Title:                                 Wishgranting & Volunteer Manager

Reporting to:                Head of Wishgranting & Volunteering

General:                          Full-Time (2-year fixed term)

Overview

Make-A-Wish Ireland has one simple aim – to grant the wishes of children with critical medical conditions, to bring hope, strength and happiness.

We are now in an exciting period of growth within the organisation where we are seeking to recruit a Wishgranting & Volunteer Manager.

Candidate Profile

The Wishgranting & Volunteer Manager will manage and develop the Wishgranting and Volunteering function, ensuring the delivery of exceptional wish experiences and a strong, well supported volunteer network.   

Volunteers are a core part of the organisation’s strategy, and this function must operate at optimal value to maximise impact and effectiveness,

You will provide leadership, direction, and operational oversight to the team, ensuring all activities are of high quality and aligned with the charity’s vision, mission and values.

Leadership & People Management

• Manage, motivate, and support the Wishgranting team and National Volunteer Coordinator.
• Oversee caseload distribution, performance management and development
• Foster a collaborative, compassionate, and high-performing team culture, whilst managing change management initiatives to implement new technologies, policies and procedures through organisational growth.
• Ensure consistent standards and procedures across all wish and volunteer activities
• Ensure complex or sensitive cases are promptly escalated for guidance and resolution.
• Reporting into Head of the Department, and work closely with senior leadership, whilst supporting departmental leadership and strategic objectives.

Wishgranting Oversight

• Oversee the planning and delivery of all wish experiences from referral to completion.
• Ensure all wish journeys are delivered to a high standard.
• Working closely with Fundraising (Corporate & Community) & Make-A-Wish International to support in developing a ‘wishing well’ of supplier relationships including where required the development of supplier agreements that reflect and uphold the organisations core values
• Maintain and nurture relationships with partners, suppliers, and healthcare professionals.
• Work alongside Head of Wishgranting & Volunteering to monitor impact, quality, and reporting metrics

Volunteer Community Oversight

• Supervise and support the National Volunteer Coordinator to ensure effective recruitment, onboarding, and management of volunteers to support in business needs (wishgranting and fundraising)
• Oversee training, safeguarding, and ongoing volunteer engagement strategies.
• Ensure compliance with policies and standards related to volunteering.

Operational & Strategic Contribution

• Work closely with senior leadership to shape the wishgranting and volunteer strategies
• Contribute to cross-team collaboration (e.g., fundraising, marketing).
• Actively engage with the Make-A-Wish affiliate community to share best practice
• Prepare reports, data, analysis and stories to evidence impact and inform decision-making.
• To undertake such other duties as might be reasonably assigned from time to time in consultation with the regional and line manager

Skills & Experience

Essential:

• Strong people management experience with the ability to lead and develop teams and work as part of a team.
• Proven record of achieving targets and delivering results, with a focus on driving performance and exceeding goals.
• Background in programme management, event delivery, or community engagement.
• Experience in the charity or health sector (children and or volunteer coordination experience)
• Excellent interpersonal, organisational, and communication skills.
• Understanding of GDPR, safeguarding, risk management, and volunteer best practices.
• Empathetic leadership style with emotional resilience.
• A clear understanding and passion for the mission, values and behaviours of Make-A-Wish Ireland
• Experience in database management (Salesforce or equivalent)
• Highly motivated self-starter with the initiative and drive to think creatively and build strong relationships
• Experience in leading projects and/ or working groups with multiple departments
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects and demands simultaneously
• Excellent administrative, financial and analytical skills, including planning and budgeting
• Time flexibility and travel required
• Evening and weekend work required
• Full clean drivers licence

Personal Qualities

• Compassionate, calm, and professional under pressure.
• Confident leader who inspires others.
• Emotionally intelligent and supportive.
• Highly organised with attention to detail.
• Passionate about improving children’s lives through meaningful experiences