Employment, Internships & Fellowships

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) works through a robust network of staff, pro bono attorneys, and law students to fill a major gap in access to legal aid for refugees, asylum seekers, and other displaced people.

IRAP is leveraging its volunteers and resources to fight back and ensure that, as a society, we espouse the humanitarian tradition of welcoming those who need refuge. Since its founding in 2008, IRAP has used legal aid, litigation, and advocacy to protect and advance the rights of refugees, both domestically and internationally. IRAP is also committed to developing the next generation of human rights attorneys through its work with law students. The global turn against refugee resettlement coupled with IRAP’s highly effective model has led to a period of rapid expansion to meet new levels of demand. IRAP’s annual budget is $22 million, and its staff has grown to 125 people.

IRAP operates offices in the U.S. (New York, Washington DC), Jordan (Amman), Lebanon (Beirut), and Germany (Berlin).

Job Title: Chief Technology Officer

Organization Headquarters: New York City, NY (Position is hybrid, IRAP asks for the incumbent to be located within commuting distance of any of their five locations: Amman, Beirut, Berlin, DC, or NY) 

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Peers To This Role: Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Director of Organizational Culture, Legal Services Director

Team Composition: Director of Technical Services, Two Technology Systems Managers, one of which is the Data Protection Officer (DPO), Two IT Coordinators and the Salesforce Project Manager

Position Summary:

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is a key member of the senior management team and partners with senior leaders to design and implement a technology vision that is aligned with the interests of the organization and ensures full support for all operations at IRAP.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the CTO is an entrepreneurial individual who provides strategic, collaborative, and tactical leadership for IRAP’s digital media and information technology, engineering, and infrastructure services.

The mandate for this leader will be to ensure that the design, development, and implementation of infrastructure services, enterprise IT, digital media management, engineering, and content distribution requirements are fulfilled while developing and maintaining the IT budget.

Key Selection Criteria:

• Experience developing and operationalizing a global technology strategy, vision, and executable roadmap.
• Experience enabling a rapidly growing mission-driven organization or an organization of similar values through technology. 
• Executive level management of a technology program, to include hands-on project and product management, of systems design and integration experience and management of consulting and vendor relationships.
• Experience with Salesforce integrations is required. Design, implementation, and successful rollout a global Salesforce ecosystem is preferred.  
• Expertise managing security and privacy compliance and risk to include GDPR.

Specific Responsibilities:

Technology Strategy:

• Collaborate with senior management, global leaders, and both internal and external users in developing and evolving IRAP’s overall technology prioritization and path forward.
• Gather details about current operational requirements of constituents throughout the organization.  Gain an understanding of current tech stack and the desired business purpose technology will serve. Articulate the “Art of the Possible” by providing expertise and counsel regarding technology infrastructure.
• Develop and implement both a short and long-term technology roadmap whilst defining technology governance standards, create best-in-class production and distribution capabilities, and managing internal and external technology partnerships.
• Participate in collaborative budgeting for software applications, enterprise information technology, information security and engineering.
• Oversee the IT infrastructure, hosting, and applications while providing thought leadership in innovation and strategy regarding future anticipated technological developments to support and enable IRAP’s growth as an organization. 
• Propel current technological platform (Salesforce) throughout the organization to create integration of as many as possible systems on one global platform. 
• Communicate frequently and consistently the strategic long-term vision of the technology department across IRAP. Ensure the entire organization understands the “why” behind the “what and when”.

Collaborative Leadership:

• Advocate for technology across the organization and provide org-wide education on the department’s goals.
• Collaboratively work across the organization to ensure a high level of communication, understanding, and customer satisfaction for technology projects. 
• Serve as an advisor to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) which is the organization’s senior decision-making body.
• Strategize and participate in communication sessions across IRAP that focus on the strategy, roadmap, and timeline for technology projects as well as cross-functional collaboration.
• Develop and maintain an understanding of all areas of the organization and each department’s current and future technology needs. 
• Manage relationships with external partners, vendors, and contractors to ensure timely response and service delivery. 
• Provide counsel to senior leadership and other departmental heads across the organization in all technology-related matters.
• Ability to dilute complex technological information into digestible language to ensure clear communication and expectations across the organization in an inclusive and respectful manner.

