Director of Outreach

Refugeefora; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

FORA seeks a Director of Outreach in Chicago to lead volunteer recruitment and donor relations. You will build a robust community of supporters and guide outreach programs for refugee empowerment and education.

The role emphasizes relationship-building, program development, and cross-team collaboration to advance FORA’s mission. The position is in-person in the West Ridge area of Chicago, with responsibilities spanning recruitment, training, and engagement of volunteers and donors to sustain

Qualifications

• Outstanding oral and written presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage donors and volunteers.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple tasks.
• Excellent verbal communication and relationship-building abilities.

Responsibilities

• Recruit volunteers, interns, and Work Study tutors for seasonal sessions to ensure 1:1 tutoring.
• Develop and execute a multi-year tutor recruitment plan aligned with FORA’s strategy.
• Manage donor relations and communications, ensuring timely responses.
• Coordinate onboarding, background checks, and data/document processing for volunteers.
• Build partnerships with organizations to recruit volunteers and raise awareness.

Skills

Presentation skills

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Verbal communication

Job description

Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America Director of Outreach Chicago, IL Full time Company website

The Director of Outreach is responsible for engaging and inspiring individuals -- both donors and volunteers -- to become involved in FORA’s work of refugee empowerment and education. The Director must be determined to grow a community of support for FORA, and who will use their joy, strong interpersonal skills, and total commitment to reversing the denial of basic rights to refugee youth, to champion FORA in all volunteer and donor relations.

About Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America

A refugee empowerment center based in the West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago, FORA provides over 50,000 hours each year of individually customized high dosage tutoring to refugee SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) children. Our vision is a world where refugees in need are welcomed and empowered, and our mission is to ensure that refugee families are provided access to an education sufficient to prepare them to become economically self-sufficient and robustly engaged in American civic life.

Description

Director of Outreach

Overview: The Director of Outreach is responsible for engaging and inspiring individuals both donors and volunteers, to become involved in FORA’s work of refugee empowerment and education. The Director must be determined to grow a community of support for FORA, and who will use their joy, strong interpersonal skills, and total commitment to reversing the denial of basic rights to refugee youth, to champion FORA in all volunteer and donor relations.

• Recruits for volunteers, interns, and Work Study tutors (all, together, referred to as “tutors.”) each seasonal session to ensure our students receive 1:1 tutoring.
• Recruits members to join the FORA 100; forms deep connections with community tutors and builds corps of dedicated adult volunteers; facilitates regular FORA 100 activities, including but not limited to training, events, and feedback sessions.
• Greetings any prospective volunteers who come to FORA, provide information regarding tutoring requirements, FORA’s programming and ethos, and any other pertinent information.
• Promptly and enthusiastically responds to any tutoring related inquiries regarding FORA. Ensures that all emails, phone calls, and other solicitations are responded to in a timely fashion. Making sure nothing falls through the cracks.
• Sets the strategy for long-term and short-term growth in tutor recruitment, and manages key relationships which will drive that growth.
• Designs and implements a multi-year tutor recruitment and retention plan to support the goals of the FORA’s strategic plan in collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer.
• Tracks and evaluates results of recruitment and outreach efforts, and provides regular progress reports to management.

Partnerships:

• Creates, maintains, and cultivates partnerships with corporations, civic organizations, colleges, faith communities and other groups in order to recruit volunteers and work-study students and raise awareness.
• Leads and/or participates in agency information sessions, open houses, and orientation events both on and off site.
• Serves as the main point of contact at FORA for Work Study offices.

Tutor Processing and Onboarding:

• Instructs volunteers to fill out and assists them with completing their applications and then, after interviewing them, determines whether volunteers are accepted into the FORA program.
• Coordinates and oversees the background check process, including collecting key background documents and recording details. Verify background checks and pass off for filing all proper forms from volunteers, clients, and applicants to the Administrative Associate. Documenting information in BetterImpact as appropriate.
• Manages all aspects of the Work Study Tutors. Including but not limited to: oversees the background check process, including collecting key background documents and recording details. In addition to filling out all special Work Study paperwork.
• Oversees the paperwork uploading, processing, and data management strategy to ensure smooth processing and that all information required is collected before the start of the tutors work.
• In conjunction with the Director of Education and Training, executes in person and virtual tutor training sessions for all new tutors (optional for returning tutors) before the start of the semester in order to orient new tutors on FORA program, practices, and expectations.
• Verifies the Presidential Volunteer Service Award program recipients tracked by the Outreach Associate.

Volunteer Relations:

• Engages with tutors regularly to solicit program feedback, build relationships, inspire investment in FORA with the aim of improving tutor retention.
• Coordinates and hosts volunteer events in order to foster community with the aim of improving tutor retention.
• Works with the Director of Education and Training to support tutors in acclimation to FORA and implement systems to increase tutor retention and tutor longevity.
• Greets all tutors daily and ensures that they are signed in. Contact tutors who are continuously missing to maintain their attendance.

Interns:

• Recruits ARJI, PRJI, and ERJI interns.
• Serves as the main supervisor for all ARJI, PRJI, and ERJI interns with the exception of the Communication interns. Ensures attendance, assigns tasks and coordinates with the various FORA departments to fill gaps in program needs; gives direct feedback on their work and performance.
• Documents all intern attendance, performance, and projects for reporting and filling out all special evaluations, paperwork, and funding requests for interns receiving course credit.

Other Job Duties:

• Participates and attends staff meetings, professional development meetings, and technical knowledge based learning meetings.
• Assists in donor relations/fundraising as deemed necessary by the Managing Director or Chief Development Officer. Such as but not limited to attending donor functions which may occur outside of normal working hours.

Key Competency Skills:

• Outstanding oral and written presentation skills.
• Possesses strong interpersonal skills, such as persuasion and motivation, to build strong donor relationships.
• Highly organized. Proficient at managing large systems with regular data turnover, promptly responding to a high volume of correspondence, etc.
• Exhibits excellent verbal communication skills for initiating conversations, actively listening to a person’s message, responding appropriately, and using tone of voice to convey respect.

The Director of Outreach must endorse, embrace, and enact FORA’s vision, mission, and values (as described at www.refugeefora.org ). Employees are expected to support all other FORA departments as requested by staff supervisors in order to ensure the smooth operation of FORA programming and special events. This job is a management job and additional hours will be expected outside of and in addition to normal working hours as deemed necessary, and no overtime will be paid for those hours.

FORA is a growing, community-rooted nonprofit entering a new phase of organizational development. Building on our grassroots foundation, we are strengthening the systems, structures, and practices that support a sustainable institution while preserving the relationships and responsiveness central to our mission. This position offers an opportunity to help shape that transition. As FORA’s capacity and needs evolve, the role’s responsibilities and priorities will develop accordingly, with changes guided by clear communication, collaborative planning, and alignment with the position’s core purpose. We welcome candidates who bring initiative, adaptability, and an interest in building effective practices alongside a committed team.

The position is in-person for eight hours per day, five days per week. During the school year, the hours are:

• Monday through Tuesday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Wednesday through Friday: 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

During the summer, the hours are generally from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The location is in the West Ridge area of Chicago.