Purpose of the Role

The BOLD Team Leader plays a dual leadership and coordination role across Switchboard’s Rainbow Neighbours befriending service and the BOLD (Brighton Older LGBTQ+ Directory) wellbeing programme.

The postholder is responsible for recruiting, training, supporting, and supervising volunteers within Rainbow Neighbours, ensuring they feel confident, safe, and well supported to deliver high‑quality, trauma‑informed 1:1 and community‑based support to LGBTQ+ people experiencing loneliness, isolation, or low‑level wellbeing needs.

Alongside this, the postholder acts as day‑to‑day Team Leader for the BOLD programme, overseeing staff activity, providing 1:1 support and supervision, coordinating daily operations, and acting as the first point of contact for internal and external enquiries. They work closely with the Gambling Harms & BOLD Service Manager to ensure the smooth running, safety, and quality of all BOLD activities, groups, and community engagement.

Hours: Part Time (22 Hours)

Salary: £24,000

Reports to: Gambling Harms & BOLD Service Manager 

Location: Brighton & Hove (hybrid) 

Contract: Permanent

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment & Onboarding

• Lead the recruitment of new volunteers for the Rainbow Neighbours programme.
• Deliver a structured, trauma‑informed induction and training programme, ensuring volunteers understand boundaries, safeguarding, lone working, and LGBTQ+‑affirming practice.
• Carry out interviews, reference checks, and onboarding processes.
• Ensure volunteers feel welcomed, valued, and prepared for their roles.

Volunteer Support, Supervision & Wellbeing

• Provide monthly health & wellbeing check‑ins for all volunteers.
• Deliver monthly supervision sessions, ensuring volunteers have space to reflect, learn, and raise concerns.
• Offer debriefing following emotionally challenging sessions or disclosures.
• Maintain a supportive, inclusive, and psychologically safe volunteer culture.
• Identify when volunteers need additional support, training, or adjustments.

Service Coordination & Delivery Oversight

• Match volunteers with service users based on needs, interests, and risk considerations.
• Oversee the delivery of 1:1 befriending, home visits, community outings, and social connection activities.
• Ensure volunteers follow all operational procedures, including check‑in/check‑out, lone working, and boundaries.
• Monitor the quality and consistency of volunteer‑led support.
• Maintain clear communication with volunteers regarding updates, expectations, and service developments.

Safeguarding, Risk & Safety

• Uphold safeguarding principles for the Rainbow Neighbours programme, escalating concerns appropriately.
• Ensure volunteers understand and follow safeguarding pathways, including responding to disclosures.
• Maintain accurate records of safeguarding concerns, wellbeing issues, and follow‑up actions.
• Ensure all activities are risk‑assessed and delivered safely.
• Support volunteers to recognise early signs of risk, distress, or boundary issues.

Administration, Data & Reporting

• Maintain accurate volunteer records, supervision notes, and training logs.
• Ensure all volunteer activity data is collected weekly and submitted for monthly reporting.
• Support the preparation of quarterly commissioner returns by providing accurate, timely data.
• Manage scheduling, communications, and logistics for volunteer activities.
• Keep CRM and administrative systems up to date.

BOLD Team Leader Responsibilities

Day‑to‑Day Operational Leadership

• Oversee the daily running of the BOLD programme, ensuring groups, activities, and community sessions operate smoothly and safely.
• Act as the first point of contact for staff, volunteers, partners, and service users engaging with BOLD.
• Provide real‑time problem‑solving, decision‑making, and operational support during service delivery.
• Ensure the BOLD team has clear priorities, daily plans, and communication channels.

Staff Support, Line Management & 1:1s

• Provide regular 1:1s, wellbeing check‑ins, and reflective supervision for BOLD staff.
• Support staff to manage boundaries, emotional load, and complex situations.
• Identify training needs, development opportunities, and areas requiring additional support.
• Model trauma‑informed, relational leadership that centres safety, clarity, and compassion.

Programme Coordination & Quality Assurance

• Coordinate BOLD activities, groups, and events, ensuring they are well‑planned, staffed, and risk‑assessed.
• Monitor the quality and consistency of BOLD delivery, ensuring it aligns with Switchboard’s values and standards.
• Support the Service Manager with programme development, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure staff follow operational procedures, safeguarding pathways, and data requirements.

Internal & External Relationships

• Act as the first point of contact for enquiries relating to BOLD.
• Build strong relationships with community partners, venues, and referral agencies.
• Represent BOLD at meetings, events, and partnership spaces when required.
• Work closely with the Service Manager to ensure strategic alignment and operational consistency.

Key Relationships

• Gambling Harms & BOLD Service Manager
• Rainbow Neighbours volunteers
• BOLD staff team
• Service users receiving befriending or BOLD support
• Safeguarding partners and community organisations
• Wider Switchboard staff team