Immigration jobs

Plumstead Community Law Centre is a free specialist legal advice charity located in central Woolwich in South East London. We provide specialist legal advice and advocacy in the areas of immigration, welfare benefits and employment People can access our services via telephone or email, and through the Advice Hub outreach services we attend in local community centres. In 2024 over 1,400 local people accessed our advice and representation services, resulting in a range of financial and non-financial benefits.

Towards the end of 2024, we moved away from a collective model towards a functional management structure. We appointed an Interim CEO from the staff group and expanded our trustee board's size and expertise.

This Managing Director and Senior Solicitor role involves assuming the charity’s management from our interim CEO, who has established strong systems and secured new funding for the further strengthening of the charity. Our strategic plan includes improving our legal practice management with a view to obtaining a quality mark and securing an immigration legal aid contract. We anticipate securing further funding to expand our services, to support more people in need in our community.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, experienced solicitor who has a track record in supervision and management. Although the job description is wide ranging, support will be given through further recruitment of administrative support. 

​The Law Centre Managing Director and Senior Solicitor (“MD/SS”) is responsible for all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the Law Centre. Working within appropriate delegations from the Board, the post holder ensures that the Law Centre provides quality assured services that meet its charitable purposes. The MD/SS ensures that issues of risk and compliance are properly managed and that the Centre is an exciting, innovative and enjoyable place to work. The MD/SS ensures that the Centre operates within budgets set by the Board and 2 that it offers value for money. The MD/SS must ensure that legal, regulatory, grant, contractual and other relevant requirements are met and that the Centre continues to be relevant to its community. 

 As an organisation Citizens Advice Doncaster Borough, we have a national reputation across the Citizens Advice network as experts of immigration knowledge and service delivery.  We are accredited to the highest level within the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA formally Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)– this means we can provide immigration advice to all levels, including to appeal and judicial review.  We are now looking to recruit an ambitious individual to join our growing team. 

 The candidate will be an Immigration Adviser of at least 2 years’ experience with a valid OISC/IAA level 2 

The Immigration Adviser will have experience of delivering immigration advice across multiple channels including telephone work and be able to ascertain what level of accredited immigration advice a client is needing.

They will be able to handle their own caseload of matters from instruction through to completion, acting on behalf of clients.  You will liaise with contacts within the Home Office to find resolutions for clients and you will understand the importance of security and data protection. 

This is a new exciting combined role.

The Legal Administrator is a key component of the Asylum Aid team, overseeing all of our administrative systems and processes, and providing vital administrative support to our legal casework staff.

The Training Programme Coordinator supports the delivery of Asylum Aid’s two strategic partnerships that aim to help address the continuing fall in availability of immigration advice across England and Wales. The Compass Project and the Migrant Justice Greater London (MJGL) Partnership are designed to increase learning, collaboration and peer support opportunities between advice agencies and ultimately improve the provision of immigration advice to people seeking asylum, refugees, and other vulnerable people in the immigration system. This role provides key administrative support and coordination to ensure the effective delivery of both the Compass and MJGL training projects, working closely with Asylum Aid’s Immigration Supervisors and Director of Legal Casework, as well as external consultants, including the Learning Partner, managers and advisers at partner organisations.

Compass is Asylum Aid’s Advisor Development Programme of training, supervision and peer support for immigration advisers working in advice deserts across England and Wales. It is funded by the Justice Together Initiative. More information about the project can be found on our website here.

The Migrant Justice Greater London (MJGL) project is a partnership between Asylum Aid, Refugee Action and Praxis, designed to deliver legal training and supervision to frontline organisations across London. It is funded by the Greater London Authority.

