VACANCY: COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP PROJECT COORDINATOR

Doras is seeking a project coordinator for its work on two exciting community sponsorship projects. The role is full-time, and the work will involve working with partner organisations to identify and assist sponsors who will directly support a refugee family. This work will be part of the national community sponsorship programme and an EU funded partnership aimed at developing a multi-stakeholder model for community sponsorship that draw on effective practices from around Europe.

ABOUT COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP: Community Sponsorship is an innovative model of refugee resettlement that offers ordinary people and communities an opportunity to directly help refugees to rebuild their lives in safety and to settle into their new communities. Under community sponsorship, private citizens become the face of welcome for resettled refugees arriving to Ireland, supporting them through the process by providing social and emotional supports as well as accommodation, and assisting in learning English, seeking employment, enrolling in schools and in other areas.

ABOUT DORAS: Doras is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation working to promote and protect human rights since 2000. Our vision for Ireland is a society where equality and respect for the human rights of refugees and migrants are social norms.

JOB LOCATION: Limerick, with hybrid working considered

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will lead a programme of work that builds on the experience Doras has acquired over many years of involvement in refugee resettlement and community sponsorship. They will work with a range of national and local partners to promote and support community sponsorship as a community owned pathway for refugee resettlement. The role will cover:

• Helping to develop the national profile of community sponsorship in Ireland;
• Working with local stakeholders such as local authorities to build their awareness of and engagement with community sponsorship;
• Engaging with membership-based organisations such as church, migrant groups, corporate bodies and property owners to gain support for community sponsorship, to set up community sponsorship groups, and to identify accommodation options;
• Working on the formation and training of new community sponsorship groups, and building their capacity to receive a refugee family;
• Assisting groups to welcome and support refugee families and helping the families’ progression to independent living and exit from the community sponsorship programme;
• Tracking progress, working on the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation processes, and capturing learnings across programme activities;
• Producing research/learning papers ;
• Working with European partners to document and pilot actions to increase and diversify the pool of actors engaging in community sponsorship;
• Engaging diaspora networks and identify community leaders who will be trained to support the identification of sponsors;
• Attending project partner meetings, and report on activities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 

We are looking for a person with the right skill-set and experience to successfully deliver on all aspects of the role. Applicants should have

• A good knowledge of community sponsorship, and experience working on migration or refugee related environment;
• Experience working with migrant communities and families;
• A track record in working with a wide range of relevant stakeholders including local authorities;
• Knowledge of social welfare and other entitlements;
• Demonstrable project management knowledge and experience;
• Experience managing a small team and managing competing demands;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal;
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and partners;
• Proactive approach to work and strong problem-solving skills;
• Experience reporting against EU funded projects and an understanding of key deliverables and partnership working;
• Group facilitation and training skills;
• A third level degree, preferably in a relevant area.

APPLICATION PROCESS

For further information and enquiries about this role, please contact j.lannon@doras.org.

If you would like to be considered for this role, please download and complete the application form, and send it with a cover letter to recruitment@doras.org by midnight on Sunday October 13th. Be sure to state the position you are applying for on the application.