What Does a Volunteer Coordinator Do?
People give their time freely, and they take it back just as freely. Volunteer coordinators recruit, train and schedule volunteers for hospitals, food banks, museums and other nonprofits, matching each person to work they enjoy and making sure the hours feel well spent. A small, personal thank-you often keeps someone coming back.
Also known as: Volunteer Services Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a volunteer coordinator include:
- Recruit volunteers through schools, churches, employers and online listings.
- Screen applicants with interviews, reference calls and background checks where required.
- Run orientation sessions that cover the organization's mission, rules and safety procedures.
- Match volunteers to roles that fit their skills, schedules and interests.
- Build weekly schedules and fill last-minute gaps when people cancel.
- Track volunteer hours in a database such as Volgistics or Better Impact.
- Plan recognition events, thank-you notes and service awards that keep people coming back.
- Set up group service days for corporate teams and student clubs.
- Handle concerns about volunteer conduct and, when needed, end a placement kindly.
- Report volunteer numbers and the value of donated time to managers and funders.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a volunteer coordinator, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Recruiting and public speaking
- Volunteer management software
- Scheduling many part-time helpers at once
- Warmth, patience and follow-through
- Background check and child safety procedures
- Event planning on a small budget
- Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA), a plus
- Social media and email outreach
Education and Training
Degrees in nonprofit management, communications or social work are common, and many organizations ask for a bachelor's in one of those or a related field. Plenty of coordinators first gave their own time as volunteers, which teaches the job from the other side. Event planning experience is a plus, since recruiting drives and appreciation events land on this desk.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: varies widely for this role, and BLS does not publish pay for it separately. In the wider BLS group it belongs to (Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other), the middle half of earners made $45,920 to $69,910 a year, and the median was $56,730.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other.
According to BLS, employment of community and social service specialists not listed elsewhere, the group used for this job, is projected to grow 5.5 percent from 2025 to 2035. That group expects about 11,600 openings a year. Coordinator posts often depend on grants and donations, but groups that rely on volunteers still need someone to recruit and keep them.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Community and social service specialists, all other.