About us
Around the world, 70 countries have anti-homosexuality laws, and many more have other laws that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In 11 countries, same-sex intimacy can be punishable by death. In too many countries, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people are routinely arrested, denied basic human rights, and are being brutally attacked, tortured, or even murdered.
Rainbow Railroad was founded in 2006 to provide an additional solution to address the global refugee crisis, to which LGBTQI persons are uniquely vulnerable. Rainbow Railroad’s mission is to help persecuted LGBTQI individuals get to safety as they seek a safe haven from state-enabled harassment and violence. Rainbow Railroad provides support to LGBTQI individuals seeking safety with airfare and financial support that facilitates departure, travel, arrival and referral for settlement. Beyond direct financial assistance, Rainbow Railroad provides information, resources, and advice for asylum claimants as well as assistance to help people find safety when international travel is not possible.
Rainbow Railroad is a registered Canadian charity and a USA 501(c)(3) organization with its headquarters in Toronto, Canada and an office in New York City, USA.
The Role
We are seeking a full-time contract Program Officer that will elevate our current work and strategy in service of our clients. The Programs Team is the client-facing hub of Rainbow Railroad, being the first point of contact for case individuals seeking help from over 50 countries worldwide.
Rainbow Railroad has ambitious goals, so the ideal candidate for this role works well independently and with team members under pressure to meet tight deadlines, has excellent organizational skills and work hours flexibility to respond to emergencies when needed, has experience working compassionately and ethically with marginalized individuals in vulnerable situations, and seeks to find creative and innovative efficiencies to deliver Rainbow Railroad services equitably. The successful candidate will report directly to the Director of Emergency Travel and Cash Assistance.
Key Responsibilities [not inclusive of all tasks required in the role]:
Case Work
- Serve as the first point of contact for requests for help, communicating directly with at-risk individuals to review, organize, verify, and triage their cases for further management by caseworkers, and the Director of Emergency Travel Support and Cash Assistance;
- Working directly with case individuals to create support plans and find pathways to safety. This involves independently planning, coordinating and executing emergency support for persecuted LGBTQI+ individuals;
- Ensure data in Salesforce is accurate and consistent. Uploading, renaming files/documents, writing case summaries, and assessing the needs of case individuals, make recommendations for cash or relocation support;
- Continuously manage communications between the case individual and the case worker and assisting with identifying and reporting irregular and exponential trends in our requests for help;
- Conducting phone interviews with case individuals to assess and flag urgent and priority cases, while assist in researching short-term and/or emergency supports while the case individual wait for further case support from the caseworker;
- Working with domestic and international partner organizations to directly support our case individuals;
- Perform administrative tasks relating to casework;
- Support in or lead ETS route development and programmatic research.
Reporting and tracking
- Schedule regular check-ins with case individuals to discuss the progress of applications;
- Track and following up with all partners;
- Adding report documents to SalesForce; maintaining and updating tracking documents ( Sales Force, Evidence Documents; identity and travel documents);
- Work with other programming or impact staff to develop and streamline detailed systems and guides for casework (when appropriate);
- Regular updates on projects’ status, including the challenges and suggested solutions.
Skills and Experience
- Minimum 3 years’ work experience in related governmental/non-profit required, ideally with vulnerable populations through a service delivery position.
- Degree in fields of Social Work, International Development, Law, or Political Sciences required. Advanced education in Social Work or equivalent professional experience is an asset.
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail while being comfortable working in a dynamic, fast paced environment with strict deadlines.
- Excellent computer skills (Mac environment) and knowledge of software programs required – knowledge of Salesforce an asset.
- Commitment and support of the LGBTQI+ community in Canada and internationally.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
- A versatile, skilled, and effective communicator required. Demonstrable evidence of strong written communications skills is an asset.
- Lived experience as a refugee or immigrant and/or fluent language skills in Urdu, Persian, Arabic, or Pashto an asset.
- Based in Toronto is preferable but open to applicants in Washington DC, New York City NY, and Ottawa ON.
Lines of Communication
- Reports to the Director of Intake and Information Services and Referrals.
- Supports the work and strategy of the management team.
This role may require travel internationally – the ability to travel internationally is required.
Application Deadline – September 23, 2023
Length of Contract – Full-Time, Permenant
Hiring Salary Range – $60,000-$70,000 plus competitive benefits package
Application Instructions
Please forward your resume and cover letter to hire@rainbowrailroad.org. Include the exact job title in the subject line of your email. We thank all applicants for their interest in this position however we will only be contacting those selected for interviews.
Rainbow Railroad is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity. Requests for accommodation due to disability can be made at any stage in the recruitment process.
