Volunteer Membership Team Lead | Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue

The Membership Team Lead handles recruitment, induction, and welfare at BLSAR, think of it as HR. They support new members and maintain HR records. They ensure members are welcomed, equipped, and supported throughout their time with BLSAR.

What difference will you make?

This position plays a vital role in building and sustaining a highly skilled, committed team—directly impacting the organisation’s ability to save lives. Your work ensures that the right people are recruited, trained, and supported, so when emergencies arise, the SAR team is fully prepared to respond swiftly and effectively. By overseeing recruitment, you help bring in dedicated volunteers with the necessary skills and mindset to perform life-saving missions. Through structured onboarding and training coordination, you ensure members quickly integrate, understand their roles, and meet critical certification requirements—enhancing the team’s readiness for real-world rescues. Maintaining HR records and tracking member participation ensures operational teams remain compliant and active, reducing skill gaps that could hinder emergency response. Your work in member welfare also plays a key role in long-term team resilience, providing support for mental well-being, particularly after high-stress missions where lives are at stake. Beyond administration, your insights help leadership optimize volunteer engagement, address retention challenges, and shape a team that is always mission-ready. By keeping SAR teams strong, supported, and fully operational, you contribute directly to the ultimate goal saving lives when every second counts.

What are we looking for?

Essential Skills and Experience Experience in recruitment, HR management, or volunteer coordination. Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a compassionate and approachable demeanour. Proven self-starter and individual contributor. Proficiency in record-keeping and familiarity with data protection requirements. Desirable Skills Background in volunteer management or working with not-for-profit organizations. Awareness of welfare support processes and the ability to work collaboratively with specialist teams.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities Recruitment and Induction Contact prospective members and follow up on all membership inquiries. Lead the recruitment process, working with department leads to define roles, the Marketing Lead to promote them, and the recruiting team to screen applicants and conduct interviews. Manage vetting with TVP and DBS. Induction Oversee onboarding and communications, ensuring new members feel welcomed and understand their roles, policies, and procedures. Manage distribution of uniforms, ID badges, and IT accounts. Maintain and update onboarding materials for consistency. Training Collaborate with the Training Officer and department leads to create training plans for new members. Track training progress, ensuring operational members meet certification requirements and managing those who do not qualify. Membership Management Maintain accurate HR records in compliance with internal and external policies. Track attendance and participation, notifying members and leadership when expectations are not met. Serve as the primary contact for membership queries and concerns. Welfare Work with the TRiM Lead to identify, track, and address welfare issues. Monitor member well-being and ensure access to support services. Collaboration with Other Departments Identify recruitment and retention challenges, reporting them to the Leadership Team to improve volunteer experience. Maintain reports on key metrics like recruitment, retention, and operational activity. Partner with the welfare support team to handle sensitive issues and promote a supportive environment. Coordinate with Leadership to align membership with organizational goals. Attend Leadership Team meetings (a weekday typically 7pm to 9 30pm, monthly, face-to-face in Bracknell)