Supervisor, Volunteer Programs

Open To External And Internal Candidates•Williamsburg, VA

15h•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Director, Volunteer Programs, supervise the day-to-day operation and expansion of Colonial Williamsburg's volunteer Wayfinders program, a focused volunteer program serving guests throughout the Historic Area. The Supervisor is responsible for building and maintaining a reliable corps of trained volunteers who welcome guests, provide directions and maps, answer practical visit questions, help guests locate destinations and services, and connect guests with the appropriate resources when additional assistance is needed. The position has primary responsibility for Wayfinder recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, readiness, deployment, supervision, communication, and ongoing volunteer support. A central priority is substantially expanding the existing program while maintaining consistent expectations for service, preparedness, reliability, and the guest welcome. The Supervisor establishes practical processes that allow growth to occur at scale without compromising volunteer quality or guest experience. Wayfinders are dedicated to wayfinding and guest assistance. They are not assigned to provide specific historical interpretation, conduct tours, or deliver formal programming. The Supervisor ensures that volunteers understand the boundaries of the role, are prepared to answer common wayfinding and visit-planning questions accurately, and know when and how to refer a guest to another employee, volunteer, location, or resource. The position works closely with the Manager, Volunteer Programs and partners across the Historic Area and other guest-facing functions to support a welcoming, highly visible, and dependable Wayfinder presence. As a secondary responsibility, the Supervisor oversees volunteers assigned to Colonial Williamsburg's Liberty Lounge, located in the Williamsburg Historic Area and dedicated to welcoming active-duty service members, veterans, retired military members, and their families. The Lounge is the first dedicated facility in Williamsburg to provide this courtesy service since the World War II era, when John D. Rockefeller Jr. supported the USO. The Supervisor carries this tradition of military hospitality forward by ensuring that Liberty Lounge volunteers are prepared, supported, and attentive to the needs of the military community.

Requirements

University degree in Volunteer Administration, Hospitality, Tourism, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Communication, Education, Public History, Museum Studies, or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in volunteer management, guest services, visitor services, hospitality, museum or cultural attraction operations, community engagement, workforce coordination, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience supervising, coordinating, or leading volunteers, employees, or other service teams in a public-facing environment.
Experience recruiting, onboarding, training, and supporting a large number of volunteers or employees, preferably during a period of significant program growth.
Demonstrated ability to organize high-volume onboarding and training processes while maintaining accurate records and consistent standards.
Experience developing or delivering practical training, orientation, reference materials, job aids, or other learning resources for front-line service roles.
Strong service orientation and the ability to model a welcoming, calm, accurate, and helpful approach to guest interaction.
Experience working with active-duty service members, veterans, retired military personnel, and military families is preferred for the secondary responsibility of supervising Liberty Lounge volunteers.
Personal military service, experience as a military family member, or comparable professional, volunteer, or community experience supporting military-connected populations is valued but not required.
Ability to supervise people with differing schedules, experience levels, communication styles, and motivations while maintaining consistent expectations.
Strong organizational, scheduling, communication, facilitation, problem-solving, and follow-through skills.
Ability to work effectively across departments and to communicate operational changes clearly to a large volunteer population.
Comfort using volunteer management systems, scheduling tools, spreadsheets, email, and other common workplace technology to administer a large volunteer program.
Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive guest-service practices preferred, particularly as they relate to navigation, communication, and visitor assistance.
Strong judgment and discretion when working with volunteer records, performance concerns, guest issues, schedules, and internal information.

Nice To Haves

University degree in Volunteer Administration, Hospitality, Tourism, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Communication, Education, Public History, Museum Studies, or a related field preferred
Experience working with active-duty service members, veterans, retired military personnel, and military families is preferred for the secondary responsibility of supervising Liberty Lounge volunteers.
Personal military service, experience as a military family member, or comparable professional, volunteer, or community experience supporting military-connected populations is valued but not required.
Knowledge of accessibility and inclusive guest-service practices preferred, particularly as they relate to navigation, communication, and visitor assistance.

