About this role
Job summary
At Pilgrims Hospices, volunteers play a key role in supporting patients and families across our services. We are looking for a Clinical Volunteer Lead to provide leadership to our clinical volunteer workforce across inpatient, therapy, psychosocial and community settings.
This is a visible, hands-on role, working alongside teams and volunteers in practice to ensure they are supported, well prepared and able to make a meaningful contribution.
We are looking for an experienced clinician with strong interpersonal skills, sound judgement and the ability to work across services, supporting and developing others.
This role is 30 hours per week.
Interviews will be held on 23 July 2026 in Canterbury
Main duties of the job
The Clinical Volunteer Lead will provide professional leadership for the development, integration and management of clinical volunteers across Pilgrims Hospices.
Working across inpatient, therapy, psychosocial and community services, the post holder will ensure that volunteers are consistently integrated into care in a way that is safe, effective and adds value to patient and family experience.
The role combines operational responsibility with service development. The post holder will be accountable for the recruitment, induction, training, day-to-day oversight and ongoing development of clinical volunteers, including direct management of defined roles and programmes, and working in partnership with clinical teams to support the management of volunteers across services. They will also lead the development of the clinical volunteer model.
The Clinical Volunteer Lead will act as a source of expertise for staff and volunteers, providing guidance on good practice, supporting clinical teams to work effectively with volunteers, and promoting a consistent approach across the organisation.
This role requires a flexible approach to working location and hours, including some evenings and weekends, planned in advance where possible, to support volunteer activity, groups and community programmes.
About us
Pilgrims Hospice is the lead provider of specialist palliative and end of life care in East Kent. This post is an exciting opportunity for a clinician to join a developing area of clinical workforce and service delivery, working across a wide range of services where volunteers form an essential part of patient and family care.
Pilgrims provides palliative and end of life care for adults approaching the end of life across inpatient units, each hosting up to 12 inpatient beds, community settings and patients homes. Care of families and carers is equally important. Our multidisciplinary team includes doctors, nurses, counsellors, occupational and physio therapists, social workers, complementary therapists, chaplains and wellbeing practitioners.
Pilgrims Hospices serves a population of over 800,000 across a largely rural area, supported by a workforce of around 360 staff and more than 1,200 volunteers. Volunteers are a vital part of how we deliver care and enhance the experience of patients and families.
Job description Job responsibilities
CLINICAL VOLUNTEER LEAD
POSITION IN ORGANISATION
Reports to: Director Clinical Operations
Responsible for: Volunteers (clinical roles)
DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Strategy and service development
Lead the development and implementation of a clinical volunteer strategy
Evaluate the contribution of clinical volunteers across services and identify areas of impact
Use feedback, data and professional judgement to guide development of roles
Advise clinical leaders on where volunteer roles could be expanded, adapted or reduced
Contribute to service development where clinical volunteers form part of delivery
Ensure the volunteer model remains responsive to service need
Ensuring the delivery of high standards of care for patients with specialist palliative and end of life care needs, promoting a caring and sensitive approach to patients, families, visitors and colleagues.
