Volunteer and Support Services Lead

Role: Volunteer and Support Services Lead (Volunteer & Service Operations)

Fixed-term contract (12 months, with possibility of extension)

3 days a week (2.5 days considered for exceptional candidate)

Expected start date October / November 2026, by agreement

£35,000 FTE (£21,000 for 3 days/week)

Location: Remote, with one working day per month in central London

Reports to CEO

About The Loss Foundation

Every year, thousands of adults across the UK turn to The Loss Foundation after the death of someone they love from cancer. At one of the hardest times in their lives, they find a safe place to be understood, connect with others who truly understand, and access specialist support.

Founded by clinical psychologists, The Loss Foundation is the UK's leading charity dedicated to cancer bereavement. Our evidence-informed services are delivered nationally through support groups, workshops, walks and a remarkable community of trained volunteers, ensuring more people can access compassionate support wherever they live. As we continue to grow, we're looking for someone who wants to help shape the next chapter of our support services. You'll join a small, ambitious team where ideas are welcomed, initiative is encouraged and every person makes a meaningful contribution to helping us reach more bereaved people.

About the Role

This is a key role at the heart of The Loss Foundation's support services. A central part of the role is building strong relationships with our extraordinary community of volunteers, ensuring they feel connected to the charity, well supported and equipped to deliver high-quality support. Alongside this, you'll coordinate our programme of bereavement support events and ensure the systems and processes behind our services run smoothly. This is not a clinical or direct bereavement-support role - our support groups and services are delivered by trained volunteers. Instead, you'll enable that support by coordinating our services and providing an excellent experience for the volunteers who deliver them.

We're entering an exciting period of growth. Over the next few years we're expanding our national support services, growing our volunteer community and investing in new ways to reach more bereaved people than ever before. This role will play an important part in making that happen.

Although the role doesn't include formal line management, you'll have real ownership of your area and the opportunity to shape how our services develop. This role would suit someone who enjoys creating structure, building relationships and making a meaningful difference as part of a small, ambitious team.

What Success Looks Like

In your first 3 months you will

Learn how our support services and volunteer programme operate.

Become the main point of contact for volunteers, building trusted relationships with volunteers.

Take ownership of coordinating our programme of support events.

Become confident managing the charity's day-to-day operational processes independently.

Identify at least one opportunity to improve our systems, volunteer experience or service delivery, and begin implementing agreed improvements.

By 6 months you will

Have implemented improvements to systems and operational processes.

Be strengthening and developing the volunteer support cycle.

Be using insight from volunteers and beneficiaries to continually strengthen our services.

By 12 months you will

Help shape how The Loss Foundation delivers and grows its support services.

Lead volunteer recruitment and onboarding.

Become a key member of a small team helping guide the charity through its next stage of growth.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Coordination & Experience

You'll be the main point of contact for our volunteer community, helping volunteers feel informed, valued and well supported.

Build strong, trusted relationships with volunteers, providing ongoing support and helping them feel connected to and valued by the charity.

Coordinate volunteer recruitment, onboarding and rotas.

Maintain volunteer records and day-to-day communications.

Help shape and continually improve the volunteer experience.

Event Coordination

You'll oversee the smooth delivery of The Loss Foundation's programme of support services, ensuring events are well organised, appropriately resourced and delivered to a high standard.

Coordinate the charity's programme of support groups, workshops, walks and other services.

Manage event logistics, volunteer allocation and communications.

Ensure event information is accurate across our systems and website.

Process & Systems Improvement

As we grow, you'll help build the operational systems that enable us to support more bereaved people efficiently and consistently.

Improve systems, processes and automated workflows.

Monitor service activity and maintain accurate operational data.

Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and support future growth.

Quality and Service Development

You'll help us continually strengthen our services through feedback and learning.

Gather and review feedback from volunteers and beneficiaries.

Recommend improvements to services and volunteer experience.

Support the appropriate handling of complaints and safeguarding concerns.

About You

This role would suit someone who enjoys building relationships, creating structure, and helping things run smoothly. You'll thrive in this role if you are -

An excellent organiser who enjoys planning, coordinating and keeping projects on track.

A warm, approachable communicator who enjoys supporting volunteers and working collaboratively.

Comfortable managing multiple priorities and solving problems proactively.

Experienced in managing, coordinating or supporting volunteers, with a track record of building positive volunteer relationships, alongside experience of event, service or operational coordination.

Confident using digital systems and data, with the curiosity and initiative to learn new platforms, troubleshoot problems and find better ways of working.

Able to work independently while contributing positively to a small, growing team.

Motivated by The Loss Foundation's mission and committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality support.

What difference will you make?

You will sit at the heart of The Loss Foundation's support services, ensuring that thousands of people each year receive a warm, compassionate and well-coordinated experience at one of the most difficult times in their lives. By supporting our volunteers, strengthening our systems and helping the charity grow sustainably, you'll play a vital role in enabling us to reach many more people affected by bereavement in the years ahead.

To Apply
Please note: We recently advertised this position, but following some internal changes we have taken the opportunity to review and refine the role. The revised position places greater emphasis on volunteer management and the volunteer experience, and we are therefore re-advertising to reflect this.

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience via CharityJob.

Interviews will take place remotely on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Candidates progressing from interview may also be invited to a short follow-up conversation before a final appointment is made.

If you have any questions about the role, please feel free to get in touch.