Operations and Engineering:

• Oversee the advancement of the software, security, and infrastructure architecture that supports and enhances the IRAP mission both internally and externally.
• Establish and oversee IT goals and timelines for project integration, upgrades, and new systems.  
• Lead a systems and technology team that operates at the highest level to support the infrastructure of the organization, fostering sound organizational practices, cost-effectiveness, and accountability. 
  • Manage cross-functional global teams to ensure that the IT operational requirements are fulfilled to include fully integrated systems and data reporting.
  • Lead a global technology team to ensure IRAP’s organization-wide daily operational requirements are fulfilled including IT network security and integrity, and digital media operations—among others.
• Establish and drive all global cybersecurity and technology governance practices, processes, and controls in accordance with relevant privacy and security regulations including GDPR.
• Establish, communicate, and maintain all technology best practices and standards, including those related to software, hardware, cloud services, data collection/retention, and data privacy management to internal management as well as to all internal teams as well as outside consultants.
• Develop standards and practices while overseeing business continuity and recovery systems for natural disasters, political uncertainty, and any other unforeseen events that could affect operations.
• Build and maintain the operational tools, resources, and processes needed to provide appropriate availability, scalability, and service levels across all technology services and infrastructure.

Management:

• Ability to collaborate on the formation of a technology budget to support the growing needs of IRAP as a global organization.
• Prior leadership experience managing and developing a technology team of 6-10 staff.
• Provide direction, give guidance, and hold people accountable throughout the department.
• Develop and maintain qualified, diverse talent through appropriate hiring, staff development and training, and timely performance feedback.
• Foster a creative and productive work environment; attract and retain talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; be widely viewed as a strong developer of others.
• Identify and implement processes and systems to facilitate the effective workflow of projects amongst various internal departments.
• Actively participate in the audit process both for technology and the enterprise.
• Solid understanding of current application development tools, practices, and operating systems.
• Proven experience in managing information technology and operations functions from a financial and managerial point of view.
• Ability to implement excellent customer service-based processes.
• Negotiation experience with clients, vendors, and technology business partners.
• Executive presence and communication practiced with donors and fundraising organizations to bring in additional funds for the technology department.

Qualifications:

• BA/BS or equivalent work experience; candidates with a technical, IT, and/or Business Postgraduate degree are preferred.
• MBA with focus on technical and/or IT Management is a plus.
• A minimum of 10+ years of work experience, with 3+ years in an executive-level technology leadership position.
• A minimum of 5 years of leadership and supervisory experience.
• Experience with Salesforce integrations.  Global Salesforce design, implementation and successful rollout and maintenance is highly preferable. 
• Previous technology, legal, and/or cybersecurity experience within a non-profit is strongly preferred.
• At least 3 years’ experience with security and privacy systems.
• Previous utilization of philanthropic fundraising and/or experience working with technology pro-bono organizations is preferred.
• Experience with leading multiple projects from end to end, being accountable throughout lifecycle.
• Cross-cultural and departmental collaboration on projects to assess and address technological needs.
• International technological experience providing a global lens on technology services.
• Previous experience building out the infrastructure of a department and restructuring as needed to support the needs of the organization/business is needed. 

Personal Characteristics Desired:

• Knowledge of or experience/interest in refugee safety, having been impacted by dislocation in an international capacity a plus.
• Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to gain consensus with internal and external individuals and stakeholders at all levels with diplomacy and integrity.
• Deals professionally and courteously with contentious issues in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Neutralizes operational tensions with a “do it right the first time” attitude. Sees resistance to change as an opportunity to innovate and implement practical solutions. 
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; leads with strong diplomatic attention to detail.
• Ability to juggle a variety of tasks and multiple projects and to adjust priorities on short notice, while consistently meeting production and/or transmission deadlines.
• Ability to manage internal and external stakeholders’ expectations on projects.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work both independently and within a team.
• Creativity and flexibility are key.
• Be a transparent and patient leader that can implement accountability and skill learning to streamline all projects.
• Ability to synthetize information quickly and use an iterative approach.
• Solution-oriented mindset.

IRAP staff come from very diverse backgrounds, but all have one thing in common; they believe in their mission and the service they provide to displaced refugees.

IRAP believes that diversity is critical to fostering a strong workplace and serving their clients well. They strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities that they serve, members of other marginalized communities, and individuals whose identities are underrepresented in the legal profession.

If Interested & Qualified, Contact: Stanton Chase Director Talent Acquisition 

Tracy Ferry

Cell: (724) 728-6134

Email: t.ferry@stantonchase.com

Abbey Corona

Cell: (443) 686-2713

Email: a.corona@stantonchase.com

To view this position in a separate tab, click here.