2. Operational leadership and oversight
Act as the central point of contact for all clinical volunteer activity
Maintain oversight of clinical volunteers across IPU, therapy, psychosocial and community services
Respond to operational issues and support teams to manage clinical volunteer-related challenges
Work with clinical teams to plan clinical volunteer capacity aligned to service need
Ensure a consistent approach across all hospice sites
Work closely with all support services to ensure a high standard of service is given to patients and families
3. Workforce integration and practice
Lead the development and review of clinical volunteer roles, ensuring clarity around roles, boundaries and expectations
Support teams to integrate clinical volunteers effectively into care
Ensure appropriate supervision and support arrangements are in place
Identify and escalate risks linked to volunteer activity
Promote safe, consistent and effective practice
4. Management, support and development of volunteers
Provide day-to-day management and oversight of clinical volunteers, including direct line management of designated roles and programmes, and matrix support to clinical teams managing volunteers outside of direct line management to ensure consistent management and support across services
Lead the recruitment, selection and placement of clinical volunteers in line with service need
Oversee onboarding, induction, training and exit processes to ensure volunteers are appropriately prepared and supported throughout their time with Pilgrims
Manage concerns or performance issues in line with organisational processes
Maintain oversight of clinical volunteer wellbeing and experience
Promote a positive, inclusive and supportive environment
5. Delivery and contribution to services
Contribute to delivery of clinical volunteer-supported activity where needed, such as through:
o bereavement groups
o community programmes
o wellbeing or support sessions
Support and deliver education and ongoing development of clinical volunteers
Maintain a visible presence within services
6. Collaboration and relationships
Work closely with inpatient, therapy, psychosocial and community leads and their teams to support the effective integration of volunteers within clinical services
Collaborate with Human Resources, Education and Workforce colleagues in the development and delivery of the organisational volunteer strategy
Act as a key member of the senior management team, contributing to service development, operational oversight and organisational priorities
Build and maintain effective relationships across services and within the community
7. Governance and quality
Ensure clinical volunteer activity aligns with organisational policies and standards
Contribute to clinical governance processes
Evaluate the impact of volunteer contribution on care and experience
Use learning and insight to improve services
Maintain oversight of risks and issues
Practice within own Professional Code of Conduct and adhere to all the relevant professional guidelines.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Corporate Governance
The post holder must, at all times, act honestly and openly and comply with relevant corporate governance requirements, employment legislation and standards of business conduct.
Post holders are expected to be familiar with and comply with all polices and procedures published by Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent.
Health and Safety
Under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), it is the responsibility of the post holder at every level to take care of his/her own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by his/her acts at work.
Flexibility
The post holder is expected to work flexibly to be able to meet the challenges and opportunities of working within Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent. This includes working across locations and a flexible approach to working hours, with some evenings and weekends required to support volunteer activity, groups and community programmes
This Job Description is not exhaustive. This job description is a reflection of the current position and the post holder is expected to view it as a guide rather than an exact description of all duties and responsibilities. It may be subject to variation from time to time. The post holder will be required to undertake any other duties that may be required by the Line Manager, commensurate with the level of the post.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
EXPERIENCE Significant experience in a clinical, patient-facing environment Experience of contributing to service development or improvement Experience of supporting learning in practice, including teaching, coaching or developing staff, volunteers or learners Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team Experience of participating clinical governance processes and audit SKILLS AND ABILITIES Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a wide range of people and adapt approach as needed Strong interpersonal awareness, with the ability to work effectively with individuals with varying confidence, experience and emotional needs Ability to build trust and develop strong, effective working relationships Demonstrates positive leadership skills in line with Pilgrims CODE values Proven ability to lead, support and develop others, including volunteers or support workforce Confident in providing feedback and managing sensitive or challenging situations Ability to maintain clear boundaries while remaining supportive and approachable Sound professional judgement and ability to assess and manage risk Ability to evaluate practice and identify opportunities for improvement Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and manage competing and unpredictable demands IT literate with the ability to use standard systems and maintain accurate records Ability to travel across hospice sites and community settings KNOWLEDGE Up to date knowledge of current professional and national issues around the delivery of palliative care Demonstrable understanding of the contribution volunteers make to care Understanding of holistic care and patient and family needs QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING Degree qualification in relevant subject Registered healthcare professional (NMC / HCPC) or registered social worker (Social Work England) Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
EXPERIENCE Experience in palliative or end of life care SKILLS AND ABILITIES Experience of working across multiple services or sites Experience of influencing practice across teams QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING Qualification in leadership, education or service improvement Additional training or qualification in palliative or end of life care
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent
Address Pilgrims Hospices
56 London Road
Canterbury
Kent
CT2 8JA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.pilgrimshospices.org/jobs (Opens in a new tab)