Citizens UK
Citizens UK is the UK’s biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance. We bring communities and local organisations together to work on issues that matter; from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign. We have a track record of winning change through hundreds of local and national campaigns. We know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We believe that through developing local leaders, we can drive nationwide change and create community-led solutions to big and small problems.
Our community sponsorship work fits within our ‘Migrants and Refugees’ theme of work, which combines place-based and multi-issue organising through our Migrants and Refugees Organising (MARO) team, and effective national campaigns, alongside the pioneering community sponsorship of refugees. Staff joining Sponsor Refugees are joining a thriving team that works collaboratively with the wider Migrants and Refugees theme.
About
This is a rare opportunity to combine strategic leadership, policy influence, and grassroots impact. As Head of Community Sponsorship, you’ll be at the forefront of one of the UK’s most inspiring community movements. Citizens UK played a pioneering role in bringing community sponsorship of refugees to the UK and now leads national programmes helping hundreds of people find safety, belonging, and a new start.
You’ll oversee national delivery of our sponsorship work, manage a talented cross-functional team, and shape the future of the UK’s refugee resettlement system. From working with community organisers and local groups to engaging senior policymakers and funders, your leadership will help grow a movement that places compassion, collaboration, and lived experience at its heart.
We’re looking for a mission-driven leader who can think strategically, build partnerships, and inspire others, someone who believes that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when they act together. If you’re ready to help shape the next chapter of the UK’s refugee welcome story, we’d love to hear from you.
Purpose
At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. This work is rewarding and can be challenging; it requires a personal commitment to inclusion, a willingness to listen and disagree respectfully, and an interest in working in an organisation where our staff, member institutions and leaders will come from a diversity of backgrounds and often hold views that may be very different from our own. More information about how we operate within this context and build trusted relationships across difference can be found on our website and is covered in induction. Onboarding and navigating this relational culture, and type of work, is supported by line managers and further training.
Citizens UK has played a pioneering role in introducing and developing community sponsorship of refugees in the UK. In response to the Syrian refugee crisis, it called for a Canadian-style scheme in 2015, which led to the UK government launching its own programme in 2016. Citizens UK was instrumental in shaping the policy and later established the Sponsor Refugees programme in 2017 Through training, advocacy, and coordination, it has helped hundreds of local groups welcome refugee families. In 2022, Citizens UK expanded its work by launching the Communities for Ukraine programme, matching Ukrainian refugees with UK hosts and most recently has run Communities for Afghans, resettling dozens of refugees. Throughout, it has combined grassroots mobilisation with national advocacy to build a sustainable, community-led model of refugee resettlement.
Main Responsibilities
As Head of Community Sponsorship at Citizens UK you will lead the complex strategic and operational delivery of the Sponsor Refugees programmes. This currently includes funded work to deliver a second phase of the Communities for Afghans programme to welcome 125 Afghan refugees as well as oversee the development of influencing work around the UK Government’s forthcoming sponsorship reform agenda. The post-holder will oversee a cross-functional team, ensuring that goals around refugee resettlement, host and sponsor recruitment, and strategic partnerships are met. This includes managing project performance through effective monitoring and evaluation, aligning operations with the organisation’s business plan, and integrating teams to deliver impactful results. The role also involves coordinating outreach to grow the network of hosts and community sponsorship groups, while embedding refugee voices in strategic planning and promoting meaningful community engagement.
In addition to project leadership, the Head of Community Sponsorship will drive organisational development by fostering collaboration, developing sustainable funding strategies, and ensuring alignment with Citizens UK’s broader migration and transformation goals. They lead relationship management with senior stakeholders, policy makers, and funders, and support the creation of campaigns and resources to expand public awareness and support for community sponsorship. With responsibilities spanning staff management, communications, and external representation, the role is key to shaping Citizens UK’s refugee resettlement strategy and sustaining its national impact.
Working as the Head of Community Sponsorship for Citizens UK, initially reporting to the Director of Communications and External Affairs, your main responsibilities will include:
Contribute to Citizens UK and Project Strategic Objectives
• Demonstrate ability to initiate and lead large-scale, national-level community sponsorship programmes that reflect and advance Citizens UK’s mission.
• Develop and implement strategic approaches that integrate community organising with refugee resettlement policy influence.
