Director, Volunteer Programs

Open To External And Internal Candidates•Williamsburg, VA

22h

About The Position

The Director, Volunteer Programs provides enterprise leadership for Colonial Williamsburg’s volunteer programs across all areas of the organization, working with the Vice President, HR, Organizational Culture. The Director is accountable for the strategy, governance, growth, and consistent administration of a portfolio of more than 800 volunteers. The position directly supervises one Manager, Volunteer Programs and two Supervisors, Volunteer Programs, establishing priorities, performance expectations, accountability, and clear areas of responsibility for the leadership team. The Director leads the expansion and administration of volunteer capacity, ensuring that growth is supported by appropriate supervision, role design, recruitment, screening, placement, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance management, recognition, retention, and program evaluation. The role oversees the design and operation of the Wayfinding volunteer program and maintains leadership accountability for the Liberty Lounge operation. The Director partners with operating leaders and departments to integrate volunteers into organizational operations, establish enterprise policies and procedures, maintain program records and technology, support safety and accessibility, and provide regular reporting and recommendations to leadership. The position develops annual plans for volunteer programs, including workforce needs, recruitment, training, recognition, technology, events, and measurable outcomes. It builds community partnerships and recruitment pipelines, plans for succession and special-event staffing, gathers volunteer feedback, and evaluates programs for alignment with organizational needs and available resources. Colonial Williamsburg is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution whose mission is to preserve and restore 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia, and help people learn from its history. The Foundation operates a large living history museum, museums, a teacher institute, a research library, accommodations, and restaurants. The job posting lists an anticipated salary range of $90,000–$122,000 per year.

Requirements

Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in volunteer management, nonprofit operations, workforce programs, community engagement, human resources, visitor services, organizational culture, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience leading a large, complex volunteer program, including direct supervision of a management structure with a program manager and multiple supervisors responsible for volunteers across multiple operating areas.
Experience expanding or redesigning a volunteer program, including workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, training, deployment, supervision, retention, and performance measurement.
Experience developing enterprise policies, procedures, and operating standards for volunteer or comparable workforce programs.
Demonstrated success building sustainable recruitment pipelines and community partnerships for large-scale volunteer or workforce needs.
Experience with volunteer scheduling, workforce deployment, service-hour tracking, records management, and volunteer management technology.
Experience designing or coordinating volunteer orientation, training, leader tools, and continuing development in partnership with Learning and Development or operating leaders.
Experience creating recognition and engagement practices and using feedback and retention information to improve the volunteer experience.
Demonstrated ability to influence across functions, establish accountability, resolve operational conflicts, and build partnerships with leaders who rely on volunteer resources.
Experience developing dashboards, recurring reports, and executive-level insights that translate program information into workforce and operating priorities.
Understanding of safety, risk, accessibility, privacy, and appropriate workforce boundaries as they apply to volunteer programs.
Exceptional communication, writing, facilitation, leadership, project management, and relationship-building skills.
Strong judgment and discretion when working with volunteer records, performance concerns, personal information, operating issues, and sensitive organizational matters.

Nice To Haves

A university degree in Human Resources, Volunteer Administration, Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Leadership, Hospitality, Museum Studies, Public Administration, or a related field; equivalent professional experience is also acceptable.
Experience in a museum, cultural attraction, tourism, education, nonprofit, hospitality, public-service, or other mission-driven organization.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational oversight of volunteer programs across all areas of the organization.
Directly supervise one Manager, Volunteer Programs and two Supervisors, Volunteer Programs, establishing priorities, accountability, performance expectations, and clear responsibility boundaries.
Lead planned expansion of volunteer programs beyond the existing base of more than 800 volunteers, aligning growth with operational demand, supervision, training, scheduling, and volunteer experience needs.
Oversee the design, launch, and ongoing operation of the Wayfinding volunteer program, including role design, recruitment, training, deployment, scheduling, service expectations, coverage, and performance measures.
Maintain leadership accountability for Liberty Lounge operations, including volunteer preparedness, supervisory coverage, scheduling, service consistency, operational coordination, and supply and procedure readiness.
Partner with operating leaders to identify volunteer opportunities and define role descriptions, responsibilities, qualifications, schedules, supervision expectations, and boundaries between volunteer and employee work.
Develop an enterprise recruitment strategy and sustainable community partnerships and pipelines for volunteer candidates.
Establish consistent processes for applications, interviews, screening, selection, and placement.
Create a consistent onboarding and orientation experience and coordinate readiness with Learning and Development and operating partners.
Establish volunteer training and continuing-development practices, including role preparation, refresher training, service expectations, safety, and guest interaction skills.
Establish scheduling and deployment practices, improve coverage and reliability, and maintain contingency plans for cancellations, seasonal demand, and special events.
Set expectations and provide tools and development for employees and volunteer supervisors who lead or work with volunteers.
Develop fair processes for setting expectations, feedback, recognition, performance concerns, documentation, and ending assignments when necessary.
Partner with Employee Appreciation, Recognition, and Engagement to strengthen volunteer recognition, engagement, and retention; use feedback and participation information to improve the volunteer experience.
Establish reliable volunteer communications in partnership with Internal Communications and operating leaders.
Create recurring volunteer feedback opportunities, review feedback themes, route issues, and use findings to improve program design and administration.
Establish program measures and prepare regular leadership reporting on recruitment, placement, training, participation, service hours, scheduling reliability, retention, recognition, and volunteer experience.
Evaluate and support volunteer technology and establish practices for data quality, access, privacy, documentation, retention, and system use.
Maintain enterprise policies, procedures, standards, and governance for volunteer programs.
Partner with Safety and Security, Human Resources, and operating leaders on volunteer safety, emergency procedures, incident reporting, and role-specific risks.
Review volunteer practices for accessibility and equitable participation, and work with subject matter experts to reduce barriers while maintaining essential role requirements.
Build relationships with community organizations, educational institutions, military and veteran communities, civic groups, affinity organizations, and other prospective partners.
Identify critical volunteer assignments and develop cross-training, bench strength, documentation, and succession practices.
Develop processes for special-event and surge volunteer planning, including recruitment, training, scheduling, supervision, communication, and closeout.
Conduct periodic volunteer program reviews and recommend continuation, redesign, expansion, consolidation, or retirement based on evidence and operating priorities.
Develop an annual volunteer programs plan and support responsible use of program resources, providing the Vice President with recommendations on staffing, systems, and budget priorities.
Serve as the primary enterprise partner to leaders who use volunteers, clarify responsibilities, resolve coordination issues, and integrate volunteer resources in support of organizational goals.