Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Volunteer Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Volunteer Coordinator leads recruitment, training, retention, scheduling and safety oversight for volunteer programs that support wildlife conservation, rehabilitation, monitoring and community outreach. This role balances field operations and administrative coordination to ensure volunteers deliver high-quality, compliant, and ethical care and data collection while deepening community engagement and advancing organizational conservation goals.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Volunteer Coordinator / Volunteer Manager (general non-profit or field-specific)
Field Technician or Wildlife Rehabilitation Assistant
Community Outreach Coordinator for environmental organizations

Advancement To:

Volunteer Program Manager / Senior Volunteer Coordinator
Conservation Program Manager or Field Operations Manager
Director of Volunteer Engagement or Wildlife Rehabilitation Director

Lateral Moves:

Outreach & Education Manager
Field Supervisor / Field Operations Coordinator
Grants & Partnerships Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and implement an end-to-end volunteer lifecycle program for wildlife initiatives, including targeted recruitment campaigns, screening, onboarding, training, placement, recognition and offboarding to maintain a sustainable volunteer workforce.
Design and deliver role-specific training curricula and hands-on workshops for volunteers—covering animal handling basics, species-specific protocols, disease biosecurity, data collection protocols, and safety procedures—to ensure consistent, high-quality field performance.
Recruit, interview and screen prospective volunteers using behavioral interview techniques and background checks to match skills, availability and temperament to sensitive wildlife and rehabilitation tasks.
Schedule and coordinate volunteer shifts for field surveys, rescue callouts, nest monitoring, rehabilitation care and educational events, balancing volunteer availability with operational needs and permit restrictions.
Supervise, mentor and evaluate volunteer teams in field and facility settings; provide constructive feedback, set performance goals and escalate behavioral or safety concerns to management.
Maintain accurate volunteer records in the volunteer management system (e.g., Volgistics, Better Impact, Salesforce Nonprofit), including hours tracking, certifications, licenses, training completion and incident reports to support reporting and compliance.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), emergency response plans, animal handling protocols and risk assessments that align with organizational policy and wildlife regulations.
Coordinate logistics for volunteer fieldwork, including transportation, PPE distribution, equipment maintenance, site access permits and liaison with landowners or land managers.
Lead volunteer support during wildlife rescues and rehabilitation intakes, ensuring volunteers adhere to triage and biosecurity procedures and that staff retain clinical decision authority.
Track, analyze and report volunteer program metrics (e.g., retention rates, hours contributed, program ROI) and provide monthly or quarterly reports to leadership and funders to demonstrate impact.
Serve as point-of-contact for external partner organizations, municipal agencies, wildlife professionals and community groups to coordinate joint volunteer efforts, permit applications and cross-promotional outreach.
Champion volunteer recruitment focused on diversity, equity and inclusion; build relationships with local schools, universities, community centers and workforce programs to expand volunteer pipelines.
Manage budgets related to volunteer programming, including stipends, gear, training materials and recognition events; procure and inventory supplies needed for volunteer activities.
Plan, coordinate and staff public-facing volunteer events such as community science days, clean-ups, demonstrations and educational outreach to raise awareness and recruit new volunteers.
Respond to volunteer-related incidents and complaints, investigate occurrences, complete formal incident reports, implement corrective actions and update policies to mitigate future risks.
Maintain permit and regulatory compliance for volunteer activities in the field (e.g., state wildlife permits, local access agreements, animal handling authorizations); prepare documentation for renewals and audits.
Coordinate volunteer involvement in scientific monitoring and data collection projects, ensuring data integrity through training, QA/QC processes and standardized data entry workflows.
Create and maintain clear, accessible volunteer-facing communications (onboarding packets, role descriptions, safety briefings, weekly shift updates) and update web and social channels to advertise opportunities.
Lead volunteer recognition programs—awards, milestone celebrations, newsletters and social spotlights—to reinforce retention, engagement and organizational culture.
Provide mentorship and career pathway guidance to volunteers seeking internships or paid roles; design volunteer-to-staff transition programs where feasible.
Facilitate field debriefs and continuous improvement sessions with volunteers and staff to refine protocols, improve safety and enhance volunteer experience.
Oversee remote or seasonal volunteer teams, including establishing expectations, remote training, digital coordination tools and emergency check-in procedures for fieldwork in remote locations.
Collaborate with development and grants staff to quantify volunteer contributions in funding proposals, donor communications and annual reports as a core component of program impact.