IRAP’s Model:
Driven by the experiences and needs of displaced people, IRAP’s work integrates legal aid, strategic litigation, policy advocacy, media advocacy, and legal information to uphold and advance the rights of people seeking safety around the world. With offices in the United States, Jordan, Lebanon, and Germany, and an extensive network of pro bono attorneys, student advocates, and partners, IRAP works to maximize the reach of its global legal assistance and advocacy. IRAP is an adaptive organization built to respond to rapidly evolving human displacement events. The organization collaborates with clients and partners to identify gaps in support for displaced people that IRAP is positioned to fill through its direct legal services, legal knowledge sharing, and systemic advocacy.

Mission:
IRAP is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.

IRAP’s Impact:
Since the organization’s founding in 2008, IRAP has:
● Provided free legal aid to more than 40,000 clients from over 100 countries.
● Achieved litigation victories benefiting, and standing to benefit, more than 493,000 displaced people and their families.
● Engaged in policy advocacy that has protected and expanded pathways to safety in the United States for approximately 370,000 people.
● Reached nearly 204,000 people through its legal information website offering digital self-help legal resources in multiple languages.
● Connected with more than 29,400 people seeking information about pathways to safety through its automated chatbot.
● Built a network of more than 6,300 pro bono attorneys and student volunteers advocating for displaced people’s rights.

Looking Ahead:
Over the next five years, IRAP will scale its coordinated legal aid and advocacy model to help an estimated 2.5 million displaced people worldwide access pathways to safe resettlement. Building on the organization’s commitment to client-centered legal assistance and responsive, accessible legal information, IRAP is working to fill gaps in services for displaced people through a robust digital legal resources platform and an expanded global network of partners in new geographies. Learn more about The Audacious Project and our efforts to multiply our impact: https://refugeerights.org/audacious

The Role:
Location: New York City, NY; Washington, D.C.; Berlin, Germany; Amman, Jordan; and/or Beirut, Lebanon
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (Becca Heller)
Direct Reports: Chief Development Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Director of Organizational Culture

Serving as an integral member of the Executive Leadership Team, the President will partner with the CEO in leading and advancing IRAP’s mission in alignment with the organizational values and priorities set forth in IRAP’s current strategic plan, as well as steering future strategic planning processes. They will be responsible for providing executive oversight, guidance, and leadership to the teams that manage all internal operations, organizational culture, and development, as well as supporting the CEO and Board of Directors on external matters, including fundraising, public engagements, and media. The President will lead the direction and coordination of IRAP’s strategic plan and future planning process, as well as day-to-day organizational and financial management strategy, in pursuit of achieving the organization’s strategic goals. In addition to the strategic components of the position, the President will play crucial roles in internal communications, bridging between teams/departments and coordination throughout the organization. They will be charged with establishing, improving, and implementing more sophisticated, efficient, and transparent decision-making, communications, and information sharing systems throughout the organization.

Key Responsibilities:
Strategy and Leadership
• Partner with and support the CEO in the overall oversight and management of the organization.
• Lead the implementation of IRAP’s current strategic plan; hold direct responsibility for developing and managing an accountability framework to evaluate progress, including building cross-departmental synergies and improved coordination.
• Develop future strategic planning processes for the organization, defining strategic goals and objectives that will inform current and future decision-making.
• Cultivate the values and support the culture work of IRAP, centering anti-oppression and DEIA.
• Drive and support change management across the organization.
• Manage organizational structure and serve as thought partner for organizational strategy and growth, including timing/planning of significant initiatives.
• Facilitate effective and transparent decision-making, coordination, and communication on the Executive Leadership Team, and serve as a bridge between the Executive Leadership Team and the rest of the organization.
• Improve and maintain a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, learning, and commitment to quality, that is centered on transparency, collaboration, trust, and interconnectedness.
• Provide leadership and guidance to the Executive Leadership Team.
• Cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with the CEO and Board of Directors, and ensure open communication about operational, development, and culture performance.

Team Development/Leadership
• Promote and model a culture of communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across departments, teams, geographies, and at all levels of the organization.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, decision-making and accountability, knowledge, and learning that values a commitment to quality.
• Support the development and mentoring of staff using a supportive, inspirational, and collaborative approach.
• Ensure staff members receive timely and appropriate training and development.
• Support the Executive Leadership Team in establishing and maintaining high performance standards on their teams, as well as achieving their own professional development goals.
• Lead an overall effort to ensure that operating practices support an inclusive and equitable work environment, including by supporting IRAP’s dynamic remote work structure, and ensuring policies are employee-focused, support staff ability to thrive, reduce the effects of burnout on staff, and ensure values are expressed in everyday practices.

