TLFNZ National Volunteer Strategy Lead

Position Description - TLFNZ National Volunteer Strategy Lead

Location: Anywhere NZ - Work from home, with the support of a great team and governing Board.

Position Type:10 month Fixed-term agreement. Early January 2026 start - date to be negotiated.

Hours: Flexible working hours, maximum of 15 hours a week (or by agreement). Choose your own working hours.

About The Toy Library Federation of NZ: Toy Library Federation of NZ (TLFNZ) is a not for profit organization that provides support to existing and new not for profit toy libraries throughout NZ. We are led by a wonderful voluntary Board of like-minded individuals who want to grow amazing communities and work collectively towards a sustainable future for our children. We understand the need for work/life balance and are a supportive, inclusive and flexible work place.

POSITION CONTEXT: The National Volunteer Strategy Lead will lead a 10-month strategic project to understand volunteer needs across the network and design a national model that supports sustainable attraction, retention, and committee capability. Through discovery, design, and pilot testing, the role will create the foundational tools and systems TLFNZ can build on in the years ahead.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Volunteer Recruitment ● Develop a national approach to volunteer attraction that can be adapted across diverse toy library environments. ● Identify and explore opportunities with businesses, agencies, and community organisations that offer volunteering pathways (such as business Employee Value Propositions or community service programmes). ● Create simple, scalable attraction tools and templates that libraries can use locally. ● Pilot attraction approaches with a small group of libraries and refine based on insights. Volunteer Retention ● Develop a consistent, strengths-based approach to onboarding and volunteer experience across the network. ● Create guidance and tools that support committees to foster positive, meaningful volunteer engagement. ● Identify relevant training and development opportunities for volunteers and committees. ● Ensure retention resources align with Federation messaging, communications, and existing support delivered by the National Coordinator and Advocacy and Partnership Lead. Volunteer Committee Capability & National Model Design ● Lead the design and testing of a national volunteer sustainability model that supports volunteer attraction, retention, and pathways into committee roles. ● Build practical, repeatable resources (e.g., onboarding kits, role descriptions, simple rhythms, succession planning tools) that reduce committee load and strengthen governance capability. ● Pilot the model with selected libraries, gather insights, and refine the approach for wider use. ● Contribute insights and recommendations to broader Federation strategic work, ensuring the model can be carried forward and built upon after the project period. General Duties ● Collaborate closely with the National Coordinator and Advocacy & Partnership Lead to ensure volunteer initiatives align with Federation communications, priorities, and long-term sustainability planning. ● Support the Co-Presidents and Advocacy and Partnership Lead with relevant volunteer insights for annual reporting and funding purposes. ● Provide regular updates to the Board, National Coordinator, and Advocacy and Partnership Lead on progress, insights, risks, and emerging opportunities. ● Maintain clear, strategic documentation of tested tools, partnerships, and volunteer pathways to support handover or continuation of the role

QUALIFICATIONS, ATTRIBUTES AND EXPERIENCE: Essential Experience | Skills ● Experience designing or delivering volunteer, community, or people-development initiatives. ● Experience creating and communicating simple, visually appealing resources or templates (e.g., Canva). ● Strong written, visual, and verbal communication skills. ● Experience building relationships across diverse communities or organisations. ● Ability to work independently, manage a project, and deliver outcomes within set timeframes.

Essential Attributes ● Strategic thinker who can design systems, not just run tasks. ● Practical and able to create simple, usable tools for others. ● Collaborative, relational, and able to work well with TLFNZ board and staff, and Toy Library volunteers and committees. ● Inclusive and culturally responsive, with respect for te ao Māori.

Desirable ● Experience in volunteer-led or community organisations. ● Experience with marketing, social media, or community engagement. ● Experience designing onboarding, training, or capability-building resources. ● Experience developing partnerships (e.g., business Employee Value Proposition teams, community organisations). ● Familiarity with toy libraries, early childhood, or whānau-focused services.

How to Apply: Please send your CV and a covering letter to president@toylibrary.co.nz