Director of Programs

Job: Director of Programs
Type: Full-time 
Location: The ideal candidate will be located in Washington, D.C., though the position is fully remote with regular travel to other locations.  
Report to: Executive Director  
Salary: $150,000 - $170,000, commensurate with experience 
Benefits: CSH offers an excellent benefits package, flexible work schedule, and generous vacation leave

About the Community Sponsorship Hub

The Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH) is a dynamic organization dedicated to growing the role of communities in the protection, resettlement, and integration of refugees and other forcibly displaced people. Mobilizing civil society, and the public, private, and philanthropic sectors, and empowering them with resources and access, we shape and coordinate a community sponsorship system that leverages the power of welcoming Americans. 

CSH operates in the U.S. and works remotely with staff and partners across the nation. 

About the Programs

The Community Sponsorship Hub (CSH) partners with federal agencies and communities nationwide to design and implement innovative sponsorship models that strengthen and expand initial resettlement through U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and ongoing self-sufficiency and integration services through Office of Refugee Resettlement. CSH’s work focuses on building sustainable infrastructure for community sponsorship, empowering individuals and institutions to welcome and support refugees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, and other forcibly displaced populations.

CSH launched the Sponsor Circle Program (SCP) in 2021 under an MOU with the U.S. Department of State to support Afghan newcomers through Operation Allies Welcome. This program introduced a new community-led model for welcoming and supporting refugees outside of the traditional resettlement agency structure. In 2025, CSH expanded SCP to serve Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders authorized to travel to the U.S. and domestic refugees in need of placement and integration services. Sponsor Circles are trained, vetted community groups that provide tailored support – including housing, basic needs assistance, and connection to services – for individuals without immediate access to traditional resettlement support.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of State launched the Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program designed to expand opportunities for Americans to directly support refugee resettlement. Under a Cooperative Agreement with the Department of State, CSH led the development and implementation of the program infrastructure, enabling U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to form sponsor groups that provided core resettlement services to arriving refugees. The program increased resettlement capacity, diversified local participation, and enhanced integration outcomes by allowing sponsors to provide housing, cultural orientation, and referrals to local resources. CSH also developed and implemented Welcome Corps on Campus, a university sponsorship pathway that enabled higher education institutions to support refugee students through wraparound academic and social services.

Through potential government funding, CSH will provide long-term support to vulnerable individuals.  This includes refugees, SIV holders, asylees, and others experiencing significant barriers to integration, such as medical or mental health conditions, trauma, or housing instability. In partnership with the Welcoming Initiative for Newcomers and several implementing partners, across all programs, CSH works to ensure that displaced individuals – regardless of where they arrive – met with effective, community-supported pathways to rebuild their lives and contribute to the fabric of American society.

Position Overview

As an integral member of the CSH leadership team and reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Programs will lead CSH’s transformative programming and all components related to its success. Given the drastic change in resettlement context, the Director of Programs will have the opportunity to promote, shape and implement a program that leverages the power of welcoming communities to support the safe arrival of refugees through publicly funded refugee resettlement programming. The Director of Programs will ensure a focused approach to integrate sponsorship to ensure innovation and permanency in U.S. refugee resettlement.  They bring deep experience in both resettlement and private sponsorship to bring bold, innovative solutions, and the experience and confidence to back it up.  They are an incredible leader who will have the opportunity to build and retain a high-performing team and knows how to meet the moment with incredible, talented staff.  They have energy and pace to rapidly address the challenges our sector is currently facing.  They serve as an expert and resource on government funded programs and seamlessly integrate private sponsorship and traditional refugee resettlement to the ever-growing ecosystem stakeholders.  

This position leads a program team of professionals deeply experienced in sponsorship, resettlement, integration and the long-term social and economic integration of displaced populations. They collaborate with key stakeholders, including the Department of State - PRM, Health & Human Services - ORR, Sponsor Circle Umbrellas (SCUs), resettlement agencies and affiliate offices, and state governments.  In particular, the Director of Programs helps steward and execute on the innovative partnership between CSH and the Welcoming Initiative for Newcomers (WIN), which jointly supports the arrival and integration of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders and other populations served through domestically supported ORR programs. The Director of Programs works closely with the Executive Director to maximize revenue generation and opportunities to build and enhance CSH’s profile and reputation externally. Working closely with Advancement and Finance colleagues, they must ensure the ongoing effective oversight of all US based and other awards/grants being implemented by the team.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and oversight to CSH’s programming, ensuring we are constantly learning and iterating and hitting ambitious targets and goals established in close collaboration with the CSH Executive Team, U.S. government stakeholders and key implementing partners.

• Serve as an innovative thought leader on both private sponsorship and refugee resettlement, representing CSH, the CSH/WIN partnership, and the private sponsorship space to scale our work creatively and effectively in a traditional resettlement space.  

• Build and lead a program team grounded in the mission to build safe and welcoming communities for refugee families.  