Key responsibilities

Legal Administrator (approximately 4 days a week)

· To manage incoming and outgoing legal post in line with Asylum Aid’s procedures

· To post, email or arrange the dispatch of legal correspondence to clients, the Home Office, court or tribunal, counsel etc

· To receive and make telephone calls relating to casework activity, as well as covering the receptionist function in answering general incoming calls

· To manage the legal enquiries email inbox, triaging emails as appropriate

· To manage the team calendar and oversee key dates system

· To schedule and book appointments for clients, including the booking of interpreters or other experts where necessary

· To ensure all Legal Aid Agency monitoring information and other related information on cases such as disbursements and payment of invoices is recorded timely and accurately

· To assist with the preparation of electronic documents for the Home Office, court or tribunal

· To organise and maintain Asylum Aid’s legal archive, case filing system, legal library, and other documents

· To attend legal team meetings

· To assist Asylum Aid’s Billing Coordinator/caseworkers with preparation of files for billing where necessary

· To assist with general office administration, including administering petty cash

· To supervise the work of the Legal Administration Volunteer(s)

· To assist the Director in the administration of the Refugee Legal Group (RLG), which is a Google based group hosted by Asylum Aid

Training Programme Coordinator (approximately 1 day a week)

· To provide general administrative support for the Compass and MJGL programmes

· To monitor project timelines, plans, and budgets

· To organise in-person and remote training events, draft meeting agendas, take accurate minutes, coordinate travel for project participants, make and record project payments and provide logistical support for in-person events

· To assist in the promotion of the projects, including assisting with drafting external communications and social media, outreach to identify potential partner organisations, and supporting the recruitment of project participants

· To act as a central point of contact for multiple training projects, liaising with key stakeholders, including participant organisations, funders, the learning partner, and the clinical supervision provider

· To support the Learning Partner in monitoring and learning from the two projects, including facilitating learning opportunities with the partners and other organisations.

How to apply 

The first stage is to complete on our online application form on our website by 5pm on Wednesday 27 August 2025.

The website form will ask you to:

· Upload a short covering letter. Please tell us why the position appeals to you, and how your

relevant skills and experience, including any voluntary experience and lived experience, matches the listed responsibilities and person specification. Please also state in your covering letter when you would be available to start the role.

· Upload your current CV

· Complete an online Equal Opportunities monitoring form – completion of this form will help us ensure that our recruitment procedures operate in such a way as to provide genuine equality of opportunity. The questions are entirely optional and this information will not be available to members of the selection panel.

Selection Process

We anticipate that we will invite candidates to an initial 15-minute online screening meeting on Thursday 4th September or Friday 5th September 2025, followed by shortlisted candidates attending in-person interview week commencing 8th September 2025. We may also ask you to complete a short written task ahead of/on the day.

At Asylum Aid we want to be transparent about what kind of qualities we are looking for and build trust from the very beginning of your journey with us. The first step is your interview, and we mean ‘your’ interview so we will provide you with your interview questions ahead of the interview. This will allow you time to prepare, and ensure you have your best examples in mind.

We regret that we can only respond to applicants who make it to the interview stage.

We offer a guaranteed interview for refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration, provided that they meet at least 50% of the essential criteria, where practical.

Eligibility

Please note that the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK (as a small charity we do not have the capacity to sponsor work visas).

Successful candidates will also be subject to a basic DBS check. If appointed, you will also be required to give your consent to the charity to receive regular updates on your criminal records status throughout your employment and to disclose any relevant convictions incurred during your time with us.

Equal Opportunities

Our commitment to principles of equity, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our approach to our clients, our volunteers and our staff, and we are an equal opportunities and Living Wage employer.

We are committed to attracting and recruiting diverse candidates because we are keen to make sure that our staff, trustees, volunteers and ambassadors reflect the communities we serve and the wider community we work in.

We genuinely welcome and encourage applications from candidates from range of backgrounds, especially people of colour, people with disabilities, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, refugees, stateless people and others with lived experience of forced migration or trauma who are under-represented in our organisation.

We recognise and value the role of lived experience in meeting the needs of our clients and acknowledge the under-representation of people with lived experience of forced migration and statelessness in the refugee and migration sectors. We value experience gained overseas as well as in the UK and you will receive full training to enable you to transfer your knowledge and skills to the UK context.

Are you passionate about social justice and ensuring people's rights and access to justice?

Central England Law Centre (CELC) is seeking a dedicated Immigration and Asylum Level 3 Caseworker / Solicitor to join our team.

