Head of Community Sponsorship

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.

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 in 2015, we campaigned successfully for the introduction of community sponsorship in the UK. Citizens UK was then instrumental in proving the model can work in the UK and through training, advocacy, and coordination, we have helped hundreds of local groups welcome thousands of 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 organising with national advocacy to build a sustainable, community-led model of refugee resettlement. In 2025, we campaigned successfully to persuade the Government to introduce ‘named sponsorship’, giving communities greater choice in who they would sponsor. This creates a huge opportunity to grow community sponsorship and to enable UK civil society to step up and honour our proud tradition of offering sanctuary.

This is a rare opportunity to lead Citizens UK’s community sponsorship campaign and help build the movement that will be at the heart of a community-led welcome. This new role comes at an exciting and crucial time, as we seek to build and embed this new form of named community sponsorship in the UK. As Head of Community Sponsorship you will lead on our strategy to develop named sponsorship as a transformative part of the UK’s approach to refugee resettlement and community power. This will involve building a broad base of civil society partners ready to sponsor refugees and to add their voice to the campaign. You will lead on the campaigning and advocacy strategy as we ensure quality in the Government policy and cross-Party political support. Citizens UK acts as the Lead Sponsor for local community sponsorship groups and you will oversee their ongoing support and further engagement.

The role fosters collaboration with Citizens UK Organisers and alliances, develops sustainable funding strategies, and ensures alignment with Citizens UK’s broader migration and transformation goals. The role will work alongside Citizens UK’s Migrant and Refugee Organising Team and will contribute to the efforts to build the power to create a more welcoming country. You will lead on relationships 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 communications and external representation, the role is key to shaping Citizens UK’s refugee resettlement strategy and building its national impact as a driver of cohesion.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Contribute to Citizens UK and Project Strategic Objectives
  • Build a broad and deep engagement across civil society in named sponsorship, demonstrating the potential for scale and the big tent of support.
  • Develop and implement campaign approaches that secure policy goals and build cross-Party political support.
  • Develop strategy that develops the leadership of local Citizens members and refugees, strengthens civic institutions and builds trust across difference.
• Build and Manage Projects & Achieve Work Targets Effectively
  • Oversee multiple work strands, working in partnership.
  • 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
  • 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), civil society institutions and funders.
  • 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 team.
  • Ensure that the community sponsorship strategy is aligned with Citizens UK’s other campaigns and work closely with other members of Migrant and Refugee Organising team.
  • 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 in leading campaigning and influencing strategies to secure changes in Government policy (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)
  • Knowledge and skills in community organising and an understanding of how community sponsorship and campaigning connect with and support the method and aims of organising (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)

At Citizens UK, we work with communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. 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.