Director

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation, founded in 1980 with a shared global mission to accompany, serve and advocate alongside and for the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. Our work is based on hospitality, carried out in a spirit of compassion and solidarity, encouraging participation and community, aiming to kindle hope, secure justice and affirm the dignity of refugees and forced migrants. Based in the Hurtado Jesuit Centre in Wapping, East London, JRS UK supports refugees and asylum seekers in the UK and works in wider collaboration with JRS offices around the world.

We employ 29 full-time and part-time staff and have around 100 volunteers, from a wide variety of backgrounds, nationalities, and generations; people of all faiths and none; including refugees, young graduates, and vowed members of religious congregations. In order to deliver our work, JRS UK generates around £1.8m in income each year, a substantial percentage of which is generously donated each year by Jesuits in Britain.

After nine years of successfully growing and developing JRS UK, our Director Sarah Teather is stepping down to pursue new projects. Under Sarah’s inspiring leadership, JRS UK has been on a transformational journey to mature as an organisation, now delivering a range of services including providing advice, support and hardship grants, outreach services and advice, including legal advice. Much remains to be done in serving the people we exist to support, and we seek a new Director to take over from Sarah.

Our new Director will, in collaboration with the Management Board, staff and stakeholders, build on developments of recent years and develop JRS UK’s strategic vision in response to changes in the external refugee and asylum-seeker environment, and be capable of reaching out beyond the current polarised debate to build mutual understanding. 

We are looking for an expert leader and manager who brings knowledge and experience of the refugee sector. You will be participative in style, approachable, and committed to the JRS UK mission of walking alongside refugees. It may be that you already operate in a CEO role or similar, or that you are looking to transition into your first executive director role, while bringing transferable leadership experience.

You will be joining an exceptional organisation and will lead a dedicated team of staff and volunteers. JRS UK is rooted in Church teaching but is open to people of all faiths – and none – and people who work for us are proud of the multifaith team and approach. While you will need to demonstrate sympathy and respect for Catholic Social Teaching, we welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and beliefs.

To download a full copy of the candidate brief and learn more about the role, please click the ‘Apply’ button, where you will be redirected to the website of our recruitment partner, Tall Roots. If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Tall Roots via their website.