December 2017 jobs Tanzanian Children's Fund Volunteer Coordinator

Job description

If you love a challenge, working with children, and are looking to make a difference, we need you!

We are looking for a mature, organized and flexible individual with excellent interpersonal skills to manage our Volunteer Program at the Rift Valley Children’s Village (RVCV) in rural Tanzania. The Children’s Village is a permanent and loving home for 97 children and located in a remote and impoverished village in Karatu District, adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

This full-time position will offer you the opportunity to make an important difference in the lives of our children by helping our volunteers have a positive impact on the village and a meaningful experience during their stay. The Volunteer Program is a critical component of our organization, and RVCV hosts as many as 80 volunteers each year (approximately 5 to 10 at any given time).

The Volunteer Coordinator is a member of the senior staff at RVCV, and contributes to decisions related to the operation of the Children’s Village. He/she will be responsible for oversight of all aspects of the Volunteer Program, and act as an important liaison between the volunteers and the staff. He/she will also play a crucial role in the daily/weekly program of RVCV children, as well as extra planning and supervision of events over school vacations and special holidays. He/she should be able to both work independently as well as part of a larger team.

The duties of the Volunteer Coordinator include, but are not limited to:

In-Office organization: 20%

Responding to all email inquiries regarding the Volunteer Program
Scheduling and preparing volunteers to work at RVCV
Maintaining a detailed volunteer calendar of arrivals, departures, housing arrangements, etc. in Microsoft Excel
Managing volunteer postings online and partnerships with volunteer placement organizations to aid in the recruitment of volunteers
Creating and maintaining files (hard copy and electronic file) on all volunteers
Liaising with the U.S. office
Applying for Work and Residence Permits for qualifying volunteers and foreign staff

Interpersonal volunteer relations: 30%

Meeting and greeting volunteers and overnight visitors, conducting orientation and tours
Daily management of volunteers; determining, scheduling and supervising volunteer job duties
Conducting weekly group meetings with the volunteers to discuss plans, problems and concerns. Providing support, counsel and training as needed
Scheduling days off for long-term volunteers and Sundays off for all volunteers and foreign staff

Children’s Program: 40%

Overseeing volunteers running morning classes, supervising playtimes, making snack and breakfast for the children.
Coordinating weekly class schedules for our Day Care program, which consists of informal morning and afternoon classes at RVCV taught by volunteers
Planning special holiday events and activities for the children during school breaks
Helping discipline all children and liaising with the Counselors when necessary
Distributing and managing our stock of clothes, and shoes—for 97 children! Including conducting clothing swaps two times per year, and shoe exchanges weekly

General: 10%

Communicating with the HR Director on volunteer/staff relations
Helping with in-country travel arrangements, including transport, hotels, safaris, etc. as needed for volunteers and visitors
Determining the most needed items at RVCV and communicating all needs to the US Office
Receiving and managing shipments of donated supplies
Keeping the library, preschool room and all materials for class times stocked and organized
Coordinating with the Volunteer House cooks on meal planning
Assisting Executive Director with special projects

Qualifications

Must love kids! Experience or training in teaching or childhood development is helpful but not required
Candidate must be outgoing, friendly, easygoing, and patient with all types of personalities coming from all walks of life, as well as open-minded to different experiences and cultures
Strong attention to detail and ability to multitask
Experience managing junior staff, volunteers or interns a plus
Initiative driven and ability to work independently with minimal supervision
Team oriented and collaborative
Ability to thrive living in a very beautiful but rural setting in Africa
Experience living abroad for six months or more is helpful but not required
Bachelor’s degree required
Strict minimum commitment of 1 year
Sense of humor and positive attitude

Why work with Tanzanian Children’s Fund?

Be part of a small grassroots non-profit that is having a huge impact in the lives of children and in the wider community, through holistically addressing the root causes of poverty
Live in one of the most beautiful, peaceful areas in East Africa with ample chances to see wildlife and forge authentic connections with students, teachers and local villagers.
Be confident that you’ll be working for an organization that has strong accountability structures, and incredibly well regarded both in the region and on a global stage
Have autonomy in your role, collecting experiences, honing your professional skills, and preparing you for your next endeavor in international development
Enjoy being part of a dynamic, closely knit team of professionals who approach challenges with humor, and find creative solutions to problems
Eat really delicious banana bread, watch the sun going down overlooking the Ngorongoro crater, and have the opportunity to meet a wide range of visitors and volunteers from around the world.