Working Bikes – Volunteer Manager

Working Bikes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that gives donated bicycles new life by redistributing them as tools of empowerment in local and global communities. Countless bicycles are discarded or sit unused in storage across the United States every year. But a bicycle is a vital tool when put to use. Bicycles can provide access to jobs, education, medical attention, and other resources—truly changing the life of an individual, their family, and their community. Since its founding in 1999, Working Bikes has recovered tens of thousands of discarded and donated bicycles from Chicago and the Midwest, and has redistributed more than 50,000 of them worldwide. Twenty years into its efforts, Working Bikes is more impactful than ever and excited to continue to grow its impact.

Global Impact: Working Bikes ships thousands of bicycles each year to our partners in countries throughout Latin America and Africa, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Uganda, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Ghana.

Local Impact: Working Bikes has two programs to donate bikes to individuals and partner organizations in Chicago. The Cycle of Power program provides bikes, locks, and helmets to adults in need of sustainable transportation. The Cycle of Peace program provides bikes to youth. Organizations of all sizes partner with Working Bikes to offer their clients access to bicycles, including organizations addressing homeless transition, refugee resettlement, veteran support, community health, youth empowerment, and government institutions.

Position Overview

The Working Bikes Volunteer Manager is responsible for the direction and management of volunteer programming at Working Bikes as well as the day-to-day management of the Cycle of Power/Cycle of Peace program. The position reports to the Working Bikes Executive Director.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer management

·       Design the Working Bikes volunteer program for maximum refurbishing of bikes

·       Lead volunteer repair sessions, including instructing volunteers in bicycle mechanics

·       Coordinate with Working Bikes mechanics for skill building volunteer sessions

·       Onboard new volunteers, including registration, orientation, and skill set assessment to ensure appropriate volunteer opportunities for each volunteer

·       Track and analyze volunteer participation and attendance

·       Facilitate and support meetings of the Volunteer Committee, aka the Volunteer Kitchen Crew

·       Conduct outreach to attract new volunteers, including attending recruiting events

·       Design and maintain a group volunteer program that contributes to the overall Working Bikes goal of refurbishing bikes for donation and preparing bikes for overseas shipments

·       Work with other Working Bikes staff, including the Warehouse Manager, Community Engagement Manager, Bike Shop Manager, to identify and staff appropriate volunteer activities

Local Bike Donation Programs (Cycle of Power/Cycle of Peace)

·       Receive and process applications for local bike donations, responding to inquiries and corresponding with applicants

·       Maintain local bike donation applicant list and calendar

·       Coordinate and ensure local bike donation request fulfillment

·       Keep organization stakeholders (staff, volunteers, and Board) abreast of donation needs and progress

·       Instill enthusiasm for the program

Brandon’s Bike shop and facilities upkeep

·       Maintain a clean, organized and well-stocked shop space

·       Ensure general volunteer space, including kitchen, is clean and organized

·       Assist in maintaining organization in shipping dock and other spaces within the Working Bikes warehouse

Administrative

·       Manage volunteer@workingbikes.org email account

·       Maintain volunteer software, including use of SalesForce and the MySQL Working Bikes volunteer database

·       Schedule and communicate with volunteer groups

Key Qualifications

·       Excellent communication skills and an ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment populated with a diverse array of community members.

·       Motivated by a love of bicycles and service

·       Ability to shift gears quickly to ensure that the volunteer programming is robust and changing in accordance to the needs of volunteers and bicycle recipients alike.

·       Self-motivated, comfortable with ambiguity, and flexible.

·       Desire to grow with organization and provide leadership.

·       Critical thinker. Consistently identifies, gathers, and applies relevant information to one’s work. 

·       Enthusiasm for the mission and work of Working Bikes and passion for making the world a better place.

·       Spanish speaking a plus.

Working Bikes is an equal opportunity employer. Working Bikes does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Compensation is $15.50 - $18.50 per hour commensurate with expertise and previous experience. Our benefits package is comprehensive, including paid vacation and health insurance.