As the UK's largest law centre, CELC is a charity that provides free specialist legal advice to those in need in Coventry and Birmingham. We are driven by our vision for a fairer and more just society

We are looking for an exceptional candidate to provide an immigration/asylum casework and representation service to clients and to work with partner organisations on projects engaging the practical application of immigration/asylum law. The successful candidate will be a compassionate, committed, and a well-organised strategic thinker with a strong commitment to our vision. 

If you have a proven track record in delivering immigration advice, undertaking caseworker and representing clients at court and would like to work within a team to resolve clients' interconnected legal needs, we want to hear from you. 

Our offices are conveniently located within walking distance of railway stations. We offer competitive terms and conditions, looking to foster a good work life balance for all our staff, including 28 days of holiday pro rata (increasing by 1 day per year to 35 days after 5 years of service), plus 8 additional statutory days, and pension scheme membership.

We help EU citizens, who made a home in the UK, to secure their immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and retain their rights to live, work, travel and thrive following the upheavals of Brexit.

We seek an experienced, proactive adviser to provide expert advice remotely to EU citizens across the UK with occasional face-to-face advice sessions and meetings.

You will hold IAA Level 1 or 2 accreditation and you will be able to manage volunteers to help with service delivery. 

The role also involves preparing short, simple, written guidance on changes to Home Office policies.

Ability to speak another European language is essential. Due to current demand, Italian is preferred.

Caritas Social Action Network

Senior Migration Officer

Location: London, with working from home, regular travel in England and Wales, and rare travel overseas.

Contract: full-time, one year, with regular evening and occasional weekend meetings.

Salary: £37,440

Closing date: Monday 18 August at 12 noon

Interview date: Thursday, 28 August, in person, in London

CSAN is the official agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice affecting people in England and Wales. We’re facing a steep rise in poverty and significant pressures on social, economic and church resources. At this time, the Church is called to raise a prophetic voice against poverty and the rhetoric of division and work for the building of a more just society.

In 2021, CSAN launched its strategy to extend the social mission of the Church in a post-COVID society. We are developing the infrastructure of the social action network of the Church in England and Wales, including new alliances for diocesan Caritas agencies, advocacy and migration. As our Senior Officer for Migration, you will help to raise awareness of migration issues from the perspective of Catholic Social Teaching and lead on our Ambassadors Programme against Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, as well as prepare briefings and campaign responses to Government legislation.

Over the last 20 years, CSAN has established a network of 50 diocesan and direct service charities, with a combined annual expenditure on social mission estimated at £400m, excluding the work of schools and religious congregations. Our members build up local community life in diverse ways, and many of them support individuals in difficulty, including with housing, prison and detention, social isolation, ill-health, violence, disability, employment, care, therapeutic and welfare support.

The key responsibilities of the Senior Migration Officer are:

1. To provide timely information to the CSAN team and the network on UK Government resettlement programmes and legislation on immigration.

2. To support CSAN’s work to improve public policy and practice on immigration, with compelling evidence from our network, and enabling effective participation in advocacy for a humane system.

3. To work closely with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales on issues of migration and human trafficking.

4. To lead the implementation of the Gubay-

funded CSAN Ambassadors against Human Trafficking programme, preparing and delivering programme materials.

5. To support cross-cutting key workstreams and alliances in CSAN, especially the Domestic Abuse alliance and racial justice, in partnership with the Bishops’ Conference.

The work of the small national team requires a high level of integrity and teamwork, respect for and capacity to navigate complex civil and church contexts at pace, and a stable commitment to personal formation and training. Our Senior Migration Officer will bring a professional track record of relevant research and analysis, production of compelling communications, and diligent administration. A satisfactory basic DBS check and references are required.

CSAN is a member of Caritas Internationalis, one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world, with national agencies in over 160 countries, and among the most successful examples of organised Catholic social action.

We help EU citizens, who made a home in the UK, to secure their immigration status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and retain their rights to live, work, travel and thrive following the upheavals of Brexit.

We seek an experienced, proactive adviser with strong inter-personal skills who likes getting out and about, to provide expert advice remotely to EU citizens across the UK and run a face-to-face service in Wrexham.

You will hold IAA accreditation or be able to acquire it quickly and you will be able to manage volunteers to help with service delivery.

