Manager for Migration Accompaniment Ministry (PL&W)

Overview

An agency of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Life & Witness is called as a partner to convene, connect, equip, and empower the whole church as disciples journeying toward God’s wholeness¹—in the PC(USA) and beyond. 

Presbyterian Life & Witness of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), based in Louisville, Kentucky, serve with mid-councils, congregations, worshipping communities, and partner organizations to enact the mission of Jesus Christ in the world. Approximately 350 individuals, diverse in race, age, gender, sexual orientation, faith, skills, and more, come together as colleagues to work for a world where justice reigns, peace prevails, and God’s love extends to all people. This community comprises the staff of national entities: Presbyterian Life & Witness, the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, Presbyterian Women, and the Administrative Services Group.

Position Purpose:

The Manager for Migration Accompaniment Ministry (Ministry with Immigrants) will lead and support the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s humanitarian and justice-focused response to refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants, with a deepened focus on the impact of recent shifts in U.S. immigration policy. 

The role is a deployed position, requiring quarterly U.S. travel and occasional international travel.

We are looking for someone who embodies PL&W’s institutional values: a learner who stays curious and grows from every encounter; nimble enough to adapt as the church navigates change; courageous in relationship development and prophetic witness; and trustworthy in actions and relationships.

Roles and Responsibilities (list in order of priority):

1. Assess and Advise on Refugee and Asylum Engagement: 

• Monitor the evolving immigration landscape, including U.S. asylum policy, enforcement trends, international displacement crises, and humanitarian statuses. 
• Collaborate with Office of Immigration Issues and Office of Public Witness to provide timely and coordinated. 
• Advise PDA/IUA staff, and the PDA Advisory Committee, on emerging needs and priorities for PCUSA engagement with refugees, asylees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

2. Strengthening Integration:

• Act as a primary bridge between PDA, the Office of Immigration Issues (OII), the Office of Public Witness and other ministries of PL&W to ensure cohesive and coordinated strategies and responses. 
• Actively engage and consult with Intercultural Congregational Associates to support and resource congregations directly connected to migrant and immigrant communities in the PC(USA). 
• Work alongside Office of Immigration Issues and others to design training, accompaniment tools, and theological reflection resources rooted in Reformed theology and justice.

3. Supervise Mission Associate

• Supervise the Migration Accompaniment Ministry Associate for Domestic Refugee Ministries, ensuring necessary training, support, and integration into PDA/MAM’s broader mission.
• This includes adapting to the emerging structures of Presbyterian Life & Witness and maintaining collaboration with the Migration Round Table or successor coordinating body.

4. Grantmaking: 

• Oversee and ensure effective administration of grantmaking to domestic refugee situations, serving as point of contact for grant applications, convening grant teams to review and communicate approvals. Work with other PDA staff to ensure the grants are processed and funds are transferred. Track grant deadlines for reporting. 
• Working with the Associate for International Program Administration and the PDA International Grants Team, identify potential grant opportunities to respond to refugee crises and internally displaced people outside the U.S., vetting new grant partners, reviewing grant proposals and providing technical assistance.

5. Lead Special Projects and Stakeholder Engagement: 

• Develop and lead special projects as necessary to respond to emerging needs, changes in U.S. laws, and global refugee situations. 
• Pilot new approaches to refugee ministry and ensure opportunities for ongoing dialogue with local churches, refugees, asylum seekers, ecumenical partners, and other stakeholders to inform program development, coordination, and implementation.

6. Deepen Advocacy and Public Witness: 

• Collaborate with Office of Public Witness and Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations to amplify the church’s advocacy voice in Washington, D.C., and at the United Nations on migration justice, refugee rights, and global displacement. 
• Participate in advocacy campaigns and mobilize Presbyterians for public action in alignment with GA policy and lived congregational realities. Contribute to drafting, statements, and alerts addressing root causes of forced migration, immigration detention, and border justice.

7. Public Speaking and Educational Resources: 

• Lead the development of educational and communication resources, including workshops, adult education curricula, toolkits, study guides, and downloadable/print materials to support congregational engagement with refugees and asylees. 
• Represent PL&W/PDA through public speaking at churches, mid council gatherings, and other venues to inspire and equip PCUSA's ministry with refugees and asylees. 
• Collaborate with PDA Communications staff to produce blog posts, web content, social media updates, and funds development materials for PDA's online presence. 
• Partner with PDA Story Ministry to create film and video resources.

Essential Position Requirements:

• BA, required, Master’s degree preferred, and/or commensurate life/professional experience Theological training or equivalent life experience/competency
• 3 years experience in refugee/asylum service and advocacy, connection with ecumenical and interfaith partners in refugee and asylum networks
•  Management of refugee and asylum programs in the field 
• Supervisory and team building skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Networking
• Self-starter and comfortable doing multiple tasks
• Ecumenical experience and understanding
• Program development and evaluation
• Competency with Microsoft Office programs, including PowerPoint. Zoom and Teams for hosting on-line meetings and Teams for hosting on-line meetings and webinars
• Experienced facilitator and effective listening

Physical Requirements:  Able to travel long distances, sometimes remote locations

Helpful Skills:

• The ability to use English and another language.
• Have a deep understanding and commitment to cultural and racial ethnic inclusiveness. Values diverse groups, ethnicities, genders, communities, cultural constituencies and points of view. Able to relate well to people from all walks of life and of varying theological perspectives. 

Required Competencies:

Collaborative: Works together in an inclusive community, invites input, shares ideas and seeks the best ways to accomplish common goals.

Accountable: Takes responsibility for actions and works with integrity, transparency and love.

Responsive: Responds to the voices and needs of the church by being timely, helpful, enthusiastic and mission-centered.

Cultural Proficiency: Understands and values differences in various cultures within the organization. Manages dynamics of cultural differences within a work group. Adapts to cultural diversity by continuously learning about differences and creates opportunities for staff to learn about one another.

Life / Work Balance: Recognize the importance of rest and renewal and maintain an appropriate balance between work life and personal life by adapting to changing needs at work, taking time to pursue personal interests, seeking others' help and discernment when needed and responding appropriately when they are overcommitted or when faced with stressful or dynamic situations.

Additional Information/Benefits:

We believe a balanced life, with time for work, leisure, and spiritual nurture, makes us healthier and more productive colleagues.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees including Medical, Dental, Pension Plan, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending accounts, 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan, Vacation Days, Sick Days, and Paid Holidays.

Our Commitment:

Our faith in God inspires our commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and is grounded in scripture, the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and actions of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is committed to being not only an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer as defined by the U.S. government, but with the inclusion of gender identity and sexual orientation as well.