• Provide leadership to the sponsorship ecosystem, co-designing solutions, leading convenings and providing oversight to ensure collaboration, coordination and high-quality program delivery. 

• Foster and sustain positive, collaborative partnerships with stakeholders in the private sponsorship and resettlement space who are eager to contribute to the reimagining and long-term sustainability of U.S. sponsorship. Approach collaboration with an open mind and an enthusiasm for new possibilities, ensuring partners are consistently engaged and informed.  

• Cultivate a strong, collaborative, positive and transparent working relationship with the Executive Team, the WIN partnership, and key stakeholders to ensure open communication about operational program and performance.  
• Work closely with the CSH leadership team and contribute/support in organizational strategy development and implementation. 

Technical Guidance and Program Support

• Provide thought leadership to ensure that CSH provides the highest-quality services to refugees and other forcibly displaced populations, and ensures the organization is able to fulfill the needs of changing populations and other programmatic shifts in new and existing programs.

• Oversee the build and maintenance of the program’s infrastructure including application and screening; matching and placement; sponsor training and support; monitoring, evaluation and data collection and analysis; and public mobilization.

• Create a structure with an affiliate of partners to support their resettlement and sponsorship-focused programming, amplify their impact and ensure the program is hitting targets and overall design. 

• Work closely with CSH’s Executive team to inform program fundraising needs, ensuring that programs are appropriately resourced through federal funding and private funding via the Sponsor Fund, Catalyst Fund, and Airbnb.org housing credits.

• In lockstep with the Deputy Executive Director, ensure adequate spending and reporting of restricted dollars to maximize impact, engagement and ensure continued funding.  Support fundraising efforts through the development of grant applications. 

• Oversee and lead in the submission of proposals for funding renewal. 

• Consistently work to ground program team and affiliate partners in both the newcomer and sponsorship experience, leveraging user-research and design to equip both sponsors and new arrivals to succeed. 

• Ensure that programs comply with all contractual & reporting requirements, have a quality assurance plan, achieve required outcomes, provide quality services and meet the needs of clients and stakeholders. In collaboration with Finance, directs the divisional and departmental budgets, operation plans and evaluation mechanisms for existing and new programs and services.

• Collaborates with grants management staff to monitor program and system performance through assessments and performance metrics; ensures consistent, high-quality data collection across all programs; and produces reports and impact data to inform internal and external stakeholders about CSH’s outcomes—while also ensuring each program has a strong Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) plan in place.

• Ensure the use of technology supports and enhances the scale and complexity of the program; including the development and enhancement of the program case management system and ensures the development of accompanying program policies.  

• Ensure administrative activities related to the program and program team are carried out, e.g., invoice payments, estimates for professional services, expense reports, and memoranda of understanding/contracts with partners. 

• In collaboration with the Director of Communications and ecosystem partners, ensure and support storytelling efforts.

• Benchmarks monitoring protocols across programs to ensure high quality operations and appropriate frameworks in place.

• Seek and scope potential opportunities to expand sponsorship work through other pathways.

• Identify and manage human resources needs, supervise and evaluate direct reports and provide professional development opportunities that align staff with programmatic needs; review job descriptions and execute performance reviews among direct reports.

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and updating of systems and tools (e.g., process flows, standard operating procedures, database) that support an effective and efficient program. 

• Represent CSH and its programs at events and forums; act as a formal point of contact for the U.S. government.

• Support programs to plan for and navigate potential upticks in activities based on public policies.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

Professional Experience

• At least ten years progressive relevant experience, with demonstrated knowledge of refugee resettlement; previous supervisory and administrative experience required.
• Experience with overseeing budgets, grants management, and U.S. government funding and policy required. 
• Experience in overseeing programming supported by the U.S. government via Department of Health and Human Services - ORR and/or the Department of State – PRM required, and community sponsorship. 
• Experience in a start-up program is highly preferred. 
• Substantive experience and knowledge of the global resettlement structure and dynamics, specifically as it relates to the U.S.
• At least seven years spent in supervisory positions, developing and leading high functioning teams. 
• Experience in program design and implementation. 
• Experience leading transformation and innovation inside an organization.
• Ability to communicate powerfully about programs one-on-one, to groups, and to the media. 
• Strong experience interacting with the U.S. immigration system. 

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; ability to develop written resource materials on refugee-related topics for funders and relevant stakeholders; ability to read, analyze and interpret reports and legal documents, and ability to disseminate new information from such materials.
• Solutions-focused and results-oriented with strong, creative problem-solving skills. 
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills; ability to work collaboratively with constituents from diverse backgrounds and with a variety of styles. 
• Strong mentoring and coaching experience. 
• Demonstrated ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines.  
• Strong attention to detail. 
• Ability to delegate and strong time management skills. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse array of actors.  
• Excellent analytical skills. 
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and database platforms. 
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred. 

*This position is contingent upon funding awarded.