About the role:

Join Single Homeless Project (SHP) as a Senior Outreach Worker and become a driving force in our dynamic response to homelessness. This is more than just a job – it’s a chance to play a key leadership role within a forward-thinking outreach service that blends assertive street engagement with holistic, trauma-informed support. Working as part of a diverse and passionate team in Redbridge, you’ll be right at the centre of a service that partners closely with local authorities, health professionals, housing specialists, and immigration and substance use services to help individuals make meaningful, lasting moves away from life on the streets.

In this role, you’ll lead outreach shifts across the borough, support a dedicated team of Outreach Workers, and take on a focused caseload of people facing some of the most complex challenges. You’ll collaborate closely with Navigators who provide longer-term case management, ensuring each person’s journey off the street is consistent, compassionate and coordinated.

Whether you're out connecting with clients or working alongside partner agencies to shape local strategy, your influence will be felt at every level. This is a unique opportunity to grow your career within an organisation that invests in its people and champions innovation in homelessness support. You'll be empowered to use your skills, experience and insight to make a tangible difference; both in the lives of those we support and in the systems that serve them.

About you:

• Experienced in working with people who are rough sleeping or at risk of street homelessness.
• Confident leading shifts and mentoring others.
• Knowledgeable about homelessness pathways, safeguarding, and systemic challenges.
• Skilled in partnership working, ideally with statutory and voluntary sector agencies. 
• Calm under pressure, with strong problem-solving skills.
• Passionate about social justice and committed to SHP’s values of hope, inclusion, and transformation. 

About us:

Single Homeless Project is a London-wide charity. Our vision is of a society where everyone has a place to call home and the chance to live a fulfilling life.

We help single Londoners by preventing homelessness, providing support and accommodation, promoting wellbeing, enhancing opportunity, and being a voice for change. From supporting people in crisis to helping people take the final steps towards independence and employment, we make a difference to 12,000 lives every year across all 32 boroughs.

We offer you more than a job; we offer you a chance to be part of a compassionate, driven team that's committed to making a real difference in people's lives. You'll have the opportunity to lead, co-create, and inspire change while enjoying a collaborative, growth-oriented environment.

Join us in creating a brighter, more hopeful future for individuals in need. 

Important info:

Closing date: Sunday 17th August at midnight

Interview date: Tuesday 26th August online via Microsoft Teams

This post will require an Enhanced DBS check to be processed (by SHP) for the successful applicant.

Please note applications are reviewed for AI use in application questions. Applications requiring sponsorship will not be accepted or progressed.

Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) are recruiting for a Community Activities Coordinator to join our growing, dynamic organisation. This exciting new role will sit within AFRIL's busy Casework and Advocacy Service, working collaboratively with our asylum seeking and recently granted refugee clients to plan and deliver a range of activities, improving wellbeing and community solidarity. 

We are looking for a good people person, able to engage and inspire others, who demonstrates a collaborative approach to working with a range of stakeholders and in particular AFRIL clients who come from a variety of backgrounds. The postholder will be highly organised, have good project planning and execution skills, and a good working knowledge of the issues affecting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Community language skills are an asset. 

About AFRIL

Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) is a registered charity that supports asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable migrants in South East London. We support people to lift themselves out of poverty, assert their rights and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes to tackle the underlying problems that lead people to be in crisis, supporting people to integrate, contribute and thrive. Our work is grounded in the values of professionalism, inclusivity, and solidarity. Our clients are at the heart of what we do and our approach is one of co-production and empowerment.

AFRIL delivers the following core services in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, Southwark, Bexley and Bromley:

• Rainbow Club Supplementary School - providing weekly supplementary education in English and Maths, arts, music and sports activities to children from refugee, migrant  and asylum seeking backgrounds from 4-11 years old, plus youth volunteering programme and Youth Council (NRCSE and Sanctuary Status). 

• Casework and Advocacy Service: providing AQS accredited advice, casework and legal interventions in asylum support, community care, housing, welfare benefits and related matters. Pre-Action Protocol letters to challenge unlawful public law decisions. The service currently provides Level 1 immigration advice under the Immigration Advice Agency.

