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.  

At Citizens UK, our organisers and project staff work within communities to develop leaders, strengthen organisations, campaign for change and organise across difference. There are various project roles and operational, communication, finance and HR roles that support the organisation and project staff and organisers to deliver on this mission and work. 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. 

Community Sponsorship 

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, it called for a Canadian-style scheme in 2015, which led to the UK government launching its own programme in 2016. Citizens UK was instrumental in shaping the policy and later established the Sponsor Refugees programme in 2017. Through training, advocacy, and coordination, it has helped hundreds of local groups welcome 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 mobilisation with national advocacy to build a sustainable, community-led model of refugee resettlement. Most recently, Citizens UK has worked with a range of partners to encourage the government to open up ‘named’ community sponsorship giving communities more choice to welcome, and we are now building the capacity of a wide range of organisations to take up this opportunity.  

Our community sponsorship work fits within our ‘Migrants and Refugees’ theme of work, which combines place-based and multi-issue organising with leaders with direct experience of insecure migration status and building effective national and local campaigns. 

Main Responsibilities 

As Community Sponsorship Senior Project Manager at Citizens UK, you will make sure our community sponsorship programmes are well planned, well run and deliver what they set out to achieve. Working within the overall strategy set by the Director, you will turn priorities into clear plans and lead the day-to-day delivery of four main areas: the Lead Sponsor Organisation (LSO) capacity building programme; the LSO Catalyst Fund; our role as a Lead Sponsor; and the systems, operations, monitoring and communications support needed across the programme. 

This is a senior delivery and partnership role. You will manage complex work across several strands, build strong relationships with delivery partners, coordinate colleagues across Citizens UK, and keep a firm grip on budgets, risks, data and progress. You will be expected to solve problems, improve how the programme works and take decisions within your area of responsibility. The Director will lead the overall strategy, positioning, policy and political work, senior civil society engagement and key funder relationships. 

Working as the Community Sponsorship Senior Project Manager for Citizens UK, reporting to the Director responsible for Community Sponsorship, your main responsibilities will include: 

Contribute to Citizens UK and Project Strategic Objectives 

• Turn the strategic direction for community sponsorship into clear plans, priorities and deliverables, and drive their implementation. 

• Lead the day-to-day delivery and development of the LSO Capacity Building programme and Citizens UK’s operational role as a Lead Sponsor. 

• Spot opportunities to improve or expand the programme, develop practical proposals and take agreed ideas through to delivery. 

Build and Manage Projects & Achieve Work Targets Effectively 

• Manage the LSO Capacity Building programme, Lead Sponsor activity, Catalyst Fund and the project systems and support that connect these areas of work. 

• Develop and manage workplans, budgets, risks, milestones and KPIs, making sure agreed objectives are delivered on time and within budget. 

• Establish and maintain the programme systems needed for delivery, including CRM, partner and sponsor-group tracking, monitoring and evaluation, management information, risk tracking and reporting. 

• Lead the operational development and delivery of Citizens UK’s Lead Sponsor activity, putting effective processes in place, coordinating partners and sponsor groups, and identifying and managing delivery risks. Escalate material safeguarding, financial, compliance or reputational risks to the Director. 

• Manage the delivery of the Catalyst Fund, including its processes, relationships with funded organisations, monitoring and reporting, working with relevant Citizens UK colleagues. 

• Lead the delivery and development of the LSO Capacity Building programme, making sure participating organisations receive high-quality training, resources and support, and using learning from delivery to improve the programme. 

Learning, Expertise, Wellbeing & Inclusion 

• Build strong knowledge of community sponsorship and refugee resettlement, keep up with changes in the sector and use this knowledge to improve delivery. 

• Train, coach and share practical learning with colleagues, partners and sponsor groups. 

• Support an inclusive and healthy team culture, and make sure the experiences of refugees, diaspora communities and sponsor groups inform how the programme is delivered. 

Develop and Manage External Relationships 

• Develop and manage strong relationships with external partners where these are needed for effective programme delivery, including Lead Sponsor Organisations, community organisations and other delivery partners. 

• Manage different interests, solve delivery problems and build commitment to shared goals. 

• Work with the Director on relationships that are mainly about policy, political influence, funding or Citizens UK’s wider strategic positioning. 

Communications 

• Produce accurate and timely communications content including web and social media content, newsletters, resources, case studies, data and programme information, working with the Communications Team on editorial approach, production and wider communications strategy. 

• Represent Citizens UK effectively at relevant public events, sector meetings and meetings with senior stakeholders where this supports programme delivery. 

• Provide the Communications Team with the stories, evidence and programme information needed to communicate the work well, making sure refugee and sponsor voices are used responsibly. 

Develop and Manage Internal Relationships 

• Coordinate colleagues contributing to community sponsorship across Citizens UK, making responsibilities clear and keeping delivery on track. 

• Line manage project staff as allocated, setting clear objectives and supporting their development, wellbeing and performance. 

• Work closely with community organising colleagues, providing the programme processes and practical support that help diaspora organisations, sponsor groups and refugee leaders take part effectively, while organisers lead relationship-building and leadership development with Citizens UK membership. 

• Work closely with the Director, Communications, Finance and Operations teams, providing clear information on progress, risks and decisions and taking ownership of delivery within the role’s remit. 

Generate Income and Resources 

• Identify opportunities to bring in new income or other resources that can support and grow community sponsorship delivery. 

• Develop and manage funding proposals and reporting for agreed grants and workstreams, while the Director leads key funder relationships. 

• Manage project resources carefully, keep budgets and forecasts up to date, and make sure spending supports agreed outcomes.