Volunteer Assistant/Receptionist

Job Summary: Under the direction of the Volunteer Manager, the Volunteer Assistant supports all aspects of volunteer recruitment, coordination, training, and supervision to advance the organization’s mission. This role is responsible for building and maintaining community partnerships, scheduling volunteer groups, creating recruitment materials, providing volunteer orientations, and training volunteers for events and special projects. The Volunteer Assistant manages volunteer records, including tracking and inputting volunteer hours, confirming group participation, verifying community service hours, and maintaining food drive data. Additionally, this position serves as a key point of contact for volunteers by communicating schedules, responding to inquiries, and leading projects as needed. At the reception desk, the Volunteer Assistant welcomes guests, answers phone calls, assists with volunteer-related information, and responds to food assistance inquiries. The role also supports community food drives by providing guidance and resources, conducting follow-ups, coordinating logistics, and participating in speaking engagements to promote volunteerism and community involvement.

About Second Harvest

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a member of Feeding America – the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Second Harvest Food Bank secures and distributes food and grocery products to more than 800 feeding partners throughout Central Florida. With the help of food and financial donors, volunteers and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributes 300,000 meals every day to a seven-county service area, which includes Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. Feeding neighbors facing hunger is only the beginning. By investing in job training programs, advocating for access to nutritious foods, and inspiring our community to get involved, Second Harvest Food Bank is leaning into the root causes of hunger and helping our neighbors thrive.

Department Overview 

The Development team at Second Harvest leads the aspects of fund development for our rapidly growing organization through: annual campaigns, capital campaigns, endowment campaigns, planned and deferred giving, major gifts, signature fundraising and third-party events, cause related marketing campaigns, advocacy, digital fundraising, public relations, marketing, social media, stewardship and more. 

Work schedule

Mon-Friday 7:30am-4pm  

1st & 3rd Wed of each month: 11:30am-8pm 

Travel Requirements 

Must have reliable transportation, to support offsite events throughout the Orlando metropolitan area and surrounding regions. Use of a personal vehicle may be required, with eligible mileage reimbursed according to company policy.

Job Responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment 

• Assist supervisor in assessing volunteer requirements 
• Support in identifying and establishing new partnerships with potential volunteers through events such as volunteer fairs and United Way 
• Schedule and coordinate volunteer groups 
• Contribute to the development and production of written promotional content for volunteer recruitment 
• Recruit and train volunteer groups for special events or specific off-site projects 

Record Keeping 

• Input volunteer hours into VolunteerHub 
• Confirm volunteer groups 
• Schedule volunteers in Volunteer Hub  
• Input  food drives into Excel sheet and send thank you letters 
• Help with monthly report  

Volunteer Supervision  

• Provide orientation to new volunteers & escort them to the projects/work alongside at times 
• Help sign off on volunteer hour forms for community service volunteers  
• Appropriately communicate with and recognize the efforts of volunteers & food drive organizers  
• Help with offsite projects/food shows  
• Help lead volunteer projects in the warehouse when we are short staffed 

Reception Desk  

• Answer reception phone/greet guests 
• Assist with welcome sign/provide list of volunteer groups  
• Keep copies of BEO’s so that you are familiar with events taking place in our meeting rooms  
• Assist with walk in food assistance inquiries  
• Provide temporary badges to interns, guests, staff on as needed basis  
• Sign for deliveries/let staff know when items have arrived   

Coordination and Oversight of community food drives 

• Help answer calls/return messages to food drive organizers & provide timely and effective follow up and customer service when      they request advice, materials, tips..etc  
• Attend speaking engagements and educate potential donors on our mission and how to aid that through successful food drives 

Any other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualification

• High school diploma 
• Ability to speak in front of large groups 
• Knowledge of departmental procedures, processes, and the organization’s basic policies 
• Awareness of how the team’s work supports the department’s mission 
• Proficiency in tools and systems needed for the role (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel basics, email, scheduling, organization-specific systems) 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to convey information clearly to team members, internal partners, and external contacts 
• Strong attention to detail to ensure accuracy and minimize errors 
• Strong organizational skills to arrange and track tasks across programs and projects 
• Knowledge of how to follow clear instructions and established procedures 
• Knowledge of customer, visitor, or constituent service principles 
• Ability to complete basic and routine technical, administrative, or operational tasks 
• Ability to ask clarifying questions when instructions are unclear 
• Ability to apply limited judgment within clearly defined work assignments 
• Ability to manage multiple routine tasks within established timeframes 
• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members and other departments 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and discretion when handling sensitive information 
• Ability to take ownership of assigned tasks and complete them reliably with direct supervision 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Volunteer Hub 
• Certificate in Volunteer Management 
• Experience working with volunteers or personal volunteer experience