• Destitution Support - a fortnightly Food Bank in partnership with St Peter’s Church providing food, food vouchers, toiletries, and other essentials, alongside a warm hub with free cafe, information and support. Small grants for essential items and cash payments for food in emergencies. Securing and distributing gifts in kind, e.g. winter coats, laptops and data. 

• Allotment of Refuge - a welcoming community of food growers that supports improved health, wellbeing and integration of members, whilst protecting the local environment. 

• Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre, providing free legal advice and representation to support people to regularise their immigration status. 

We also use our frontline experience, together with our clients, to engage in Policy and influencing work to improve the services and policies that impact our client group. This includes advising the GLA on 3 asylum related working groups, and as a member of the London Housing Panel.

AFRIL is an equal opportunities employer. We are a diverse staff team and particularly encourage applications from BAME candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and those with lived experience of asylum/irregular migration. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support our staff to flourish.

We are proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector. Please feel free to use their information and resources which may help in preparing your job application.

Please read full Job Description and Person Specification. Applications will only be accepted through CharityJob - please submit a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) detailing how you meet the person specification. 

Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) are recruiting for an Expert by Experience Coordinator to join our supportive and growing team. The Expert by Experience Coordinator is a new role in our small dynamic charity. The postholder will work to ensure the voices and perspectives of individuals with lived experience of asylum and forced migration are integrated into the design and delivery of AFRIL services and policy work. This role involves facilitating communication, promoting co-production, and empowering individuals to share their expertise to improve services and guide policy priorities. 

The post involves coordinating our monthly Members Forum, and working with the core team to feed this into policy and service development, alongside thematic and sometimes practical support to our Allotment Steering Group, Rainbow Club Youth Council and Asylum Hotel Residents Forum. The postholder will develop the AFRIL ambassadors scheme, creating opportunities for former clients to continue to be involved in shaping AFRIL, and work with the Director to develop a governance level co-production structure as agreed with the Board of Trustees. 

We are looking for a good people person, able to engage and inspire others, who demonstrates a collaborative approach to working with a range of stakeholders and in particular AFRIL clients who come from a variety of backgrounds. The postholder will be highly organised, have good project planning and execution skills, and a good working knowledge of the issues affecting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Community language skills are an asset.

About AFRIL

Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) is a registered charity that supports asylum seekers, refugees, and vulnerable migrants in South East London. We support people to lift themselves out of poverty, assert their rights and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes to tackle the underlying problems that lead people to be in crisis, supporting people to integrate, contribute and thrive. Our work is grounded in the values of professionalism, inclusivity, and solidarity. Our clients are at the heart of what we do and our approach is one of co-production and empowerment.

AFRIL delivers the following core services in the London Boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, Southwark, Bexley and Bromley:

• Rainbow Club Supplementary School - providing weekly supplementary education in English and Maths, arts, music and sports activities to children from refugee, migrant  and asylum seeking backgrounds from 4-11 years old, plus youth volunteering programme and Youth Council (NRCSE and Sanctuary Status). 

• Casework and Advocacy Service: providing AQS accredited advice, casework and legal interventions in asylum support, community care, housing, welfare benefits and related matters. Pre-Action Protocol letters to challenge unlawful public law decisions. The service currently provides Level 1 immigration advice under the Immigration Advice Agency.

• Destitution Support - a fortnightly Food Bank in partnership with St Peter’s Church providing food, food vouchers, toiletries, and other essentials, alongside a warm hub with free cafe, information and support. Small grants for essential items and cash payments for food in emergencies. Securing and distributing gifts in kind, e.g. winter coats, laptops and data. 

• Allotment of Refuge - a welcoming community of food growers that supports improved health, wellbeing and integration of members, whilst protecting the local environment. 

• Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre, providing free legal advice and representation to support people to regularise their immigration status. 

We also use our frontline experience, together with our clients, to engage in Policy and influencing work to improve the services and policies that impact our client group. This includes advising the GLA on 3 asylum related working groups, and as a member of the London Housing Panel.

AFRIL is an equal opportunities employer. We are a diverse staff team and particularly encourage applications from BAME candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and those with lived experience of asylum/irregular migration. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support our staff to flourish.

We are proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector. Please feel free to use their information and resources which may help in preparing your job application.

