Head of Volunteer Recruitment

Head of Volunteer Recruitment

Company and team summary

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has been providing hope and healing to some of the world's poorest communities. Our vision is to offer top-notch medical care, support and build health capacity in local areas. With the help of generous supporters, we've achieved significant results, tackling the global lack of access to safe surgery that affects 5 billion people. Through our state-of-the-art hospital ships and collaboration with local healthcare workers, we deliver life-changing surgical and medical care, impacting lives and building a sustainable healthcare future.

Position summary

The Head of Volunteer Recruitment is responsible for finding and identifying the best talent to join the bold mission of Mercy Ships. You are an advocate for the candidate, a collaborator with the Head of Volunteer Engagement, a consultant to the Global People & Culture Recruiting and Staffing Teams, and a champion of our mission and values. You will design and implement innovative sourcing strategies and actively source talent with a goal to convert leads to applicants and ensure that all sourcing activities align with the global agenda.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategies to source volunteer leads and convert them to applicants
• Respond to enquiries from potential applicants, providing accurate information related to opportunities within the framework of the unique mission of Mercy Ships.
• Build and evaluate applicant sources by researching and developing relationships with professional associations, trade schools, organisations, etc.; provide information regarding Mercy Ships opportunities, establish partnerships, make presentations, and maintain rapport.
• Develop an extensive network of potential candidates as an organised talent pool from alumni, past candidates, current leads, Talent Community, staff/crew referrals, industry contacts, hiring sites (e.g., LinkedIn, Seek, Ethical Jobs), etc. 
• Actively source passive candidates, utilising online tools and search resources, cold calls, etc.
• Coordinate and implement seed-planting initiatives through career centres, churches, academic departments, and specialty networks. 
• Research advertising venues, develop effective ads and job postings, place advertisements accordingly, and monitor effectiveness. 
• Research and recommend lead sources to expand the network (e.g. buying leads, identifying partnerships, advertising opportunities, etc.).
• Develop comprehensive resources to inform sourcing strategy (e.g. role requirements, internal/talent requirements, personas, and demographics, etc.).
• Ensure a high-touch, positive candidate experience.
• Participate in and promote webinars and other recruitment functions/activities.
• Identify, investigate, and propose new strategic sourcing avenues and events with high ROI for the organisation.
• Maintain current knowledge of Mercy Ships’ departments, policies, and procedures in regard to minimum commitments, volunteering requirements, and position requirements.
• Establish, cultivate, and maintain ongoing relationships with internal stakeholders to understand their talent needs within the context of the organisational mission; and translate the information into effective hiring strategies.
• Produce regular and thorough activity reports and metrics to stakeholders; utilising data to prioritize sourcing strategies.
• Collaborate with the Head of Volunteer Engagement to ensure effectiveness of the volunteer journey.
• Collaborate with the Global People & Culture Recruiting and Staffing Teams; share best practices and networks.
• Collaborate with the Global Talent Brand team on sourcing and event initiatives to ensure a high level of branding and professional content.
• Contribute to annual recruiting budget; adhere to and maintain documentation for the current budget.
• Stay abreast with sourcing and relevant industry advancements by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks, and/or participating in professional organizations, understanding the trends and issues pertinent to the industry, volunteerism, etc.
• Ensure a good balance between working on strategic recruitment, using the strengths of local markets, and actively sourcing critical needs.
• Understand and apply servant leadership, work collaboratively with integrity, and demonstrate accountability.
• Support the Mercy Ships mission and vision and commit to its core values.

Experience and qualifications 

• A Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business, Marketing, or another relevant field is required, or a mix of education and relevant job experience.
• A minimum of three years of recruiting or marketing experience is required.
• Knowledge of relevant job boards, publications, and groups to source relevant candidates.
• Experience marketing within social media platforms.
• Experience tracking relevant KPIs and using data to drive work.
• Ability to determine the most strategic sourcing method for different candidates.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities while remaining delivery-focused.

Soft skills and personal attributes

• Must enjoy working with people; strong interpersonal skills required. 
• Dedicated to providing positive experiences to candidates and improving the talent journey.
• Positive and proactive team player, willing to collaborate with others. 
• Ability to embrace, promote, and participate in a well-functioning, productive, and professional team. 
• Professional approach to interacting with various stakeholders, building trust and rapport, and proactively keeping them informed.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate the special purpose and mission of Mercy Ships.
• Personable and able to develop rapport and trust quickly with candidates.
• English language proficiency.

Technical skills required 

• Strong computer skills required with proficiency with Microsoft 365. 
• Understanding of marketing automation tools, customer relationship management platforms, and databases.
• Capacity to learn new systems, tools, and applications. 

This is a part-time role (30 hours per week) based in the Caloundra office of Mercy Ships Australia.

Please send any enquiries to melissa.mason@mercyships.org