Responsibilities

Supervise the Wayfinders program as a distinct component of Colonial Williamsburg's broader volunteer program architecture.
Translate program goals established with the Manager, Volunteer Programs into practical recruitment, onboarding, training, deployment, and volunteer-support plans.
Build the operational capacity needed to substantially expand the program while maintaining consistent service expectations and appropriate oversight.
Develop and carry out an active recruitment strategy for Wayfinder volunteers.
Identify appropriate recruitment channels, communicate the purpose and expectations of the role clearly, support information sessions and outreach activities, and maintain a sufficient candidate pipeline to meet program growth and coverage needs.
Coordinate recruitment activity with the Manager, Volunteer Programs and appropriate Human Resources and Communications partners.
Support a consistent selection process for prospective Wayfinders.
Assess candidates for reliability, communication ability, comfort engaging with the public, willingness to learn, and alignment with the service expectations of Colonial Williamsburg.
Ensure prospective volunteers understand that the Wayfinder role is focused on welcoming guests, providing practical assistance, and helping guests navigate the Historic Area.
Coordinate the onboarding and administrative processing of new Wayfinders so volunteers complete required steps accurately and efficiently before beginning service.
Maintain clear onboarding workflows, monitor completion, resolve routine issues, and coordinate with the Manager, Volunteer Programs and relevant internal partners when additional support or approval is needed.
Develop, coordinate, deliver, and maintain training that prepares Wayfinders to perform the role confidently and consistently.
Training should include orientation to the Historic Area, building destinations, routes, maps, guest amenities, transportation information, accessibility resources, common guest questions, service expectations, role boundaries, referral practices, and other information necessary for effective wayfinding.
Establish a practical method for confirming volunteer readiness before independent deployment.
Maintain accurate and user-friendly training materials, reference guides, maps, quick-reference resources, updates, and other tools used by Wayfinders.
Establish a process for communicating changes in locations, access, operating conditions, events, closures, routes, or guest resources that affect wayfinding.
Retire outdated information promptly and reinforce current information through ongoing communication and refresher training.
Coordinate Wayfinder scheduling and deployment to support a visible and useful volunteer presence throughout the Historic Area.
Match volunteer availability with identified locations and program needs, maintain appropriate coverage, respond to routine schedule changes, and identify recurring gaps that require additional recruitment or changes in deployment.
Use program information to improve placement over time.
Provide direct supervision, guidance, and support to Wayfinder volunteers.
Establish clear expectations for attendance, preparedness, conduct, dress and appearance, guest interaction, communication, and adherence to the scope of the role.
Be available to answer questions, address routine concerns, clarify expectations, and provide timely direction when volunteers need assistance.
Maintain a regular on-site presence throughout the Historic Area to observe the Wayfinders program as it operates.
Confirm that volunteers are positioned appropriately, visible to guests, prepared with needed materials, and consistently providing a welcoming and helpful experience.
Use direct observation and volunteer feedback to identify coaching needs, training gaps, deployment issues, or other opportunities for improvement.
Reinforce Colonial Williamsburg's Common Purpose, Service Standards, Service Behaviors, and other applicable guest-service expectations within the Wayfinders program.
Coach volunteers to provide accurate, courteous, approachable, and practical assistance while helping guests feel welcome and supported throughout their visit.
Ensure Wayfinders understand how their interactions contribute to the broader guest experience.
Maintain consistent communication with Wayfinder volunteers about schedules, program changes, training opportunities, operating updates, guest needs, and other information necessary for effective service.
Use clear, timely communication practices that help volunteers remain informed, connected, and prepared for their assignments.
Support a positive volunteer experience that encourages reliability, engagement, and retention.
Develop strong working relationships with Wayfinders, identify recurring concerns or barriers to participation, and bring broader issues to the Manager, Volunteer Programs.
Coordinate with appropriate partners to recognize strong service, meaningful contributions, milestones, and examples of volunteers demonstrating Colonial Williamsburg's service expectations.
Observe volunteer performance and provide timely coaching when expectations are not being met.
Document recurring concerns when appropriate, establish clear expectations for improvement, and coordinate with the Manager, Volunteer Programs on significant performance, conduct, reliability, or role-fit issues.
Apply expectations consistently and respectfully across the program.
Ensure Wayfinders can answer common practical questions about navigating Colonial Williamsburg and can quickly identify the appropriate resource when a question falls outside the Wayfinder role.
Reinforce clear boundaries between wayfinding and functions such as historical interpretation, formal programming, operational decision-making, or other specialized guest services.
Help volunteers use sound judgment when referring or escalating questions.
Prepare Wayfinders to assist guests with differing mobility, sensory, language, age, and access needs within the practical scope of the role.
Coordinate with appropriate subject matter experts to ensure volunteers know available accessibility resources, appropriate routes, and referral options.
Identify recurring wayfinding barriers and bring them to the Manager, Volunteer Program and responsible operational partners.
As a secondary assignment, supervise volunteers who staff Colonial Williamsburg's Liberty Lounge in the Historic Area.
Coordinate volunteer orientation, scheduling, communication, readiness, day-to-day support, and service expectations so eligible active-duty service members, veterans, retired military members, and their families receive a consistent and respectful welcome.
Maintain clear role expectations, respond to routine volunteer and guest needs, and coordinate operational matters with the Manager, Volunteer Programs and appropriate Historic Area partners.
Build effective working relationships with Historic Area operations and other guest-facing departments whose work affects guest navigation and information.
Share relevant updates with Wayfinders, surface recurring questions or points of confusion, and coordinate practical solutions when changes in locations, routes, events, services, or operating conditions affect the volunteer program or guest wayfinding.
Maintain reliable records related to recruitment, onboarding, training completion, volunteer readiness, active participation, scheduling, coverage, retention, and other appropriate program measures.
Provide the Manager, Volunteer Program with regular updates on growth, staffing capacity, volunteer participation, training progress, recurring issues, and areas requiring attention.
Use program data to support planning and continuous improvement.
Maintain organized and consistent processes for the Wayfinders program, including documentation, volunteer files, schedules, training records, communications, materials, and operating procedures.
Review program practices as the volunteer corps grows and recommend changes that simplify administration, improve volunteer readiness, strengthen guest support, or allow the program to scale more effectively.