Position Description: Volunteer Coordinator (Freelance)

Cymera: Scotland’s Festival of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing is looking for an enthusiastic person to join the festival team as a freelance Volunteer Coordinator.

The Volunteer Coordinator will be responsible for looking after our brilliant team of about 50 festival volunteers over the festival weekend.

Cymera is an equal opportunities organisation and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and accessibility needs.

 

Position:   Volunteer Coordinator

Reporting to: Festival Director

Duration of Contract:  1st May 2024 to 30th June 2024. Festival dates for 2024 are 30th May to 2nd June 2024,

Location: As this is a freelance engagement, the Volunteer Coordinator can carry out the contract from wherever is most appropriate for them. The festival does not have an office, and the majority of the team, including the Festival Director, are based in Edinburgh. The Volunteer Coordinator will be required to be in attendance over the course of the 2024 festival as well as an in-person Volunteer induction at the venue in the week preceeding the festival. The festival takes place at The Pleasance, Edinburgh. Planning meetings and partner meetings will usually take place virtually, with the occasional in-person meeting where required.

 

Required skills and experience

Essential skills:

  • Experience with volunteering and/or volunteer management

  • Proven administration skills

  • Event management or Arts Administration experience

  • Highly proficient computer skills (Word, Excel, Outlook)

  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

  • Self-motivated with the ability to work independently as well as part of a team

  • Experience with accessibility requirements

  • Excellent time management skills

  • Excellent attention to detail

 Desirable skills:

  • Familiarity with instant messaging and social platforms such as Discord, WhatsApp and Slack

  • Experience with literary events, especially book festivals

Outline of Key Tasks

For the 2024 festival:

  1. act as primary liaison for all volunteers in the run-up to the festival and during the festival weekend

  2. schedule volunteers across the festival weekend

  3. oversee and coordinate volunteer training and training material

  4. liaise with the festival team about volunteer care and represent volunteers within the organization

  5. support volunteer recruitment ahead of the festival

 

Post-festival

  1. coordinate and collate volunteer feedback

  2. work with the festival team to formulate this feedback into action points for the 2025 festival

  3. review volunteer recruitment and training material

Fee

£2000 for May & June 2024 based on 12 days work plus reasonable expenses

The £2000 will be paid in two instalments upon receipt of an invoice:

• The first instalment of £1000 at the end of May 2024.

• The second instalment of £1000 at the end of June 2024.

 

Candidates should submit a full CV and covering letter detailing your experience, why you would be suitable for this role and why you would like to work with the festival to info@cymerafestival.co.uk by 6pm on Monday 15th April 2024.

Interviews will be held in person or via Zoom in the week beginning 22nd April 2024.

 

Please direct any questions about the role to our Festival Director Ann Landmann on info@cymerafestival.co.uk