Senior Program Officer, Resettlement

Contract (May 1st to December 18, 2026)

40 hours per week

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 12 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 supports LGBTQI individuals seeking safety to access government resettlement pathways 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 qualified individual for a full-time, short-term contract position who 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 our help.

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 Resettlement Pathways.

Key Responsibilities [not inclusive of all tasks required in the role]:

Case Management

• Assess and triage beneficiaries' eligibility for Resettlement in Canada under the Government-assisted Refugees stream;
• Prepare the Resettlement application package as per Guide for Convention Refugees and Humanitarian-Protected Persons Abroad (IMM 6000)
• Reviewing the Resettlement application packages prepared by other team members
• Assess and review responses to IRCC regarding requests for additional supporting documents, and updated or missing forms. 
• Assess the reasons for refusal, recommend strategies, and prepare letters of reconsideration when applicable.
• Maintain accurate and updated records and case notes in the database (Salesforce)
• Conduct regular check-ins and provide regular updates to beneficiaries about their case progress;
• Ensuring rigour and subjectivity in your daily work in the context of difficult situations.
• Support the Director of Resettlement Pathways to assist with arising issues. 

Partnerships

• Maintain quality relationships with partner organizations and human rights defenders in countries where we frequently execute resettlement operations from;
• Work with domestic and international partner organizations to directly support our case individuals;
• Work in tandem with the team’s Coordinator to ensure the workflow and task execution. 

Reporting and tracking

• Creation of regular reports on case progress;
• Adding report documents to Salesforce;
• Maintaining and updating tracking documents (Salesforce, Evidence Documents);
• Regular updates on the project’s status, including the challenges and suggested solutions.

Qualifications

• Licensed Canadian Immigration Lawyer, or a graduate from an accredited law school in Canada, or
• Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC) or a Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law, or
• A paralegal or a graduate from a legal education program in Ontario, or equivalent professional experience;
• Minimum three years of work experience in refugee law in Canada 
• Practical knowledge of the Refugee resettlement and/or the Private Sponsorship of Refugees process 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 are required- knowledge of SalesForce is an asset;
• Commitment and support of the LGBTQI+ community in Canada and internationally;
• Professional experience with program monitoring and evaluation, specifically quantitative data-driven development analysis, is an asset;
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team. As travelling may be necessary, flexibility with working in transit and remotely is an asset;
• Flexibility to work on a hybrid work schedule (work from home and from office) and to work extra hours when needed;
• A versatile, skilled, and effective communicator is required. Demonstrable evidence of strong written communication skills an asset;
• Knowledge learned through personal experience is considered an asset

Lines of Communication

Reports to the Director of Resettlement Pathways

Supports the work and strategy of the management team

This role may require travel internationally - travel needs will be discussed with the Director of Resettlement Pathways and Human Resources when opportunities arise.

Application Deadline – April 17, 2026

Length of Contract – Full-Time, Contract (May 1st to December 18, 2026)

Total Contract Compensation- $45,000

Application Process - Please submit your application through the portal link here on Collage

Rainbow Railroad is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the 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. Please email hire@rainbowrailroad.org for inquiries.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however we will only be contacting those selected for next steps.