Please read full Job Description and Person Specification. Applications will only be accepted through CharityJob - please submit a CV and cover letter (no more than one side of A4) detailing how you meet the person specification. 

Job Title: Partnerships Manager

Reports to: Senior Partnerships Manager

Location: Hybrid work with 40% from Breaking Barriers’ offices in London, Manchester, Birmingham or Glasgow

Salary:  £33,000 - £39,000 for London, £31,000 - £37,000 for other locations

Hours: 5 days per week (37.5 hours), open to flexible working arrangements

Contract: Permanent

Overall purpose

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the national development and delivery of our relationships with the private sector to maximise income and impact to support refugees into meaningful employment.

The main purpose of the Partnerships Manager role is to deliver first-class account management and development of corporate partnerships to drive Breaking Barriers mission.

Working closely with Senior Partnerships Managers, Head of Corporate Partnerships, and members of the Income & Engagement and Services Directorates, you will be responsible for launching, retaining and developing a portfolio of partnerships ensuring we deepen and strengthen relationships whilst identifying opportunities for growth.

You will play your part in delivering and developing strategic relationships to bring value to our refugee clients and our employment and education programmes.

The successful candidate will have experience managing corporate partner relationships, including making fundraising asks and managing external communication with donors and partners at all levels of seniority. You will deploy your influencing skills and ability to build profitable relationships to great effect as you take a leading role identifying and nurturing future strategic partnerships. An understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility would be advantageous.

To view the full job description and person specification, as well as details on our accessible recruitment process, please view the attached recruitment pack.

Other considerations

• As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out pre-employment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.   
• We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

How to apply

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real difference, we want to hear from you. To apply, please submit a CV and statement (up to approximately 500 words/1 A4 page) outlining:

• Why you are interested in the role
• What skills you would bring to be successful in this role
• Any experience you would like to highlight
• Any reasonable adjustments you require for the interview process
• Disclosure of disabilities if you wish to do so (as a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role)

Please note that applications without a covering letter will not be considered.

Closing date for applications is 11:30pm on Wednesday 03 September. Please note that interviews will be held on a rolling basis, and we reserve the right to close the advert early if a suitable candidate is found. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

We belong to the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative, which advocates and supports organisations to employ more people from a refugee background. With this in mind, we particularly welcome applicants with experience of seeking asylum and/or a refugee background. 

If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network. Please reach out to HR Manager Rebecca Hughes for further details (we are unable to include email addresses in this advert, but you can find contact details on the final page of the attached recruitment pack).

World Jewish Relief created the Specialist Training and Employment Programme (STEP) for refugees in 2016 and today we are the largest provider of specialist employment support to people who have experienced forced migration in the UK.STEP aims to support and empower people through a tailored employment programme that addresses the complex barriers that they face when preparing for and ultimately finding work in the UK.   

We support all people who have experienced forced migration, regardless of their proximity to the labour market, to develop the skills and access the opportunities they need to secure sustainable and meaningful employment. We run STEP online and in person programmes across the UK.  Our work now includes specific programming for women refugees, Afghan nationals, Ukrainians and those who have come through the asylum system

We are now expanding our work to deliver (in partnership with the British Council) an English Language and Employment Support Programme for up to 4,000 Ukrainians and Hong Kong BNO status/visa holder (50% of each community) over the next 12 months.

In order to succeed, participants need more than just training and job search support. They need to feel connected, informed, and welcomed into the communities they live in.

We are now recruiting a Community Lead to play a key role in delivering that wider support. You will lead community engagement and outreach activities, help participants understand and access local services, and ensure that support is culturally appropriate and inclusive. You will also help build partnerships with local groups, promote volunteering, and run events that support social connection and reduce isolation. You will contribute to our social value commitments and play a crucial part in shaping how the STEP programme responds to local needs and participant feedback.

