Job Description

Volunteer Iowa, part of Iowa Health and Human Services, Strategic Operations Division, is searching for an outstanding, motivated professional to join its team as an AmeriCorps Seniors Program Specialist. Candidates able to base out of Sioux City area would be preferred but not required.

The AmeriCorps Seniors Program Specialist will coordinate AmeriCorps Seniors grant activities including the identification and support of stations and sites, recruitment and support of AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers, and meeting compliance and reporting requirements of the AmeriCorps Seniors grant in assigned counties. The position will also provide leadership and promotion of volunteerism in the assigned counties, connecting community members with opportunities to serve and promoting volunteering as a potential solution to local needs, creating a local culture of volunteering and service.

General Duties

• Recruits, screens, enrolls, and trains volunteers in alignment with AmeriCorps Seniors eligibility requirements and ensure appropriate placements; ensures all proper documentation is obtained; conducts regular volunteer recruitment and outreach events; and recruits, trains, and directs activities of local Advisory Council members with assistance from other staff as assigned.
• Examines data to interpret current trends in volunteerism to develop volunteer engagement strategies to effectively recruit and retain volunteers.
• Provides appropriate volunteer recognition throughout the year (i.e. birthdays, important life events) and co-manages the planning and implementation of annual AmeriCorps Seniors recognition activities.
• Recruits and establishes volunteer stations and ensures stations comply with grant performance measurements as needed; ensures stations submit reports when scheduled; addresses any concerns expressed by the station relative to the AmeriCorps Seniors program. Provides training to stations and potential stations on AmeriCorps Seniors requirements and volunteer engagement best practices.
• Maintains local volunteer, station, and program files in compliance with federal regulations and provides central office with required paperwork and reports on time.
• Monitors social and environmental factors affecting the service area and uses that information to create meaningful volunteer service activities that meet community needs. Manages AmeriCorps Seniors Program activities and coordinates with activities conducted by other government and nonprofit organizations in the assigned counties.
• Provides leadership and promotion of volunteerism in the service area, connecting community members with opportunities to serve and promoting volunteering as a potential solution to local needs, creating a local culture of volunteering and service.

 The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Knowledge of effective volunteer engagement practices including program design, recruitment, screening, placement, training, supervision and evaluation. Ability to facilitate trainings and professional development opportunities for adult learners
• Ability to translate departmental strategies into relevant services and programs.
• Demonstrated cultural competence to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of diverse identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to manage multiple programs, projects, events, people, timelines, and tasks simultaneously with independence and autonomy in decision making.
• Strong communication and presentation skills – written and verbal.
• Strong analytical, leadership and planning skills
• Strong computer skills and proficiency in word processing, database management, and spreadsheet applications
• Ability to provide project management utilizing skills to plan, coordinate, schedule, delegate, problem solve, and assess.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and also take initiatives when the need arises.

Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with major course work in nonprofit management, event management, public administration, social sciences, or a related field and experience equal to 3 years of full-time work that involved responsibility for managing and supporting volunteers or national service programming OR in lieu of graduation from a college at least 5 years of relevant work experience in volunteer management and/or national service programming.

Service in AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Military or Iowa National Service Corps will receive additional weight when considering applications.

The Iowa HHS Volunteer Engagement Coordinator is classified by the State of Iowa as a Program Planner 3.

For Additional Information Contact

To Apply: Submit an application, resume, and cover letter at jobs.iowa.gov by the position closing date.

The Iowa HHS is an EEO/AA Employer

Volunteer Iowa and Iowa HHS are mission-driven organizations, which works every day to help Iowans live healthy independent lives. The work is rewarding and challenging. Come to work with an agency that truly makes a difference.

Minorities, women and persons with disabilities encouraged to apply. (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD). HHS values those with lived experience and encourages foster youth, people who are in recovery, foster parents and or parents who were in the HHS system to apply.

Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit? www.dhs.gov/E-Verify .