The posting
Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?
If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.
At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering.
If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today.
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.
Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.
POSITION SUMMARY:
World Relief Memphis seeks a Family Integration Specialist to engage, equip, and connect volunteers and their families to immigrant families. This is a new position developed as a hands-on, highly relational coach deeply embedded in the life of the local church and immigrant community, walking alongside volunteers and clients to foster meaningful, cross-cultural relationships that support the flourishing and belonging of immigrant families, while cultivating mutual respect, cultural humility and transformation. The Family Engagement Specialist will equip and coach volunteers to build relationships with their immigrant neighbors based on presence and proximity, life and family experiences, and mutual learning to support social integration through reflective and experiential learning opportunities and programming centered around immigrant moms/caregivers and their children. These activities are intentionally designed to enable volunteers to bring along their children as a way in which to deepen social integration and mutual relationships and create spaces for belonging and community among local families.
Hybrid Schedule (80% in office, 20% WFH)
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Speak at and participate in events hosted by the local church network to share about the work of World Relief Memphis through the Family Integration Program
- Collaborate with local churches to explore and develop opportunities for partnership that deepen volunteer and church engagement with the refugee and immigrant community
- Host and participate in fundraising events to support the Family Integration Program and World Relief Memphis
- Connect with volunteer, lay and church leaders through 1:1 meetings and other small group style meetings to engage volunteers in relational immigrant ministry
- Launch and develop a Women of Welcome Memphis chapter with at least 1-2 volunteer leaders
- Coordinates regularly with the Church and Community Engagement Team to ensure alignment with CCE strategies, partnership development and management, and success across its goals
- Develop contextualized awareness and training presentations to share about WRM, its programs and the current landscape of immigration and refugee issues in collaboration with CCE staff
- Equip and develop volunteers through initial book study, experiential learning and modeling opportunities, Women of Welcome gatherings and regular coaching
- Accompany volunteers during initial home visits to immigrant families to model relational engagement and promote cross-cultural friendship
- Mentor and disciple volunteers as they integrate their own families into consistent and mutual relationships and shared experiences with immigrant families
- Facilitate initial and ongoing volunteer development through regular book clubs (likely quarterly), group discussions and other reflective learning environments, experiential learning and modeling opportunities, and Women of Welcome gatherings
- Provide regular one-on-one coaching, encouragement, and problem-solving support for volunteers
- Cultivate a welcoming, safe, and inclusive community that emphasizes mutual learning and belonging between both immigrant client and volunteer families.
- Pair volunteers with client families and participate in initial home or community visits.
- Maintain regular, intentional contact with client families to listen to their stories, adjust programs to their needs, and build trust.
- Formalize, develop and maintain the early childhood services piloted through previous Flourishing Families programming
- Maintain a strong working knowledge of any relevant public or private funding streams in order to ensure compliance and support quality and effective programming
- Lead the operational coordination of the Family Integration program, including:
- Match participating immigrant clients with volunteers to promote social integration through ongoing, mutual relationships focused on practical daily, functional, emotional, spiritual and social domains of life;
- Delegate volunteer roles for program days (e.g., welcome & sign-in, hospitality, ESL, crafts, circle time, playtime);
- Support the planning and execution of special programming (e.g., summer Kickstart events) and monthly community social events/outings.
- Coordinate with Integrate Adult Education staff and other WRM staff needed to implement ESL and other classes as needed
- Develop and document curriculum, standard operating procedures and other written guidance for new programming
- Ensure accurate documentation to support case management and data management consistent with WRM policy and procedures.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Mature and personal Christian faith
- Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
- Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
- Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document
- Valid drivers license, access to reliable vehicle and ability to pass MVR standards
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, intercultural studies or related field required
- 3 years’ experience working cross-culturally and in partnership with immigrant or refugee communities
- 2-3 years' experience working in relational volunteer models
- Demonstrate strong cultural fluency as well as excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to anticipate audience-specific communication needs and support the execution of these needs
- Proficiency in Microsoft programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook and a willingness to learn other software as required
- Ability to manage competing priorities
- Advanced problem-solving and planning skills, with ability and openness to operate in ambiguity
- Capable of working independently and in a team-based environment
- Strong interpersonal, organizational, and execution skills, including the ability to build trust among diverse and cross-cultural stakeholders
- Ability to work some evenings and weekends necessary to role and responsibilities
World Relief offers a competitive benefits package and employee discount program for full-time employees.
World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.
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Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
