Director, Refugee & Immigrant Services

Breathe Project; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

JFCS Pittsburgh seeks a Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services to lead immigrant and refugee social services, including resettlement, case management, peer support, and community collaborations. This leader will nurture a trauma-informed, cross-cultural team of about 18, manage funder relations, craft grants, ensure grant implementation, and advocate for change at systems levels.

The role emphasizes inclusivity, collaboration with advisory councils, and representing JFCS in regional and

Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor's degree; Master’s preferred.
• At least 5 years of leadership experience in nonprofit administration.
• Experience with refugees and/or other immigrants.
• Personal experience with the US immigration system preferred.
• Experience supervising a large team and mentoring supervisors.
• Strong program design, monitoring and evaluation abilities, and grant compliance experience.
• Creative, curious, lifelong learner with a focus on justice and collaborative leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead refugee and immigrant services and supervise the department.
• Maintain relationships with funders and prepare grant proposals and reports.
• Foster cross-cultural, trauma-informed collaboration within the team.
• Develop strategies for inclusivity in client services.
• Represent JFCS in external communities and with advisory councils and task forces.

Skills

Leadership

Grant compliance

Nonprofit administration

Advocacy

Cross-cultural collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

JFCS Pittsburgh has been an innovative force for cutting-edge human service delivery since 1937. We weave compassion, innovation, and a relentless commitment to dignity and justice through every element of our work. We partner with people across the region to navigate life’s changes and challenges, ensuring that no neighbor navigates these difficulties alone.

We proudly serve job seekers, refugees and immigrants, people experiencing food insecurity, those seeking mental health support, youth, and older adults. Through meaningful support and compassionate care, our goal is to help every person feel valued, empowered, and able to reach their full potential.

At JFCS, your work matters. You’ll join a team of passionate problem solvers and strategic thinkers who care deeply about people and aren’t afraid to rethink the way support is delivered. Here, creativity is encouraged, compassion drives every decision, and your impact is felt immediately in the community.

If you want your work to spark purpose, connection, and meaningful change—JFCS is where you can make it happen.

Position Summary

The leader who steps into this role as Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services will direct and supervise the provision of all immigrant and refugee social services, including refugee resettlement, case management, volunteer and peer support programs, and community collaborations.

This leader will have the opportunity to maintain strong relationships with funders, including partnering with leadership and development staff to craft grant proposals and reports and oversee the implementation of grants and spending.

They will be given the freedom to nurture a supportive, trauma-informed, team environment, with a particular focus on cross-cultural dynamics, environmental and historical contexts, and a focus on work rooted in JFCS values and deep collaboration.

This department is staffed by a talented, multi-cultural team of about 18 people. The leader will provide ongoing professional development and team building so that insight, self-care, and skills are enhanced and supported.

Leading with strategic approaches to ongoing change is essential in this role. Immigration and refugee resettlement are in flux, and JFCS's response has been proactive, creative, and client centered. JFCS is relied upon by city, county, state, and national entities to inform, ideate, and implement processes that are responsive to the moment, whatever that moment might bring.

JFCS is looking for a leader who understands the needs and priorities of the immigrant and refugee community and can advocate, organize, and initiate new programs and collaborations.This leader will be responsible for representing JFCS both internally and in the external community as an expert in the needs and priorities of the refugee and immigrant community as well as acting as a liaison to task forces, committees and other organizing bodies regionally and nationally.

This leader must be trained to understand and identify cross-cultural biases and have a deep understanding and commitment to addressing cultural differences.

Their role will include developing strategies for inclusivity in the provision of client services.

JFCS is committed to the work of welcoming the newcomer to our region – whoever they may be and however they have arrived here. We have believed in and supported immigration and resettlement since JFCS was founded almost 90 years ago. We stand steadfast in this work today and into the future. We are looking for a leader to lay the foundation for a brighter tomorrow.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Leadership and Management

• Ensures that all services, such as case management, peer support groups, service coordination and navigation have appropriate policies, procedures, and training that are consistent with JFCS organizational goals and client needs, optimal service delivery and grant and contract requirements.
• Creates emergency response plans and ensures that programs are able to respond to local and/or global events.
• Stays abreast of local, state, and national developments concerning refugees and immigrants.
• Participates in JFCS Leadership activities including the development of strategy, new initiatives, outcomes, impact, and organizational well-being.

Partnerships and Community Leadership

• Fosters collaborative relationships with other departments within JFCS to comprehensively meet the needs of all clients
• Collaborates with external partners and funders to make them aware of local needs
• Interprets partner and funder expectations into concrete policies, procedures, and actions for staff
• Addresses urgent client and service provider issues
• Advocates for change at systems levels
• Acts as a liaison with advisory councils, tasks forces, and advocacy organizations by actively collaborating with other agencies in the field

Resource Development and Implementation

• Partners with the Development Team to prepare foundation, state, local and federal grants and contracts
• Ensures implementation and compliance related to grants, services and contracts
• Participates in the preparation of reports for grants and contracts with the ultimate responsibility for submitting all data with accuracy and attention to detail
• Partners in building new initiatives for regional and statewide leadership
• Leads on implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of new initiatives

Program Leadership and Management

• Builds andmaintains a strong team through hiring, onboarding, supervising, professional development, self-care, and collaborative cross-training
• Sets the tone for an effective and high functioning team by demonstrating encouragement, openness, clear communication, self-care, and accountability for the highest standards in the provision of client services
• Assists with problem solving and resource development when challenging client situations emerge and ensures a strength-based, client-centered approach to case management
• Convenes and leads departmental and certain project-specific staff meetings and oversees the convening of other project meetings as needed
• Provides for the professional and personal development of all department staff, and assists leadership to do the same for their direct reports

Other

• Participates in meetings and conferencesregarding contracts, grants, and partnerships
• Participates in all leadership meetings and activities of JFCS
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• MinimumBachelor’s degree, Master’s preferred
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in leadership with nonprofit administration
• Experience working with refugees and/or other immigrants
• Personal experience with the US immigration system preferred
• Experience supervising a large team and mentoring new supervisors
• Collaborative, humble approach to leadership, with a keen ability to listen critically and assimilate and synthesize diverse opinions, approaches, and information
• Strong experience with program design, thorough monitoring and evaluation abilities, and extensive experience with grant compliance and evaluation
• Personal qualities of a successful candidate would include creativity, curiosity, a focus on life-long learning, kindness, insightfulness, strategic thinking, a passion for justice, and a calm and positive attitude

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times