Response Volunteer Manager, NRO

Description

Location of Position: Marin Headlands, Sausalito, California 

Reports to: Northern Range Operations Senior Manager

Position Classification & Expected Hours of Work, and Travel: 

• This is a full-time position. 
• Regular onsite work is required.
• Work schedule is Tuesday through Saturday.
• Days and hours of work may vary according to the needs of The Marine Mammal Center.
• Evening, weekend, and holiday work is required as job duties demand.
• Travel within California is expected for this position.

Compensation Range: $70,720 - $76,897 annual

Benefits:  

• Holidays
• Sick Time
• Vacation 
• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Employee Assistance Program

Job Summary:

The Response Volunteer Manager, NRO is responsible for leading volunteer-driven marine mammal response operations and strengthening volunteer capacity across The Marine Mammal Centers Northern Range Operations (NRO) from San Mateo County through Mendocino County, in support of Field Operations and Response (FOR) program readiness. They oversee volunteer onboarding, training, scheduling, retention, and readiness, leading and supporting more than 200 volunteers in various roles engaged in assessment, rescue, and transport. Working in close partnership with the Northern Range Operations Senior Manager, this role ensures consistent volunteer capacity, operational alignment, and continuous improvement of operational practices, and leads community engagement and outreach activities that increase public awareness, responsible reporting, and an increased volunteer pipeline. Through this work, the Response Volunteer Manager, NRO directly advances the Center’s mission and strategic priorities. 

Essential Functions:

Program Management: 35%

• Lead the planning, coordination, and continuous improvement of volunteer programs supporting Northern Range Operations (NRO) response and Field Operations and Response (FOR), ensuring volunteers are effectively trained, supported, and deployed to meet operational needs.
• Partner with the People & Culture department to define volunteer recruitment needs, support onboarding for NRO Response volunteers and Field Operations Mentors (FOMs) and ensure volunteer compliance with organizational requirements.
• Collaborate with the People & Culture department and Learning & Development team to design, deliver, and continuously improve initial and ongoing training programs for NRO volunteers, interns, apprentices and FOMs, including developing training modules, set training schedules, and aligning practices with other FOR regions.
• Oversee volunteer data management and scheduling systems, maintaining accurate volunteer profiles across technology platforms (e.g., Volgistics, GroupMe) to support response readiness and operational coordination.
• Monitor volunteer participation and performance by running regular reports, engaging volunteers who fall below participation requirements, and collaborating with NRO department, People & Culture department, and FOMs to address engagement concerns or process deactivations as needed.
• Provide direct volunteer leadership during hotline coverage and response operations, and partner with NRO department to train and support NRO staff in effective volunteer management practices.
• Lead NRO volunteer communications, including newsletters, response reminders, and surveys, and collaborate with NRO and People & Culture department to assess feedback, evaluate retention trends, and implement engagement and improvement strategies.
• Plan and support volunteer recognition and wellness initiatives, including events and annual celebrations, in collaboration with People & Culture.
• Evaluate volunteer capacity models, retention strategies, response policies, procedures, tools, and internal collaboration systems, performing quality control through observation and coaching, and implement improvements or propose enhancements. 
• Lead special projects that strengthen NRO and FOR operational effectiveness, volunteer readiness, and overall response capacity as assigned. 

