Maybe it happened at a staff meeting: "We'd like you to take on volunteer coordination, you're great with people!" Or perhaps you were hired specifically for the role, and you're staring at your empty desk wondering where to even begin. Either way, if you're new to volunteer management, you've probably discovered something surprising: this job is way more complex than most people realize.
I've worked with many volunteer leaders who were hired for one role and quietly handed volunteer management on top of everything else. Almost every one of them says the same thing: "I wish someone had told me this was its own job."
You're not alone. Thousands of nonprofit professionals find themselves in this exact position every year: suddenly responsible for recruiting, managing, and retaining volunteers without any formal training in how to do it. And while you might be excellent at your original role (social work, program delivery, administration, fundraising), volunteer management isn't just "helping out". It is a specialized role with its own skill set, and most people are never told that when they start.
According to Susan J. Ellis, a leading authority on volunteer management, one of the most common mistakes organizations make is failing to adequately support new leaders in volunteer involvement. She notes that many people are "anointed" into volunteer management roles without seeking them out, and they continue to view their original job as their priority while trying to "squeeze in" volunteer-related responsibilities.
The result? Overwhelmed managers, struggling volunteer programs, and missed opportunities to truly harness the power of community engagement.
But here's the good news: with the right foundation, those first 90 days don't have to be a blur of chaos and confusion. Here's what you actually need to focus on.
Before you do anything else, you need a system. Not a complicated, enterprise-level database, just a clear way to track who your volunteers are, what they do, when they're scheduled, and how to reach them.
At minimum, you need:
Whether this lives in a spreadsheet, a simple volunteer management software, or even a well-organized filing system depends on your organization's size and budget. The key is consistency. Pick one system and stick with it. Another great quotable resource is Volunteer Management: Mobilizing All the Resources of the Community, in this book McCurley and Lynch share research that emphasizes volunteer retention directly correlates with how organized and professional the management system feels to volunteers.
Here's a secret that will save your sanity: You cannot do everything at once, and you shouldn't try. If you feel behind already, that doesn't mean you're doing it wrong. It usually means you care, and you haven't been given the time or tools yet. Give yourself some grace, and remember, you cannot build the skyscraper without building the foundation first.
In your first weeks, focus on these core priorities:
Everything else (the volunteer handbook rewrite, the new recruitment campaign, the database overhaul) can wait. Give yourself permission to triage. The volunteer program existed before you arrived; it will survive while you get your bearings.
One of the biggest mistakes new volunteer managers make is either avoiding technology entirely or trying to implement every tool at once.
Start simple. At a minimum, you need:
As you grow more comfortable, you can explore volunteer management software options, scheduling tools, and automated communication systems. There are many tools available to help make onboarding, scheduling, communicating and tracking volunteer hours a much less daunting task. Prioritize building your process first, the fanciest software in the world won't help if you don't have clear processes in place.
Volunteer management looks different in every organization. Some volunteer managers are strategic leaders who delegate day-to-day supervision to program staff. Others are hands-on coordinators managing everything from recruitment to recognition.
Take time to clarify:
This clarity will save you countless headaches and help you set realistic boundaries. As Ellis notes in From the Top Down, organizations often fail to clearly define the scope and authority of volunteer management positions, leaving those new to this role to guess at their responsibilities.
No one expects you to know everything. But you do need to know where to find answers. Start building your go-to resource list:
Having these resources at your fingertips means you're never truly starting from scratch. Someone has more than likely faced your challenge before and documented the solution.
If you do nothing else in your first three months, focus on these fundamentals:
Weeks 1-4: Listen and learn.
Meet with stakeholders, observe current practices, and identify what's working and what's not. Don't change anything yet. Document your learnings.
Weeks 5-8: Organize and stabilize.
Get your systems in order, establish communication protocols, and address any urgent issues or gaps.
Weeks 9-12: Plan and prioritize.
Now that you understand the landscape, create a realistic plan for the next quarter. Focus on one or two key improvements rather than trying to fix everything at once.
Starting a new role, especially one as multifaceted as volunteer management, can feel overwhelming. But remember: every experienced volunteer manager was once exactly where you are now. We've all had the experience of being new to the role. The field has established best practices, supportive communities, and proven strategies for success.
The key is giving yourself grace during the learning curve while also investing in building a strong foundation. Those first 90 days are critical, but they're also just the beginning of what can be an incredibly rewarding career path.
Upcoming webinar
Looking for more support as you navigate your first months in volunteer management? This webinar was designed for people exactly where you are, new, motivated, and trying to do right by your volunteers without burning out. Join us for a 60-minute interactive session that dives deeper into these topics with practical tools you can implement immediately.
Karin Henderson, CVA
Principal, J2KConsulting.co
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