Volunteer Engagement Manager

NEW YORK SOLIDARITY NETWORK 

Job Description 

Volunteer Engagement Manager 

Reports to: Field Director | Location: New York City Metro Area | Classification: Full-Time, Exempt | 

Salary Range: $70,000 to $85,000 

About New York Solidarity Network 

The New York Solidarity Network (NYSN) is a 501(c)(4) membership organization dedicated to promoting commonsense governance and protecting the interests of New York City's Jewish community. NYSN works to build civic influence through organizing, advocacy, and community engagement — and to counter forces that threaten democratic values and the security of Jewish New Yorkers. 

Position Summary 

The Volunteer Engagement Manager builds and leads NYSN’s volunteer programs and activities. These activities largely supplement and extend NYSN’s paid canvasser field program. This person owns the systems and relationships that recruit, train, deploy, and develop volunteers for voter registration, canvassing, phone banking, petition drives, relational organizing, event support and other related field activities, and will identify the strongest volunteers as possible future paid canvassers. 

Working closely with the Field Director and the field team, the Volunteer Engagement Manager designs the program, sets goals, builds partnerships, and makes sound judgment calls about how NYSN builds and uses its volunteer base. The role may also provide volunteers to other NYSN teams on occasion, and will connect people met through volunteer work to other parts of NYSN where they may be a good fit. This role is central to NYSN's goal of building lasting civic capacity that extends well beyond any single election cycle. 

Key Responsibilities 

Program Strategy and Design 

• Design, build, and lead NYSN's volunteer program in support of the paid field operation, including its structure, roles, policies, and standards. 
• Set annual and cycle-specific recruitment, retention, and leadership goals in consultation with the Field Director, aligned with the field plan's targets. 
• Develop budget recommendations and evaluate which recruitment channels, partnerships, and activities deliver the strongest results. 

Recruitment and Partnerships 

• Develop and carry out recruitment strategies across community events, Jewish institutions, coalition partners, campuses, and digital channels, in coordination with the NYSN colleagues who manage those relationships. 
• Work with the Social Media Strategy and Content Manager and the Operations Manager to invite supporters on NYSN's email list to volunteer. 
• Coordinate campus recruiting so students hear a single, coherent message about both volunteer and paid opportunities. 
• Design follow-up systems that ensure every new volunteer lead is contacted and engaged. 

Volunteer-to-Paid Pipeline 

• Identify reliable, high-performing volunteers and refer them to the Field Director as candidates for seasonal paid canvassing. 

Training and Leadership Development 

• Develop NYSN's volunteer training curriculum, including canvassing, phone and text banking, and voter registration. Share a common core with paid canvasser training. 
• Design and lead a volunteer leadership pathway (team leads, trainers, and shift captains), and develop recognition and retention strategies that build a sense of community and belonging. 

Program Operations 

• Plan and schedule volunteer activities, including canvasses, phone banks, text banks, and voter registration drives, in coordination with the Field Director and the field team. 
• Establish volunteer policies and quality standards, and resolve volunteer issues as they arise. 
• Represent NYSN at volunteer activities and community events across the city, including evenings and weekends. 

Support for Other Teams and Referrals 

• Provide supplemental volunteers to other NYSN teams on request, when capacity allows and field priorities are not affected. 
• Identify volunteers who may be a good fit for other involvement with NYSN, such as synagogue ambassador roles, membership, or donor engagement, and refer them to the appropriate team. 

Data and Collaboration 

• Define the metrics NYSN uses to measure volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention, and work with the Operations Manager to ensure volunteer activity is tracked accurately in NYSN's CRM. 
• Analyze program performance, report results and recommendations to the Field Director and leadership, and adjust strategy based on what the data shows. 
• Collaborate with the Social Media Strategy and Content Manager on volunteer recruitment messaging and content. 

Qualifications 

Required 

• Experience building or managing volunteer programs, community organizing efforts, field programs, or political campaigns, including responsibility for setting goals and strategy. 
• Experience recruiting, training, and leading volunteers or teams, and the ability to design programs and manage complex projects from start to finish. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with people and organizations of diverse backgrounds, ages, and perspectives. 
• Strong organizational and analytical skills, including the ability to use data to evaluate results and improve performance. 
• Familiarity with the technology used to run volunteer programs, such as volunteer recruitment and scheduling platforms (e.g., Mobilize, Action Network), voter file and canvassing tools (e.g., NGP VAN, MiniVAN), text and phone banking tools, and relational organizing apps (e.g., UpVote, Impactive, Reach), and the ability to learn new tools quickly. 
• Comfort with public speaking, leading trainings, and representing an organization in community settings. 
• Commitment to NYSN's mission of advocacy for New York City's Jewish community and to the principles of cross-community solidarity. 
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, with increased demands during peak election periods. 
• Candidates must reside in the New York City metro area. 

Preferred 

• Experience working in or alongside New York City's Jewish community, as well as other communities across the city, and knowledge of New York City neighborhoods and civic institutions. 
• Prior experience on political campaigns, at advocacy organizations, or in Jewish communal institutions; experience in a supervisory or team leadership role. 
• Multilingual abilities are a significant asset. 

Work Environment 

This is a strategic and externally engaged role. The Volunteer Engagement Manager will divide their time between program planning and management and in-person engagement at events, trainings, and partner meetings across all five boroughs, often requiring evening and weekend commitments. NYSN is a lean, fast-moving organization. The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, comfortable with ambiguity, and energized by the opportunity to help build a volunteer program from the ground up. 

Benefits 

NYSN offers excellent health, dental, and vision insurance coverage. 

How to Apply 

Please send a resume and a brief cover letter to Marc@NYSN.org with the subject line "Volunteer Engagement Manager."

NYSN is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background.