other gatherings - As assigned, support grant reports, give team presentations, and represent the organization in public spaces. - Support other tasks as needed by the organization.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Volunteer Program Coordination 50%
- Coordinate volunteer recruitment, orientation, onboarding, and scheduling of shifts
- Ensure volunteer shifts across organization are sufficiently filled and volunteers are appropriately trained
- Coordinate volunteers at various levels of organizational engagement to promote a culture of growth and learning, including providing hands-on, role-specific training and coaching to volunteers during group volunteer shifts to ensure competency and confidence in assigned tasks
- Serve as the point of contact during active shifts to resolve last-minute coverage gaps, no-shows, or volunteer questions in real time
- Ensure Berkeley Food Network’s mission, values, and community agreements are conveyed to all who participate as a volunteer
- Maintain a safe, welcoming, and positive environment for volunteers
- Support creation of volunteer schedule on a quarterly or ad-hoc basis
- Perform regular quality check of schedule for accuracy, completeness, and volunteers
- Support compilation of volunteer newsletters
- Support Volunteer & Outreach Manager in creation of training materials and standard operating procedures for volunteers
- Coordinate in-person and virtual volunteer trainings, as necessary
- Support the administrative side of ensuring all volunteers are appropriately trained and documentation complete before starting their initial shift

Volunteer Communications & Data Management 25%
- Support the volunteer schedule by responding to daily cancellations, inquiries, questions, and feedback through email, phone, and in-person communications
- Track activity of prospective, current, and lapsed volunteers
- Analyze volunteer engagement to optimize recruitment, onboarding, and overall scheduling
- Collect and maintain information about volunteer schedules, availability and skills
- Maintain SOPs related to volunteer scheduling, records maintenance, and communications
- Complete periodical data analysis of volunteer records to track program success

Advancement & Outreach 15%
- Support BFN’s advancement goals with corporate group volunteer opportunities by supporting scheduling, orientation, and shift training
- Support event planning and coordination that include fundraisers, open houses, volunteer appreciation, and other events
- Support with identifying, planning, and executing community outreach events and activities
- Attend and represent Berkeley Food Network at Outreach Events in the community

Organizational Support 10%
- Use effective project management to advance volunteer program goals
- Collaborate with the Programs and Operations teams on volunteer opportunity coordination, creating new volunteer shifts, and other programmatic changes, as necessary
- Proactively communicate with Programs and Operations staff about anticipated coverage gaps, upcoming volunteer needs, and shift-level issues before they become problems
- Attend and support Volunteer Team meetings, Staff Meetings, and other gatherings
- As assigned, support grant reports, give team presentations, and represent the organization in public spaces.
- Support other tasks as needed by the organization.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
*Required Qualifications* - Minimum of 2 years of experience in volunteer recruitment, training, and coordination, including volunteer cultivation and group volunteering - Enthusiastic and excited about volunteers supporting the community - Skilled and effective communicator in written and oral forms. - Strong task tracking and management, follow-through, accuracy, and prioritization skills in a dynamic work environment - Experience using PCs, Google Suite products (Drive, Slides, Docs, Sheets), and an interest with learning and using AI platforms - Effective time management - Strong willingness to collaborate, take direction, and work with individuals on different teams - High level of accountability *Preferred Qualifications* - 2+ years of experience in volunteer recruitment, training, and coordination - Working knowledge of databases and CRM/volunteer management platforms - Excellent organization and team building skills. - Good reporting, technical, and statistical skills. - Experience working with communities that directly are affected by food and/or nutrition insecurity. - Fluency in any Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic or other languages *Personal Attributes* - Detail oriented, efficient, and able to manage time effectively across competing priorities - Problem solving mindset, collaborative with other team members. - Seeks solutions to problems and issues that arise, relays issues to other members of the team in a problem-solving nature. - High level of personal responsibility and accountability to assigned tasks. - Professional, cordial, welcoming and helpful communication style with staff, volunteers, community members , and partners. Ability to conduct difficult conversations.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 2 years of experience in volunteer recruitment, training, and coordination, including volunteer cultivation and group volunteering
- Enthusiastic and excited about volunteers supporting the community
- Skilled and effective communicator in written and oral forms.
- Strong task tracking and management, follow-through, accuracy, and prioritization skills in a dynamic work environment
- Experience using PCs, Google Suite products (Drive, Slides, Docs, Sheets), and an interest with learning and using AI platforms
- Effective time management
- Strong willingness to collaborate, take direction, and work with individuals on different teams
- High level of accountability

