Executive Director: Nationalities Services Center

The Nationalities Service Center (NSC) seeks a dynamic and visionary leader to serve as its next Executive Director. Recognized as one of the leading immigrant and refugee resettlement agencies in Pennsylvania, NSC has spent the last 100 years committed to assisting its clients with building a solid foundation for a self-sustaining and dignified future. Through comprehensive services and support, including legal protections, health and wellness, education, and language services, NSC empowers immigrants and refugees to thrive and pursue a just future.

NSC is committed to serving as an important resource for the migrant communities of Philadelphia. NSC delivers life-changing work every day, providing critical support to communities that have been increasingly targeted over the last decade. Growing attacks on migrant communities across the globe present an unprecedented opportunity for NSC to continue centering the voices of immigrants and refugees to drive meaningful change.

The next Executive Director will play a pivotal role in balancing the fortification of the agency’s internal infrastructure and culture while working externally to elevate NSC’s profile on a local and national stage. This leader will need to ensure that NSC remains both a beacon of hope for its clients and a leading advocate for systemic change.

Having recently turned 100 years old, NSC offers a breadth and depth of professional services to deliver a comprehensive experience for its clients, including early pathways to stability and long-term economic mobility. Whether resettling refugees from global crises in Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine or responding to local challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, NSC has proven to be a resilient and trusted resource for those in need in times of crisis.

The organization’s inclusive, one-stop model ensures that every client receives the support they need to build a self-sustaining, dignified future. As an integral part of the Philadelphia community, NSC continues to be a leader in immigrant and refugee services, and it remains steadfast in its mission to assist immigrants and refugees in creating strong, lasting foundations for their future.

NSC has seen exponential growth across the number of clients served and services offered, and the workforce has increased to support client demands with 5,000 clients, 134 employees, and over 300 volunteers. The next Executive Director will lead NSC into its second century of serving those fleeing homes they never wanted to leave in search of safety, security, and community.

As such, the ideal candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to the pursuit of a fair and just pathway for immigrants seeking to enter the United States in pursuit of a better life. Through thoughtful, communicative, and strategic leadership, the Executive Director will cultivate and sustain trusted, collaborative relationships with various local and federal constituencies to ensure that the diverse needs and concerns of NSC clients are accurately represented. Furthermore, the Executive Director will provide direction to staff, value their expertise, and nurture their well-being.

NSC has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. All inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed to the search team confidently at the link below. Please include a CV/resume and a two-to-three-page letter of interest responding to the opportunities and challenges outlined above. Applicants with lived experience within any of our program areas, as well as Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, are strongly encouraged to apply. NSC’s policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law.