About you

We are looking for candidates who have:

• Proven experience in community engagement, outreach or partnership work
• Understanding of the issues and challenges faced by people who have experienced forced displacement accessing employment and of the challenges faced by people who are resettling in a new country and community
• Experience of delivering and supporting events, webinars or community activities
• Experience producing accessible, culturally sensitive written materials or communications
• Experience working with or within community organisations or VCSEs
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills. 
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Confident writing skills (newsletters, social content or short reports)
• Proficiency in Cantonese and/or Ukrainian would be desirable to support webinar delivery and community engagement

Candidates must be UK based and have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the contract

​Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including:

• 23 days holiday pro rata plus bank holidays and Jewish holidays.
• Pension scheme – we contribute 5% to the World Jewish Relief pension scheme.
• Life Insurance – up to 3 times salary to nominated beneficiaries.
• Health Cash Plan – cash back to cover the costs of dental treatment, optical care, specialist consultations and a range of complementary therapies.
• Employee Assistance Programme – free, confidential advice or support with any personal or work. related concerns or free counselling if needed.
• On Friday the office closes at 3pm.
• We encourage flexible working and offer a range of flexible working options.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

World Jewish Relief promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We invite and welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds. We encourage applications from candidates of different ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and of faith or none that meet the criteria set out for this role.

You don’t need to be Jewish to work for us, but you must but you must be committed to our faith-based values of Justice, Kindness, Repairing the World and Welcoming the Stranger. We are inspired by these values to work beyond our community, recognising the dignity and potential of all people.

We are striving to build a team reflective of the communities we work with. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply for this position. If you have first-hand experience of forced migration, please let us know in your application. Additionally, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all the requirements that are listed within the person specification. 

We respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and do not expect candidates to describe their lived experience during the interview process unless they wish to do so. 

To apply

Please upload your CV and a cover letter explaining how you meet the criteria in the person specification. Please refer to the person specification which shows which criteria will be assessed in your CV and cover letter.

Interviews will be held remotely on 21st August 2025.

Expected start date will be 9th October 2025.

Action for Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) is seeking our next Executive Director to lead our small, dynamic charity. You will be joining an impactful local organisation at a crucial time in our development. Since 2021 we have grown significantly and sustainably, developing new services based on client needs. You will be leading a highly competent and passionate team who are community minded and experts in their fields. 

The Executive Director has overall responsibility for the day-to-day management of the charity, including finance and fundraising, as well as supporting the development and delivery of services. They will work with four experienced project leads to deliver and develop our core services: Casework and Advocacy Service, Rainbow Club Supplementary School, Destitution Service and Food Bank, and our Allotment of Refuge, as well as our Policy and external influencing work led by our Deputy Director for Casework and Policy. 

We are seeking to appoint an exceptional candidate who can balance the demands of strategic leadership with the operational execution and development of our services and policy work. We are seeking someone with a high level of operational skill and accountability in operational management and governance. You will be responsible for the central services of the charity including finance, fundraising, legal, HR and communications. We are looking for a thoughtful leader who is passionate about staff and volunteer support. You should have experience and understanding of small charities and the external context within which we operate.

About us:

Founded in 2004, AFRIL supports refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants to lift themselves out of poverty, assert their rights, and rebuild their lives in the heart of our community. We provide both crisis support to meet immediate need, and longer-term, flexible programmes to tackle the underlying issues that result in poverty. We engage in policy and legal interventions to affect change. Our work is grounded in the values of professionalism, inclusivity, and solidarity, and our approach to service delivery is one of co-production and empowerment. We work with partners locally and nationally to deliver high quality services and advocacy.

Our Services:

• Casework and Advocacy – AQS and IAA accredited advice, casework and legal interventions in housing and homelessness, complex welfare rights, community care, asylum support,  immigration, access to education and employment, healthcare and related matters. 

• Destitution Project - supporting families to overcome extreme food poverty through regular food vouchers, fresh culturally appropriate food, toiletries, and essential household items plus small grants and a free café.

• Rainbow Club Saturday School - improving educational attainment, wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem, and raising the aspirations of disadvantaged primary age children. 

• Allotment of Refuge - a welcoming and integrated community of food growers improving the health, wellbeing and healthy food access of children and adults seeking sanctuary in Lewisham.

• Immigration Project in partnership with Southwark Law Centre - free legal advice and representation to support families to regularise their UK immigration status in the UK.