Preferred Qualifications
- 2+ years of experience in volunteer recruitment, training, and coordination
- Working knowledge of databases and CRM/volunteer management platforms
- Excellent organization and team building skills.
- Good reporting, technical, and statistical skills.
- Experience working with communities that directly are affected by food and/or nutrition insecurity.
- Fluency in any Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic or other languages

Personal Attributes
- Detail oriented, efficient, and able to manage time effectively across competing priorities
- Problem solving mindset, collaborative with other team members.
- Seeks solutions to problems and issues that arise, relays issues to other members of the team in a problem-solving nature.
- High level of personal responsibility and accountability to assigned tasks.
- Professional, cordial, welcoming and helpful communication style with staff, volunteers, community members , and partners. Ability to conduct difficult conversations.

Physical Requirements
This position is split between office and warehouse/floor environments, with occasional off-site event support. Able to perform the following duties with or without accommodation: - Sit at a desk, conference room or workstation for more than three (3) hours at a time - Stand, walk and move throughout the warehouse and program floor for extended periods during active shifts - Able to comfortably lift up to 50 lbs. occasionally and 25 lbs. frequently. - Traverse the distance of the facility in performance of duties - Access transportation to local, and state events or meetings as necessary - Communicate in clear speaking voice in person, before large groups and over audio or video-based communications applications (e.g. phone, Zoom)

Physical Requirements

This position is split between office and warehouse/floor environments, with occasional off-site event support. Able to perform the following duties with or without accommodation:

- Sit at a desk, conference room or workstation for more than three (3) hours at a time
- Stand, walk and move throughout the warehouse and program floor for extended periods during active shifts
- Able to comfortably lift up to 50 lbs. occasionally and 25 lbs. frequently.
- Traverse the distance of the facility in performance of duties
- Access transportation to local, and state events or meetings as necessary
- Communicate in clear speaking voice in person, before large groups and over audio or video-based communications applications (e.g. phone, Zoom)

Compensation & Benefits
The compensation for this position is $27.00-$30.00 / per hour depending on experience. -Twenty-one (21) paid holidays, including annual closures the week of Fourth of July and between December 23 – January 1 -Accrued paid leaves including up to ten (10) vacation days and up to 80 paid sick leave hours in your first year, depending on the number of hours worked, and a paid day off for your birthday -403(b) Retirement Plan with up to 3% matching -Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage: BFN pays 100% of employee premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage on our Kaiser Gold base plan and optional buy-up to additional coverage. -Life, long-term disability, and employer assistance program (EAP) coverage at no cost. -Professional development opportunities

Compensation & Benefits

The compensation for this position is $27.00-$30.00 / per hour depending on experience.

-Twenty-one (21) paid holidays, including annual closures the week of Fourth of July and between December 23 – January 1
-Accrued paid leaves including up to ten (10) vacation days and up to 80 paid sick leave hours in your first year, depending on the number of hours worked, and a paid day off for your birthday
-403(b) Retirement Plan with up to 3% matching
-Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage: BFN pays 100% of employee premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage on our Kaiser Gold base plan and optional buy-up to additional coverage.
-Life, long-term disability, and employer assistance program (EAP) coverage at no cost.
-Professional development opportunities

Application Process
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with the first resume review on August 14th. A candidate will ideally be available to start in October 2026. Please submit your resume and cover letter using BFN's Hiring Portal. In your cover letter, please: -Introduce yourself and your relevant work experience, highlighting your experience working with volunteers -Describe your experience in food assistance, food justice, or nonprofit organizations -Share why you want to work at Berkeley Food Network. If you have any questions, please reach out to hiring@berkeleyfoodnetwork.org.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with the first resume review on August 14th. A candidate will ideally be available to start in October 2026.

Please submit your resume and cover letter using BFN's Hiring Portal.

In your cover letter, please:
-Introduce yourself and your relevant work experience, highlighting your experience working with volunteers
-Describe your experience in food assistance, food justice, or nonprofit organizations
-Share why you want to work at Berkeley Food Network.

If you have any questions, please reach out to hiring@berkeleyfoodnetwork.org.