Leadership & Volunteer Community Engagement: 25%

• Provide leadership, coaching, training, and expectation setting to volunteers to strengthen communication, clarify expectations, and promote a positive, supportive, and team-oriented volunteer environment. 
• Ensure volunteer capacity levels accommodate response activities, including recruitment partnership with People & Culture, onboarding, and placement of new volunteers.
• Support effective collaboration among volunteers and between volunteers and NRO staff by facilitating clear communication, addressing concerns, and escalating issues to management as appropriate.
• Support FOMs and other NRO volunteers in community engagement efforts throughout the Northern Range, ensuring consistent messaging and effective representation of the Center.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with local and affiliated partners, including enforcement agencies, conservation organizations, research institutions, community stakeholders, to support coordinated response efforts and regional collaboration.
• Plan, coordinate, and attend community engagement and outreach events that increase public awareness of marine mammal response and support volunteer recruitment across the Northern Range.
• Organize and support outreach activities such as presentations, site visits, and events featuring internal and external speakers.
• Collaborate with various internal program partners to coordinate public engagement activities within the Northern Range and plan appropriate NRO volunteer involvement and representation.
• Serve as a regional subject matter expert for media requests, participate in required media training, and support accurate, mission-aligned public communication. 

Hotline & Response Operations Support: 25%

• Provide hotline and response operations support as needed based on NRO staffing, schedule, and response capacity, ensuring timely, accurate, and professional handling of marine mammal stranding reports. 
• Answer calls from the public, partner agencies, and other stakeholders reporting distressed marine mammals; gather accurate information regarding species, location, condition, and circumstances; and educate callers about appropriate response actions and the Center’s work.
• Accurately enter and maintain data related to all stranded animal calls, responses, and patients within the Center’s custom-built animal database, remaining current on system updates and data entry requirements.
• Collaborate with callers, NRO staff, volunteers, veterinary teams, and other internal partners to remotely assess animals and determine appropriate response actions, including rescue, monitoring, or referral.
• Coordinate and transfer appropriate animal reports to the Center’s Field Offices in Castroville and Morro Bay, and support Field Office teams with threatened species permit reporting and response-related communications as needed.
• Support and train Dispatch volunteers, apprentices, and interns by providing guidance on hotline coverage, data entry, and response protocols.
• Provide response operations support as needed, including remotely assembling and coordinating volunteer response teams, managing multiple concurrent responses across California, and providing real-time coaching and decision support during complex, stressful, and potentially hazardous rescue situations.
• Exercise sound judgment in supporting volunteers to assess animal condition, determine whether rescue is required, and select appropriate courses of action, serving as a final decision-maker when necessary in collaboration with volunteers and response staff.
• Support onsite response operations by assisting volunteers with equipment, vehicles, logistics, and other in-person operational needs during scheduled shifts.
• Respond to general public inquiries regarding volunteer opportunities, donations, and Center programs, redirecting inquiries appropriately.

Budget Management & Fundraising: 5%

• May support the department’s budget development; tracks results to ensure alignment with key financial targets for expenses and/or revenue in collaboration with management; approves and monitors team expenditures. 
• Represent and promote the Center to current and potential donors as opportunities arise.
• May occasionally support the cultivation of individual donors, grants, family foundations, and corporate sponsors in both written and verbal formats. 

Organizational Impact: 5%

• May actively serve on an organizational wide committee(s). 
• Support and prioritize the Center’s DEI objectives and integrate as opportunities arise. 

Supervisory Responsibility:

200+ Volunteers

1 – 4 Interns, Apprentices, Fellows

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to the mission of The Marine Mammal Center.
• Broad knowledge of current marine mammal rescue and care techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct self in a calm and professional manner while handling calls and in person circumstances involving stressful situations with sick and injured marine mammals, including making life-or-death decisions about animal care, while training staff and volunteers, and providing support to concerned members of the public.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, support, and influence volunteers through clear expectations, coaching, and accountability.
• Ability to provide timely, respectful feedback and guidance, including addressing performance or conduct concerns and escalating issues appropriately in high-stress or time-sensitive situations.
• Skill in motivating, engaging, and retaining a diverse volunteer workforce by fostering trust, emotional intelligence, and alignment with operational and organizational priorities.
• Ability to react appropriately, calmly, and timely in emergency situations, maintaining mental capacity which permits making sound decisions and good judgements.
• Ability to oversee accurate recordkeeping, ensuring data entry, compliance, and integrity within the recordkeeping system and other databases. 
• Ability to translate management directives into clear staff priorities, ensuring alignment between daily work and organizational objectives. 
• Demonstrated decision-making and judgment skills, with the capacity to prioritize, allocate resources, and make sound operational choices in complex situations. 
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and foster transparent communication across teams, departments, and volunteers.
• Energy and enthusiasm for working with staff and volunteers of diverse backgrounds and differing ability levels. 
• Ability to patiently provide mentorship and instruction to students, staff, and volunteers at differing stages of their career path, demonstrating patience, adaptability, and commitment to professional development.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build trust across diverse teams, fostering and maintaining open communication, shared responsibility, and mutual respect.
• Ability to work independently with minimal direction to manage projects, priorities, fulfill commitments, and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills including attention to detail, problem-solving, multi-tasking, follow-up, and time-management skills.
• Ability to solve problems efficiently and effectively, making determinations and judgement calls while prioritizing work activities.
• Adapts to and learns from change, challenges, and feedback; demonstrates flexibility in approaches to work; helps others adapt to new tasks and processes. 
• Skills using Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Word) and videoconference technology (Slack, Teams, Zoom). 
• Demonstrated ability to interact with others thoughtfully and respectfully, applying self-awareness to foster trust and effective collaboration.
• Willingness to support and participate in The Marine Mammal Center’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Qualifications and Experience:

• A combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business administration, business management, animal science, marine science, or a related field; and 4 years of experience with coordination of logistical support, remote support, or other equivalents, and a minimum of 3 years of people management. 
• Valid driver license with acceptable motor vehicle record to maintain standards of insurability. (Must be 21+ years old as frequently driving company vehicles is required for this position.)
• Proof of Covid-19 vaccination or waiver (medical or religious).

Work Environment & Physical Requirements:

• This position operates in a professional office and hospital environment both indoors and outdoors with access to various parts of the facilities via outdoor pathways. 
• Working in outdoor weather conditions and elements is expected.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment requiring repetitive motion in tasks.
• Ability to work at a desk for extended periods of time using a computer.
• Ability to work in an open-cubicle office space environment with many distractions.
• Ability to operate equipment safely and competently to carry out duties. 
• Ability to drive/operate a vehicle for extensive periods of time, this includes operating large trucks to assist with transporting animals between sites.
• Ability to safely walk on beaches of varying terrain to assist with animal rescues in various locations across California.
• Ability to walk up to 2 miles during a shift on a frequent basis.
• Ability to spend extended periods on your feet, walking, standing, crouching, and climbing stairs (potentially in inclement weather conditions). 
• Ability to perform physical work which requires manual dexterity, agility, strength, and coordination, including the ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. (This includes the ability to restrain large marine mammals and walking on varying terrain while carrying large animal carriers.)
• Risks associated with animal handling such as animal bites or scratches.
• Exposure to allergens and zoonotic diseases.
• Involves strong smells associated with dead animals (carcasses) and the care of live animals.

ABOUT THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER
For more information, please visit our “About Us” page at www.marinemammalcenter.org

OUR MISSION

The Marine Mammal Center advances ocean health through marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation, research, and education.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

The Marine Mammal Center actively engages individuals from all backgrounds. We are committed to embracing diversity within our organization because we firmly believe that diverse employee teams help us to achieve our best organizational outcomes and provide the most effective support to the communities we serve. We are deeply dedicated to creating and maintaining an inclusive, equitable and supportive work environment.  We encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply. The Marine Mammal Center believes in growth and supporting our employees as best we can so they can become their best selves in and outside of work. We believe that a healthy work environment means building an inclusive culture where people can thrive together and feel supported and empowered. We believe in stretch versus constraint.

To Apply:
Please submit a resume and cover letter, including a brief description of how your experience aligns with the role. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. 

In your cover letter, you are welcome to share the pronouns you use (e.g., she/her/hers; he/him/his; they/them/theirs). 

We encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply. The Marine Mammal Center is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.

If you need reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.