In addition, we hold a monthly Members Forum, and use the evidence from our frontline work together with the testimony of our members to influence improved policy and practice.

AFRIL is currently in a good position, with the several long-term grants and statutory funding secured, and good relationships with community and individual donors. The Executive Director position represents an exciting opportunity to work with a passionate and highly competent team and the wider community to bring about real, positive change for vulnerable migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees in South East London. 

AFRIL is an equal opportunities employer. We are a diverse staff team and particularly encourage applications from BAME candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and those with lived experience of asylum/irregular migration. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to support our staff to flourish.

We are proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network which aims to increase representation of people with lived experience in the charitable sector. Please feel free to use their information and resources which may help in preparing your job application.

Please read full Job Description and Person Specification. Applications will only be accepted through CharityJob - please submit a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) detailing how you meet the person specification. 

Salary: £37,280 starting salary (salary range will increase to a max £39,862 via the length of service) per annum plus £4,324 Inner London Weighting if based in the London office per annum

Contract: Fixed Term contract until 30 June 2026

Hours: Full-time. 35 hours per week (excluding lunch breaks). Some evening and weekend work may be required for which time off in lieu should be claimed.

Location: Any Refugee Action Office: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford.  We will consider a UK-based hybrid working option. 

Closing date to apply for the role: 23.59pm on 17th August*

*Please read carefully, the information below on how to apply for this role

*This is a readvertisement – previous applicants need not apply

Please read carefully – how to apply for this role:

Applications for this role are only* open to people who identify as having lived experience of forced displacement due to war, invasion, persecution or human rights abuses

(This also includes British nationals living/working overseas who have been forced to leave due to war, invasion, persecution or human rights abuses)

*Current Refugee Action employees with and without lived experience, are eligible to apply.

About Refugee Action

Refugee Action exists to work with refugees and people seeking asylum who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We are a national charity with more than 40 years’ experience of empowering people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes to secure the protection and support that they need to live with dignity and respect and build a new life in the UK. We do this by providing expert advice and casework, building the capacity of partner organisations and campaigning on the policies that affect them. 

About the post 

This exciting role would mean joining Refugee Action at a crucial point in the charity’s 40-year history, full of opportunity and potential. You will use your creative skills to support the creation of innovative digital content to engage and mobilise existing supporters and add to Refugee Action’s rapidly growing audience. Working between the fundraising and campaigns team, this role will support the Digital Communications Manager to deliver our ambitious digital strategy, focusing on the development of engaging digital content, the management of one of our key supporter databases, and will lead on the engagement and retention work which supports Refugee Action’s fundraising and campaigning. 

We are looking for candidates that can demonstrate: 

• Commitment to removing barriers to power for people with lived experience, and commitment to anti-racist practices. 

• Understanding of how the UK’s hostile refugee protection and asylum system impacts those affected by it.

• Strong understanding of the role of digital tactics in the development and execution of campaign strategies.

• Strong writing, editing and proof-reading skills, with experience of using these within a fast-paced environment and adapting content for difference audiences.

• Experience of maintaining and nurturing social media communities and creating impactful digital content.

• Knowledge of Facebook advertising, including the set-up, management and analysis of ad performance.

• Experience using Canva, or Adobe creative software – particularly Photoshop, InDesign and Premiere.

• Experience of using Engaging Networks or similar system or proven ability to learn new systems quickly.

• Thorough understanding of website optimisation with experience working with website content management systems. 

• Experience of using Google AdWords, and of using reporting and analytics tools, such as Google Analytics.

• Understanding of the digital landscape, and emerging trends in web and social technology and digital fundraising.

Closing date:  23.59pm, Sunday 17 August

Interviews:  Tuesday 26 August

Refugee Action only operates in the UK, so all roles are UK-based, and you must have the right to work in the UK.

This role is not on the Shortage Occupation List.  If you have permission to work that is restricted to the Shortage Occupation List, we will be unable to appoint you to this role.

You can find out which roles are on the shortage occupation list via these two links:

• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations 

• Skilled Worker visa: shortage occupations for healthcare and education

We are currently campaigning for people seeking asylum to have the right to work in the UK, see our Lift the Ban campaign here.