• Build and grow innovative that centre lived experience and drive systemic impact.
Build and Manage Projects & Achieve Work Targets Effectively
• Oversee multiple complex projects with national reach, ensuring targets on refugee resettlement, host recruitment, and strategic partnerships are achieved.
• Develop and manage project workplans, KPIs and budgets, ensuring delivery to time, standard, and impact goals.
• Establish systems for performance tracking, evaluation, and continuous improvement across project streams.
Learning, Expertise, Wellbeing & Inclusion
• Lead the team in learning and reflective practice, ensuring up-to-date expertise on sponsorship policy, refugee needs, and civic engagement models.
• Act as a senior expert in sponsorship strategy; coach and mentor staff and partners, and facilitate learning across departments and projects.
• Influence and lead the integration of equity, wellbeing and refugee voice into strategic decisions and delivery frameworks.
Develop and Manage External Relationships
• Lead high-level relationships with national and senior stakeholders, including government departments (e.g. Home Office), delivery partners and civil society institutions.
• Build and manage partnerships that advance sponsorship reform and position Citizens UK as a sector leader.
• Ensure stakeholder experience is consistently excellent and take the lead on resolving reputational risks or tensions.
Communications
• Act as a senior spokesperson for Citizens UK’s sponsorship work in the media, at public events, and in government or civil society forums.
• Lead the design and implementation of a high-profile communications strategy to influence narratives on refugee welcome and community leadership.
• Ensure communications align with ethical storytelling principles and amplify sponsor and refugee voices responsibly.
Develop and Manage Internal Relationships
• Lead and develop high-performing cross-functional teams, with clear expectations, direction, and collaboration structures.
• Effectively line manage senior staff and foster shared leadership culture across sponsorship and Citizens UK teams.
• Contribute to senior leadership structures, including strategic planning processes and transformation initiatives.
Generate Income and Resources
• Initiate and grow significant and sustainable income streams to fund Citizens UK’s sponsorship work.
• Develop and lead high-value funding partnerships with trusts, foundations and strategic donors.
• Demonstrate strong budget oversight and ensure effective use of financial and human resources in sponsorship delivery.
Personal Specification
(D) Desirable, (E) Essential
Qualifications
Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field such as migration, social policy, international development, or community organising (D)
Management or leadership qualification, or relevant CPD in project or programme management, public policy, or team leadership (D)
Experience
Proven experience in leading complex, multi-stakeholder programmes related to refugee resettlement, community organising, or social impact (E)
Demonstrable track record of strategic leadership in a charity or community-focused setting (E)
Experience of managing cross-functional teams to deliver against ambitious organisational goals (E)
Experience of developing and sustaining strategic partnerships with civil society organisations, local authorities, or government departments (E)
Experience of designing and implementing systems for monitoring, evaluation, and learning to track progress and report to funders and or government stakeholders (D)
Demonstrable experience of driving collaborative campaigns or outreach efforts that engage diverse communities (E)
Key skills and knowledge
Strong leadership and team coordination skills – able to motivate, direct, and support multidisciplinary teams across multiple workstreams (E)
Excellent project and performance management skills – able to set strategic priorities, delegate effectively, and ensure accountability (E)
In-depth knowledge of refugee resettlement systems, community sponsorship models, and UK migration policy, including recent developments affecting Afghan and Ukrainian pathways (E)
Outstanding written and verbal communication – confident in producing compelling cases for support, policy communications, and public messaging (E)
Ability to design and deliver stakeholder engagement strategies, with a clear understanding of influencing policy and public opinion (E)
Skilled in developing and managing strategic partnerships with funders, policy-makers, and community groups (E)
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills – able to assess complex challenges, identify risks, and implement effective solutions (E)
Personal qualities & values
A mission-driven leader with a passion for refugee rights, community empowerment, and social justice (E)
Politically astute and able to navigate relationships with stakeholders from civil society, government, and grassroots communities (E)
Collaborative and people-centred, able to work constructively across teams and with volunteers, refugees, and community leaders (E)
Committed to embedding refugee leadership and lived experience into programme design and delivery (E)
Resilient, adaptable, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced and evolving policy environment (E)
Comfortable working within an accountable team culture – open to feedback, reflective practice, and continuous improvement (E)
Willingness to work occasional evenings or weekends, and to travel when necessary to support programme delivery (E)