Top 12 Volunteer Manager Skills to Put on Your Resume

Standing out as a volunteer manager takes more than heart. It takes steady leadership, crisp coordination, and the knack for rallying people toward a shared purpose. The twelve skills below will help your resume sing—and your programs run smoother, stronger, and with less friction.

Volunteer Manager Skills

1. Leadership
2. Recruitment
3. Training
4. Fundraising
5. Budgeting
6. Salesforce
7. VolunteerHub
8. Communication
9. Project Management
10. Conflict Resolution
11. Event Planning
12. Microsoft Office

1. Leadership

Leadership for a Volunteer Manager means guiding people with clarity and empathy, coordinating moving parts, and creating a space where volunteers want to return—because they feel heard, useful, and proud of the work.

Why It's Important

It sets the tone. Strong leadership unifies diverse volunteers, matches skills to impact, and keeps morale high when the work gets messy or the timelines get tight.

How to Improve Leadership Skills

Grow the habits that build trust and momentum:

1. Build emotional intelligence: Notice stress signals, name tensions early, respond with curiosity—not heat.

2. Communicate simply: Clear expectations. Concise feedback. No guesswork.

3. Empower ownership: Delegate outcomes, not just tasks. Let volunteers stretch.

4. Shape culture: Inclusive, appreciative, accountable. Celebrate small wins.

5. Model the standard: Show up prepared. Pitch in when it counts.

6. Keep learning: Seek peer groups, workshops, and mentorship in volunteer management.

How to Display Leadership Skills on Your Resume

2. Recruitment

Recruitment is the art and system of finding the right people, matching their motivations and skills to roles that matter, and welcoming them well.

Why It's Important

No volunteers, no program. A steady pipeline keeps services consistent and prevents burnout for your core team.

How to Improve Recruitment Skills

1. Define roles tightly: Responsibilities, time commitment, skills, impact. Clarity attracts the right candidates.

2. Showcase your story: Use social media, newsletters, and community channels to spotlight impact and volunteer voices.

3. Activate referrals: Ask current volunteers and staff to share openings. Warm introductions convert.

4. Partner locally: Schools, clubs, faith groups, and employers seeking service opportunities.

5. Offer flexibility: Remote options, micro-shifts, and project-based roles widen your pool.

6. List on volunteer platforms: Post consistently and refresh listings so they stay visible.

7. Tweak with feedback: Ask applicants about the process. Remove friction.

How to Display Recruitment Skills on Your Resume

3. Training

Training equips volunteers with the knowledge, skills, and context to contribute safely, confidently, and consistently.

Why It's Important

Good training reduces errors, boosts retention, and scales your impact—because volunteers know exactly what to do and why it matters.

How to Improve Training Skills

1. Assess needs: Survey volunteers; shadow roles. Build content around real gaps.

2. Set measurable objectives: Outcomes first, slides later.

3. Pick formats that fit: Blended learning, bite-sized videos, in-person practice—meet people where they are.

4. Make it interactive: Scenarios, role-plays, checklists, quick quizzes.

5. Provide mentorship: Pair new volunteers with experienced ones. Office hours help.

6. Evaluate and iterate: Track confidence, errors, and time-to-competence. Adjust.

How to Display Training Skills on Your Resume

4. Fundraising

Fundraising secures the dollars that power programs, people, and long-term stability.

Why It's Important

It funds training, tools, and growth. Without resources, even the most passionate volunteer force stalls.

How to Improve Fundraising Skills

1. Set SMART goals: Clear targets, defined timelines, real accountability.

2. Use the right tools: Donation pages, peer-to-peer campaigns, text-to-give, and social campaigns that lower friction.

3. Mobilize volunteers: Train them to tell the story and ask confidently. Ambassadors multiply reach.

4. Host engaging events: Small, memorable, and mission-tied beats generic galas.

5. Personalize outreach: Segment donors; share impact stories, not stats alone.

6. Promote matching gifts: Remind donors to check employer programs. Free money on the table.

7. Measure relentlessly: Track conversion, average gift, retention. Double down on what works.

How to Display Fundraising Skills on Your Resume

5. Budgeting

Budgeting organizes limited dollars across training, recognition, supplies, and systems—keeping programs healthy and predictable.

Why It's Important

It prevents shortfalls, supports planning, and builds trust with stakeholders through transparency and stewardship.

How to Improve Budgeting Skills

1. Map program needs: Line-item essentials—training, tech, events, recognition—then prioritize.

2. Track in real time: Keep expenses current and compare to plan. Small drifts can become big problems.

3. Diversify revenue: Grants, corporate sponsors, monthly donors, events. Explore reputable grant databases (Candid and similar resources).

4. Trim without harm: Negotiate vendor rates, go in-kind, share resources, automate repetitive tasks.

5. Review and recalibrate: Monthly check-ins, quarterly reforecasts. Adapt quickly.

How to Display Budgeting Skills on Your Resume

6. Salesforce

Salesforce is a cloud CRM that centralizes volunteer data, hours, scheduling, communications, and impact reporting.

Why It's Important

It replaces scattered spreadsheets with one source of truth, so you can coordinate people and programs without chaos.

