Job Description

Location:

Reading with Hybrid working

Candidates need to be comfortable travelling to Make-A-Wish office at least once per month at their own expense.

Contract:

Full-time, permanent

Closing Date:

16th September 2025, 12:00 PM

We may close this role sooner if we receive a significant number of applications.

Core Purpose:

As part of the Community & Volunteering team, you'll lead the involvement of volunteers and post-wish families, one of our most inspiring, engaged, and valued audiences in income-generating products and events, from challenge events and community fundraising to payroll giving, campaigns, and our lottery.

You'll manage the full volunteer journey for Income & Engagement events from recruitment and onboarding through to briefing and event-day delivery ensuring exceptional support for fundraising activities, including our flagship balls and owned events.

Working closely with the Income & Engagement team, you'll connect people with opportunities that match their interests and potential, supporting income growth and deeper, long-term engagement. You'll also support the delivery of the Wish It On alumni programme and contribute to the community referral partner strategy, helping to build lasting pathways for post-wish families and volunteers to stay involved beyond the wish.

To see the full job description please see our website.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the end-to-end recruitment, matching, and onboarding of volunteers to power a diverse range of income-generating events -- from flagship national campaigns to local community activations. Partner with the Income & Engagement team to scope and define volunteer resource requirements, aligning support with campaign objectives and audience needs. Serve as the on-the-ground volunteer lead at key events, delivering confident, compassionate guidance to ensure smooth, impactful delivery. Design and deliver high-quality volunteer briefings and resources that inspire, inform, and equip volunteers to create magical moments for participants and families. Develop and maintain clear, accessible volunteer role descriptions, training materials, and operational protocols tailored to each event's scale and format. Coordinate complex volunteer logistics -- including travel, accommodation, safeguarding, and accessibility -- to create a seamless and inclusive experience for every volunteer. Champion the value of volunteer contributions by evidencing their impact on income generation, supporter experience, and mission delivery. Monitor and evaluate volunteer engagement and performance using qualitative feedback and data insights, refining recruitment and stewardship strategies to grow a motivated, mission-aligned volunteer community.

Essential Criteria:

Equivalent experience and knowledge acquired in the relevant fields minimum of an NVQ 3 (e.g. volunteer management, community engagement, events, fundraising, or nonprofit leadership). Significant experience working with volunteers in both fundraising and community contexts, including recruitment, training, and stewardship. A strong understanding of the value volunteers bring to income generation and event delivery. Experience acting as a volunteer lead at events or large-scale campaigns. Proven experience in volunteer management, including onboarding and ongoing support. Experience supporting income-generating or public-facing events, ideally within the charity or non-profit sector. Understanding of community fundraising and volunteer-led income generation. Knowledge of safeguarding, risk management, and best practices in volunteer engagement. Experience working cross-functionally with internal teams and external stakeholders. Experience developing and delivering volunteer training or induction programmes.

To apply for this role:

To apply for this role you must submit both your CV and Cover Letter via our website, ensuring all questions below are answered in full.

General Questions

Are you eligible to work in the UK? Will you require any reasonable adjustment during the selection stages? When are you available to start this role?

Assessed Questions

Thinking about the context of the job description, how would you demonstrate our values of magic, inclusion and inspiration in a meaningful way in this role Please tell us about your experience as it relates to the key responsibilities for the role. Please describe your experience leading the recruitment, onboarding, and coordination of volunteers for income-generating events or campaigns. What impact did this have on fundraising outcomes? How have you developed or implemented strategies to engage volunteers or community supporters in fundraising activities, such as challenge events or local campaigns? Tell us about a time you acted as the volunteer lead at a large-scale or public-facing event. How did you ensure the volunteers were well-prepared and supported? This role involves developing inclusive, engaging volunteer opportunities for a variety of audiences, including post-wish families. Can you share an example of how you've adapted your approach to meet different supporter needs? Make-A-Wish values strong cross-team collaboration. Can you give an example of how you've worked with other departments (e.g. fundraising, marketing, community outreach) to deliver a successful volunteer-led initiative or event?

Interviews

First Stage:

22nd September

Second Stage

: 26th September

If you have any queries, please contact jobs@makeawish.org.uk

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 36,954.00 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Casual dress Company events Company pension Cycle to work scheme Discounted or free food Employee discount Enhanced maternity leave Enhanced paternity leave Gym membership Health & wellbeing programme Life insurance Paid volunteer time Sick pay Store discount Work from home
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Reading RG1 1LX

Application deadline: 16/09/2025