About the role

As Network Coordinator, you will play a key role in strengthening and expanding the Refugee Employment Network (REN). Working closely with the CEO, you will support its growth by improving engagement with network members, ultimately enhancing employment outcomes for refugee talent and strengthening hiring practices across UK businesses.

You will collaborate with network partners, experts by experience, businesses, and refugee support organisations to convene and facilitate meetings, working groups, training, and advisory boards that share best practices, pilot initiatives, and build skills to enhance refugee employment.

Additionally, you will represent REN at events, speaking on the barriers refugees face in accessing work, and contribute to the delivery of impactful projects and programmes.

Purpose of the role

• Strengthen the Refugee Employment Network by delivering events and opportunities for members to share knowledge, best practices, and collaborate on initiatives to advance refugee employment.
• Support refugees in accessing fulfilling employment that matches their skills,  qualifications and experience, and employers to access refugee talent through REN’s Refugee Jobs Board, mentoring programmes and Refugee Job Fairs
• Ensure the smooth administration of REN, including project and organisational admin, event planning and coordination, communications with network members, and managing job board listings.

We’re seeking a highly organised, detail-oriented individual with strong event planning, facilitation, and communication skills. If you’re passionate about social justice, refugee employment rights, and movement building, this role is for you.

Key responsibilities

1. Member Engagement: 

• Act as the key point of contact for REN members, providing timely responses and support.
• Ensure all member information is captured and kept up to date on our database and website
• Organise meetings and networking opportunities to facilitate relationships, share learning, and collaboration on employability skills workshops, job fairs, and mentoring projects.
• Provide clear communications to participants, members and partners through emails, website copy and newsletters.

2. Event Coordination: 

• Coordinate a calendar of events, including job fairs, member meet-ups, an annual conference and training sessions, managing project timelines, registration, and evaluation.
• Provide logistical and administrative support for events, Job Fairs, workshops, and member activities including bookings, delegate lists, venue coordination and catering.
• Attend and facilitate in-person and online events, representing the Refugee Employment Network and welcoming participants and partners.

3. Mentoring Projects:

• Coordinate the day to day running of mentoring projects, including reviewing mentee and mentor applications, matching mentors with mentees and being the first point of contact for all mentors and mentees.
• Design and deliver mentoring training, guides, and toolkits to ensure impactful mentoring experiences.
• Monitor and capture impact through surveys, focus groups, drop- sessions, impact reports and case studies

4. Jobs Board administration: 

• Regularly upload job opportunities to the Refugee Jobs Board and serve as the first point of contact for employers, recruiters, and job seekers.
• Work closely with the CEO on the digital development of the jobs board

5. Administration & Database Management: 

• Maintain accurate records and manage project data to support programme development, insights and data gathering and sharing.
• Provide the day-to-day administration of Refugee Employment Network’s projects, membership, events and jobs board.

6. Communications and Impact: 

• Create clear and compelling communication through the website, newsletters, and social media platforms.
• Create case studies and social media content that shows the impact of our work, raises the profile of the Refugee Employment Network and showcases network members work in advancing refugee employment in the UK
• Collect and analyse data to develop impact reports demonstrating the effectiveness of REN’s work.

Person specification

While prior experience in the specific tasks outlined below is an advantage, we welcome candidates with transferable skills and a strong willingness to learn and adapt. Additionally, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all the requirements that are listed within the person specification. We value experience from paid or voluntary roles, in the UK or overseas. 

Candidates will be short-listed on the following specifications:

Essential – Key skills and experience needed to succeed in the role.

Relationship building and partner engagement: 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and communicate clearly and responsively with external partners, community organisations, and diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in customer service, community engagement, movement building, or membership coordination is highly valued but not essential.

Project Coordination:

• Experience or strong interest in overseeing projects, including planning, timelines, administration, and reporting.
• Ability to recruit, train, and support volunteers and project participants, ensuring effective communication and support.
• Strong organisational skills to manage project lifecycles, prioritise tasks, and adapt to changing needs.

Event Planning and Logistics:

• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and coordinate events (in-person and online) such as workshops, meetings and training sessions.
• Experience in planning, marketing, and facilitating events, including logistics like Zoom, Eventbrite, venue hire, catering, and accessibility considerations.
• Strong organisational, multitasking, and problem-solving skills from professional or voluntary roles.

Administration and Database Management: 

• Ability to maintain accurate records, manage databases, and perform day-to-day administrative tasks.
• Attention to detail and prior administrative experience.

Commitment to REN’s Mission: 

• Passionate about advancing refugee rights and supporting REN’s goals of improving employment opportunities for refugees in the UK.

Desirable – Helpful additional skills, but not required.

Understanding barriers and structural inequality : 

• Insight into the systemic barriers refugees and inequality refugees face in accessing employment, with lived experience highly valued.

Communications: 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with proficiency in English to provide clear advice and guidance.
• Experience in content creation or marketing, and confidence in public speaking is desirable.

Digital Skills: 

• Ability to use digital tools to improve workflows, manage projects, and collaborate effectively. Willingness to learn and adapt to new platforms.

Facilitation: 

• Experience in convening and facilitating diverse groups to foster collaboration and equitable participation.
• Commitment to creating inclusive, accessible spaces that empower people to share their expertise and insights.

Equity and inclusion at the Refugee Employment Network

The Refugee Employment Network values equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and we encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity status, or socio-economic background.

We believe it is essential to improve the representation of people with lived experience, a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system in the UK in our organisation. We are striving to build a team reflective of the communities we work with. People with refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds are experts by experience and are particularly encouraged to apply for this position. Please note that candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

We respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and do not expect candidates to describe their lived experience during the interview process unless they wish to do so.

How to apply

Information Session

We are offering a 30-minute Zoom information session on Thursday 20 February, between 9.30am – 10am for those interested in learning more about the Refugee Employment Network, the Network Coordinator role, and the application process.

Please note: Attending the information session is optional and not required to apply for the role.

• Privacy: Your data will be stored securely, treated confidentially, and deleted after the session.
• Anonymity: You may sign up and attend anonymously; we only need your email to send the Zoom link.

Application, CV and Cover Letter

To apply, please complete the application via this Typeform by 5pm on Sunday, 2 March. You will be asked to upload your CV and a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) when completing the Typefrom application.

In your cover letter, please outline how you meet the criteria listed above and how your experience is relevant to the role. We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all the requirements listed in the person specification. We value experience from both paid and voluntary roles, in the UK or overseas, and encourage you to demonstrate your passion for the role, as well as the unique perspectives and skills you bring.

Email Hello@refugeeemploymentnetwork.org if you have any questions.

Support for Experts by Experience

The Refugee Employment Network is a proud member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network. If you are an expert by experience (a refugee or a migrant with direct, first-hand experience of issues and challenges of the UK asylum or immigration system), you can ask for an independent and confidential support for your job application from the Experts by Experience Employment Network (www.ebeemployment.org.uk). Please complete this form to request support and they will confirm if they can match you with a mentor to support your application.

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