External Relations and Resource Development
• Supervise the Chief Development Officer and support the development and implementation of a short- and long-term fundraising plan, with a focus on supporting growth and sustainability; prioritizing new opportunities for expansion/outreach that include campaigns around particular issues; utilizing the Board of Directors and their networks; and expanding size/diversity of IRAP’s major donor pool, including by demographics, geography, and areas of interest.
• Work with the Chief Development Officer to evolve the department to match the needs of a growing organization, including staffing planning, strategic planning and DEIA advancement, and other structural changes, including implementation of a new CRM.
• Support the development department and CEO in building and, as deployed by the fundraising team, developing donor relationships by engaging, cultivating, and stewarding as needed.
• Represent IRAP externally in strategically-aligned external forums, including publications, conferences, speaking engagements, and media. • Effectively communicate IRAP’s vision, mission, and strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
• Supervise the Chief Operating Officer and serve as a thought partner for the Operations Team Leads to ensure that IRAP’s infrastructure is functioning at the level needed to support IRAP’s organizational, staff, and programmatic growth.
• Work with the CFO to advise the CEO, Board, and other leaders on key resource allocation, financial planning, budgeting, cash flow, investment priorities, and policy matters.
• Working closely with the CFO and other appropriate organizational leaders, align annual budget and long-term financial plans to key strategic organizational priorities.

Organizational Culture and DEIA
• Supervise the Director of Organizational Culture and collaborate on building a robust department that serves IRAP’s resiliency, change management, DEIA, and professional development needs.
• Ensure that DEIA goals in the organization are met and that the needs of staff at all levels are heard and appropriately responded to.
• Work with the Director of Organizational Culture and other staff on maintaining a high level of organizational ethical responsibility, including ensuring the widespread adoption of practices and procedures developed internally such as ethical vendor procurement policies and best practices for staff input.

The Person:
Skills & Experience
• Minimum 15 years of mission-driven experience, including 5+ years in an international nonprofit leadership role and clear progressive development of the skill-sets outlined below.
• Significant work experience in multiple countries or regions and a proven ability to lead in a multicultural, multinational, multisite setting. • Experience engaging in and/or working directly on forced displacement issues and migrant pathways (through personal lived experience as a refugee or forced migrant, humanitarian relief efforts, legal advocacy, or other relevant engagements) would be highly beneficial.
• Experience working with governments and multilateral institutions such as the United Nations would be beneficial.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface and communicate with senior leadership, IRAP’s Board of Directors, and staff.
• Prior experience leading teams through a period of fast, successful growth, and creating systems and building infrastructure to support that growth.
• Passion for excellence; prior success facilitating transformative organizational evolution.
• Experience successfully developing and executing an advanced fundraising strategy that builds upon the strengths and assets of a global organization while staying mission focused.
• Record of innovative and sustainable fundraising from corporations, high net worth individuals, and foundations, with proven results.
• Strong interpersonal skills and direct experience building relationships in international, multicultural environments.
• Solutions-focused with strong, creative problem-solving skills; results-oriented with a proven ability to work under pressure and solve problems in a fast-paced environment
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Superb attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Strong mentoring, coaching experience to a team with diverse levels of expertise.
• Superior management and leadership skills; ability to uplift, influence, and engage direct/indirect reports, peers, and staff.
• Energetic, flexible, adaptable, collaborative, and proactive; a team leader who will listen and hear, and can positively and productively impact both strategic and tactical organizational initiatives.

Values Alignment
● Commitment to IRAP’s mission to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge.
● Demonstrated passion for, and personal investment in/accountability around, actively living IRAP’s values centered on anti-oppression and DEIA, safety, humility, and adaptiveness – throughout internal and external communications and relationships, work, and decision-making.
● Ability to build collegial, productive relationships with team members, donors, and institutional partners, through the lens of organizational values.

Languages:
● Fluency in English
● Professional proficiency in Arabic, German and/or the languages of our clients would be beneficial

Compensation:
● Salary range: $247,000 to $300,000 based on experience.
● IRAP offers a generous benefits package including 100% of all premiums for medical insurance, 401k employer match, parental leave, generous paid time off and a wellness reimbursement (additional detail at https://refugeerights.org/get-involved/careers)

Travel:
• 20% travel, including annual visits to each of IRAP’s offices.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access:
IRAP is actively committed to being an equitable and anti-racist organization. We believe that diversity is critical to fostering a strong workplace and serving our clients well. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities that we serve, members of other marginalized communities, and individuals whose identities are underrepresented in the legal profession.

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact:

Tory Clarke Partner, Bridge Partners: tory.clarke@bridgepartnersllc.com
Janet Albert Partner, Bridge Partners: janet.albert@bridgepartnersllc.com

Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis, so we urge your prompt consideration of this impactful leadership role.