Associate, Volunteer & Alumni Relations

Summary

The Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy (“Academy”) is the signature program of Washington Nationals Philanthropies (“WNP”). The Academy uses baseball and softball as vehicles to foster positive character development, academic achievement, and improved health outcomes among underserved youth in Washington, D.C. Through year-round programming at its nine-acre educational and athletic campus in Ward 7, the Academy provides holistic support and development opportunities for Scholar Athletes and their families.

Reporting to the Senior Director, Civic Engagement & Operations, the Associate, Volunteer and Alumni Relations (“Associate”) is responsible for leading the Academy’s volunteer recruitment and management efforts and alumni engagement programming. The Associate will recruit, train, deploy, and retain volunteers, mentors, and alumni participants in support of Academy programs, events, and initiatives, while creating meaningful opportunities for alumni to remain engaged and connected to the Academy.

This highly relationship-focused position requires building and maintaining a robust pipeline of volunteers, mentors, and alumni participants through strategic outreach, partnership development, and community engagement. The Associate will leverage existing partnerships and cultivate new relationships with athletic organizations, colleges and universities, community groups, and corporate partners to ensure strong volunteer support across Academy programs, including the YBA PLAY program during the spring, summer, and fall seasons.

A key responsibility of this role is leading the Academy’s BASE mentoring initiative. The Associate will recruit, screen, train, match, and support mentors; oversee program operations; and develop mentoring experiences that align with the Academy’s social-emotional learning (SEL) framework. Through intentional mentoring activities and relationship-building opportunities, the Associate will help Scholar Athletes strengthen key social-emotional competencies and achieve positive developmental outcomes.

Success in this role will be measured by volunteer recruitment and retention, mentor and alumni engagement, program participation, data integrity, and stakeholder satisfaction. The ideal candidate is a creative, flexible problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced environment and demonstrates a growth mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and a deep commitment to the Academy’s mission and values. WNP seeks someone who is dedicated to ensuring Scholar Athletes, families, volunteers, and alumni have an exceptional Academy experience.

The Nationals are a military-friendly organization actively recruiting veterans and spouses.

Key Responsibilities

Volunteer Recruitment, Mentoring and Management

• Recruit, interview, train, schedule, and manage volunteers across all Academy programs, with an emphasis on strong communication, engagement, retention, and positive participant experiences.
• Develop and maintain a year-round recruitment strategy designed to build a diverse and sustainable pipeline of volunteers, mentors, and alumni participants.
• Leverage existing partnerships and cultivate new relationships with athletic organizations, colleges and universities, community groups, and corporate partners to ensure adequate volunteer support for Academy programs, including the YBA PLAY program during spring, summer, and fall seasons.
• Engage in community outreach and represent the Academy at networking, recruitment, and volunteer engagement events.
• Facilitate strong stewardship of volunteers, mentors, mentees, families, and staff.
• Foster a culture in which volunteers are recognized and valued for their contributions and commitment to the Academy.
• Lead all aspects of the Academy’s BASE mentoring program, including mentor recruitment, screening, onboarding, training, placement, support, and retention.
• Strategically match mentors with Scholar Athletes and monitor mentoring relationships to ensure meaningful engagement and positive outcomes.
• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate Mentoring Hour activities and experiences aligned with the Academy’s social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, ensuring Scholar Athletes build competencies including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
• Continually evaluate and update volunteer and mentoring policies, procedures, and training materials to promote safety, consistency, high standards, and clear expectations.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive volunteer, mentor, mentee, and alumni records; utilize information management systems to track recruitment, onboarding, participation, training completion, assessments, engagement metrics, and compliance requirements.
• In consultation with the Senior Director, Civic Engagement & Operations, manage and maintain volunteer, mentor, mentee, and alumni databases, ensuring participant information is accurate, confidential, current, and readily accessible.
• Monitor volunteer and mentor participation, engagement, and retention, and prepare reports to support program evaluation and continuous improvement efforts.
• Plan and execute volunteer engagement activities and Academy events involving Scholar Athletes, families, volunteers, and community partners.
• Participate in departmental planning and budgeting processes.

Alumni Engagement and Program Development

• In collaboration with the Senior Director, Civic Engagement & Operations, develop and implement a strategic plan for alumni engagement.
• Research and implement best practices that increase alumni participation and strengthen long-term connections to the Academy.
• Create and manage opportunities for alumni to engage as volunteers, mentors, speakers, program participants, and future Academy leaders.
• Plan and execute alumni-focused events, workshops, networking opportunities, and engagement activities throughout the school year and summer.
• Support the development of a long-term alumni pipeline that includes future volunteers, mentors, SYEP staff, and Academy advocates.
• Track alumni participation and engagement, maintain alumni records, and use data to inform outreach strategies and program improvements.
• Hire, train, supervise, and manage workflow assignments for D.C. Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) participants.

Compensation:

The projected hourly rate for this position is $20.255 - $25.88 per hour. Actual pay is based on several factors, including but not limited to the applicant’s: qualifications, skills, expertise, education/training, certifications, and other organization requirements. Starting salaries for new employees are frequently not at the top of the applicable salary range.

Benefits:

The Nationals offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that presently includes:

• Paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays throughout the year and a holiday break in December
• Medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) and pension plan
• Access to complimentary tickets to Nationals home games
• Employee discounts
• Free onsite fitness center

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The Nationals are dedicated to offering equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.