Community Development Officer (Saigon Children’s Charity)

Job Description

Job Title: Community Development Officer (CDO)
Reports to: Events and Engagement Manager (EEM)
Location: Ho Chi Minh
Application Deadline: Sun, 2023-12-10

Background

Saigonchildren is a UK-registered charity working exclusively in Vietnam since 1992. The vision for saigonchildren is to work towards the elimination of poverty in Vietnam through education. Our mission is that:

“Saigonchildren enables disadvantaged children in Vietnam to reach their full potential through receiving a quality education relevant to their needs.”

Education is the most lasting and effective way we can help children and their families to escape from the cycle of poverty, and it is also an investment in the future of Vietnam as education enables economic development. Saigonchildren has built up a reputation as a strong and trusted NGO.

Saigonchildren builds rural schools; we provide scholarships, counselling and support to children from kindergarten to university or vocational training; and we work with children with disabilities and support the development of the Vietnamese organisations that help them.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

The Community Development Officer is a member of the Fundraising & Communications Department reporting to the EEM. You will play a crucial role in building and nurturing a community of dedicated professionals, volunteers, and ambassadors, both locally and internationally. This role will focus on strategically growing and utilising groups to support our work through fundraising, developing initiatives to expand our network and increasing awareness of our beneficiaries and our work. The post holder’s principal responsibilities include:

A. Volunteer Engagement:

1. Registration Management:

Efficiently handle volunteer registration responses via email.
Record and maintain volunteer profiles in the database, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information.

2. Recruitment Coordination:

Coordinate the recruitment process for volunteers required for various events, activities, and departments.
Collaborate with relevant teams to identify volunteer needs and ensure timely fulfilment.

3. Strategic Volunteer Development:

Devise and implement strategic activities to engage volunteers, including those from corporate, school, university, and individual groups.
Foster partnerships with local and international entities to create tailored volunteer opportunities that align with organisational goals.

B. Community Building and Engagement:

1. Building Global Community for Fundraising:

Work with EEM to identify, engage, and cultivate relationships with individuals, groups and organisations in key international markets to build a collaborative network aligned with the organisation's values and mission.
Support develop and execute strategies to expand global peer-to-peer fundraising through the organisation’s network in different countries through events and marketing initiatives.

2. Engage with Local Community

Coordinate fundraising booths at local events, including school bazaars and flea markets. Secure booth space, coordinate logistics, and manage merchandise display.
Recruit and manage volunteers for booth setup and sales. Oversee merchandise selection, inventory, and sales tracking.

C. Support Sales and Merchandise Development:

Work with EEM to developing items for traditional fundraising merchandise (card, calendar, etc.) and events, ensuring they align with the organisation's brand and mission.
Collaborate with the Communications team member to design and promote merchandise that raises awareness and visibility for the organisation.
Assist in tracking sales and coordination with customers for order placement and ensure timely delivery of merchandise.

D. Support Event organising:

1. Volunteer Recruitment:

Actively recruit, train, and manage volunteers for various organisational activities.
Ensure a positive volunteer experience and maintain up-to-date volunteer records.

2. Logistics Management:

Coordinate logistics for events, ensuring seamless execution.
Support overseeing venue arrangements, transportation, and equipment setup for optimal event operations.

REQUIREMENTS

Vietnamese national with a university degree.
Exceptional people skills to engage diverse stakeholders and harness a collaborative team culture.
Strong leadership skills suited to working with an international network.
Results-driven mindset to achieve tangible results in sales.
Proven innovation management skills to maximise creativity.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills (in English and Vietnamese).
Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Tools.

DESIRED:

A strong understanding of the non-profit sectorand commitment to the organisation’s work.
Interest in fundraising & community building

CORE STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

The CM will work closely with 6 other core team members of the department. We work as a team where responsibilities and work are shared across the team on a project-by-project basis and where we cover each other when needed rather than being too precise about who does what. Developing relationships and networks with potential donors and event participants is essential, as is ensuring events are delivered to saigonchildren standards on deadline. There will therefore be a need for some travelling, weekend, and evening work in this role.