How to Improve Salesforce Skills

1. Adopt NPSP or Nonprofit Cloud: Configure objects, page layouts, and terminology to match your programs.

2. Customize dashboards: Build reports on hours, retention, event fill rates, and engagement.

3. Use AppExchange solutions: Add volunteer management apps that handle sign-ups, waivers, and check-in.

4. Enable collaboration: Use Chatter or Slack integrations to coordinate shifts and updates.

5. Automate with Flow: Reminders, onboarding journeys, and thank-you emails—triggered, tracked, done.

6. Train continuously: Leverage Trailhead learning paths and internal SOPs.

7. Collect feedback: Ask power users what slows them down; iterate configs.

How to Display Salesforce Skills on Your Resume

7. VolunteerHub

VolunteerHub is volunteer management software for scheduling, registration, communication, and reporting—purpose-built for nonprofit needs.

Why It's Important

It cuts admin time, improves sign-up simplicity, and gives you data to keep people engaged.

How to Improve VolunteerHub Skills

1. Automate sign-ups and shifts: Self-service scheduling reduces no-shows and back-and-forth.

2. Embed training: Link concise onboarding modules and quick reference guides.

3. Lean on analytics: Track attendance, preferences, and retention, then tailor opportunities.

4. Communicate often: Use built-in messaging for updates, thanks, and last-minute needs.

5. Streamline feedback: Short post-shift surveys surface friction points fast.

6. Optimize for mobile: Make sign-up and check-in easy on a phone—most volunteers will use it.

7. Encourage social sharing: Showcase stories; let volunteers spread the word.

8. Train managers: Regular refreshers on features, automation, and data hygiene.

How to Display VolunteerHub Skills on Your Resume

8. Communication

Communication is the steady flow of instructions, context, and care that keeps volunteers aligned and energized.

Why It's Important

It prevents misunderstandings, builds trust, and keeps the mission vivid—even on busy days.

How to Improve Communication Skills

1. Listen actively: Reflect back what you hear; confirm understanding.

2. Be clear and brief: Plain language beats jargon every time.

3. Send regular updates: Cadenced emails or messages—what’s new, what’s needed, what’s next.

4. Create a feedback loop: Quick surveys and open office hours keep insights flowing.

5. Use the right channels: Email for details, chat for speed, meetings for decisions.

6. Personalize: Tailor messages by role and preference. Not everyone needs everything.

How to Display Communication Skills on Your Resume

9. Project Management

Project management wrangles tasks, people, time, and risk so goals land on schedule and on budget—without burning out your volunteers.

Why It's Important

It gives structure to goodwill, turning intention into outcomes.

How to Improve Project Management Skills

1. Set clear goals: Use SMART objectives so everyone knows the finish line.

2. Keep communication open: Align often; reduce surprises.

3. Use planning tools: Boards, timelines, and reminders to keep work visible.

4. Train for roles: Short, role-specific guides speed up onboarding.

5. Collect feedback: Ask what’s getting in the way; remove blockers.

6. Recognize effort: Shout-outs, notes, and milestones matter.

7. Improve continuously: Try PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Act) to refine processes.

8. Manage risk: Identify what could slip; build back-up plans.

How to Display Project Management Skills on Your Resume

10. Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution identifies friction early, surfaces needs beneath positions, and guides people toward agreements they can live with.

Why It's Important

Unresolved conflict drains energy. Addressed fully, it strengthens teams and restores momentum.

How to Improve Conflict Resolution Skills

1. Listen first: Paraphrase what you hear; validate feelings without taking sides.

2. Find the need: Look past the stance to the interest underneath.

3. Encourage candor: Create psychological safety so concerns surface early.

4. Co-create solutions: Brainstorm options; choose the smallest step everyone supports.

5. Set boundaries: Clarify roles, norms, and escalation paths to prevent repeat issues.

How to Display Conflict Resolution Skills on Your Resume

11. Event Planning

Event planning coordinates timelines, venues, logistics, volunteer assignments, and attendee experience—so the mission comes alive in one well-run moment.

Why It's Important

Great events energize volunteers, raise visibility, and deepen community ties. Poorly run ones do the opposite.

How to Improve Event Planning Skills

1. Define outcomes: What should change because this event happened? Let that guide decisions.

2. Map the work: Use project boards and checklists so nothing slips.

3. Match skills to roles: Slot volunteers where they shine; train for the gaps.

4. Communicate in bursts: Short, timed updates as the date approaches.

5. Use event tech: Registration, agendas, check-in, and feedback tools keep things tidy.

6. Debrief: Gather data and stories; document learnings for next time.

How to Display Event Planning Skills on Your Resume

12. Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office (now part of Microsoft 365) provides everyday tools—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and more—to plan, track, and communicate.

Why It's Important

These tools underpin scheduling, data management, outreach, and reporting—core workflows for any volunteer program.

How to Improve Microsoft Office Skills

1. Start with templates: Agendas, shift schedules, sign-in sheets, outreach emails—save time and standardize.

2. Level up in Excel: Tables, formulas, and pivot tables for hours tracking and capacity planning.

3. Work smarter in Outlook: Shared calendars, categories, rules, and scheduling polls.

4. Organize in SharePoint/OneDrive: Version control, permissions, and coauthoring for clean collaboration.

5. Automate with Power Automate: Routines for reminders, approvals, and data syncs.

6. Collaborate in Teams: Channels by program, meeting recordings, and file hubs.

7. Gather feedback with Forms: Quick surveys for training, events, and satisfaction.

How to Display Microsoft Office Skills on Your Resume