Secondary Functions

Maintain and organize volunteer program documentation, binders and digital repositories to support audits, accreditation and knowledge transfer.
Support ad-hoc reporting requests for leadership, funders and regulatory bodies on volunteer activities, compliance and outcomes.
Assist with public education programming, school visits and interpretive talks to promote wildlife conservation and volunteer opportunities.
Participate in cross-departmental planning meetings (research, rehabilitation, outreach) to align volunteer capacity with project timelines and deliverables.
Support social media content creation and volunteer recruitment marketing, including photography collection, written spotlights and short video coordination.
Assist with grant reporting and preparation related to volunteer-supported projects, including gathering metrics, volunteer testimonials and program narratives.
Coordinate temporary housing, orientation logistics and site briefings for seasonal or out-of-area volunteers.
Support the maintenance and calibration of field equipment used by volunteers (GPS units, trail cameras, telemetry gear) and coordinate repairs or replacements.
Facilitate conflict resolution among volunteers or between volunteers and staff using established HR policies and mediation techniques.
Help maintain a volunteer-friendly digital scheduling and communication platform; troubleshoot volunteer access issues and conduct periodic user training.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Volunteer program management (recruitment, onboarding, retention strategies, recognition programs)
Animal handling, basic wildlife triage and rehabilitation support protocols (species-specific where applicable)
Permit and regulatory compliance for wildlife activities (state and federal permit processes)
Incident reporting and risk assessment for field operations and animal care
Data collection protocols and QA/QC for ecological monitoring (including familiarity with standardized survey methods)
Volunteer management software and CRM experience (e.g., Volgistics, Better Impact, Salesforce Nonprofit)
Proficient with Microsoft Office suite and Google Workspace; experience with spreadsheets and basic data analysis
Familiarity with GIS, GPS use, or spatial data collection tools for field mapping and survey coordination
First Aid / CPR certification and Wilderness First Aid or equivalent field safety certification (preferred)
Basic budget management and procurement for program supplies and volunteer gear
Event planning and logistics coordination for training sessions, orientation and community events
Social media and community outreach skills for volunteer recruitment and public engagement
Grant-related reporting and translating volunteer metrics into funding narratives

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication tailored to volunteers, partners and the public
Strong leadership and team-building skills; ability to motivate diverse volunteers of varying skill levels
Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail for scheduling, compliance and record-keeping
Empathy, patience and cultural sensitivity when working with volunteers from diverse backgrounds
Conflict resolution and diplomatic problem solving in stressful field or public situations
Adaptability and calmness under pressure, particularly during rescues or emergent wildlife situations
Coaching and mentoring mindset to develop volunteer skills and pathways to employment
Strong customer-service orientation and public-facing professionalism
Time management and prioritization across concurrent programs and seasonal peaks
Analytical thinking to evaluate volunteer program effectiveness and propose improvements

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or equivalent experience in environmental science, biology, ecology, education, nonprofit management or related field; OR a strong track record of relevant volunteer coordination experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Conservation, Nonprofit Management or related discipline.
Certifications: CPR/First Aid, Wilderness First Responder or Wildlife Rehabilitation certification where applicable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wildlife Biology / Wildlife Ecology
Environmental Science / Conservation Biology
Natural Resource Management
Nonprofit Management / Public Administration
Education / Community Outreach / Environmental Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of experience coordinating volunteers, community programs or field teams; at least one season of field supervision preferred.

Preferred:

3–7 years of progressive responsibility managing volunteers in wildlife conservation, rehabilitation, field research or environmental education settings; demonstrated experience with permit compliance, volunteer database systems, and delivering training for field protocols.