Jobs at WRC

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The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we are an equal opportunity employer. We believe social change happens when people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and identities come together with a common purpose.

It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, or disability. All qualified people, including those with lived experience relating to a particular role, are encouraged to apply. The Women’s Refugee Commission is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) is dedicated to protecting and empowering refugee, migrant, stateless, and displaced persons by serving as a witness to their struggles, amplifying their voices, and acting on their recommendations to ensure humanitarian systems better respond to their needs.

At this time of intensified threats and harsh treatment of refugees, migrants, and displaced persons globally, women, children, and youth are bearing the brunt of the impact, as life-changing services are vanishing. In the United States, multipronged immigration enforcement actions have led to mass detention and deportation, family separation, and complicated relations with scores of countries. The crisis is compounded by dramatic funding cuts across the sector and a growing backlash against gender equality that threatens to undo decades of progress.

To meet the growing needs, WRC is intensifying its role, exposing the far-reaching impact of funding and policy shifts, documenting the lived experiences of displaced women and young people, and insisting that their voices and recommendations inform the policies and actions that affect them.

WRC works domestically, regionally, and globally; has an annual operating budget of $5.3 million; and is in a stable financial situation with a healthy reserve. The Executive Director will report to an engaged Board of Directors located around the world and will manage a mid-sized staff that works primarily in New York City and Washington, D.C. in a hybrid work environment.

SCOPE OF WORK

WRC seeks a bold and visionary leader who can guide WRC forward, ensuring that the needs and voices of refugee, displaced, stateless, and migrant women and girls are centered in global humanitarian response and reform. The ideal candidate is a passionate human rights and gender equality champion, collaborator, innovator, and effective communicator who will unite staff, Board, Commissioners, partners, and funders to improve the lives of women and girls around the world through WRC’s life-changing programs, research, and advocacy.

The Executive Director (ED) will lead the organization into its next chapter of impact, building on 36 years of success and a strong and sustainable financial foundation. The ED will have the opportunity to design and implement a new organizational strategy that strengthens WRC’s impact and continues to diversify and increase its funding sources.

The ideal candidate has a track record of uniting individuals around a shared goal and increasing awareness and support for a cause. The strongest candidates authentically and adeptly build and sustain trust while gaining and sharing knowledge about the rapidly changing sector. They are future-focused, thinking creatively and infusing innovation across all program and functional areas with staff and Board. They are accustomed to engaging senior leaders, the media (including traditional and online/digital platforms), and other high-profile audiences. They also have a strong record of engaging with and cultivating a variety of major funders—individual and institutional— and of overseeing implementation of successful fundraising plans.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Leadership

• Refine the WRC strategy, in collaboration with the Board of Directors and with input from staff and key stakeholders, to achieve the desired impact
• Clearly define and communicate WRC’s role, vision, mission, values, and impact across all audiences, programs, and partnerships
• Actively assess relevant trends and drive the organization to adapt accordingly
• Champion and advance the WRC reputation as a leader in research and evidence-based policy

Team Management

• Engage, lead, develop, and mentor the executive team and inspire and empower all staff in the organization to share a collective vision and to set and reach meaningful, mission-driven goals
• Strengthen internal communications and cross-department collaboration to cultivate strong, trusting working relationships at every level
• Ensure organizational growth, excellence, and consistent high-quality management across all functions (programs, finance, fundraising, communications, operations, talent, and marketing), while cultivating professional development opportunities for staff to contribute to the WRC mission and impact

Fundraising and External Relations

• Serve as the lead spokesperson and champion of WRC with funders, partners, and peer organizations, advocating for impact, partnerships, and funding
• Grow and diversify the resources of the organization by developing, cultivating, and deepening relationships with major donors, philanthropic funders, institutional partners, and other potential new sources of revenue through stories of impact, policy results, and a clear strategy for growth

Thought Leadership and Influence

• Serve as the lead external representative for WRC, working to steward and advance WRC’s global reputation as a thought leader and as an essential and effective actor in the field, and growing WRC’s influence with decision-makers, funders, and partners, including governmental, non-governmental decision-makers, the UN, and the broader international community
• Design and implement strategy to advance specific policy and legislative changes to better address migrant and refugee needs and realities
• Leverage the Board, Commissioners, and other key supporters to help advance WRC work and amplify timely issues

Board Development and Engagement

• Partner with individual Board members and the Board as a collective to ensure governance best practices during a critical chapter of organizational growth and change
• Ensure creation and maintenance of policies and procedures for effective governance and clear staff/Board roles (including workflow, decision-making, and communication protocols)
• Leverage Board member capacity to amplify the WRC message with external stakeholders

QUALIFICATIONS

The WRC Search Committee recognizes that not every candidate will bring every element of knowledge, skills, and experience listed below, and welcomes candidates with various experiences.

• Proven executive leadership experience, ideally within a non-profit or humanitarian organization
• Passion for and a deep, authentic commitment to the mission, vision, and values of WRC
• Strong fundraising and external relations skills, with a proven record of cultivating relationships with individual donors, philanthropic funders, and institutional partners to support growth and ensure sustainability
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate and inspire a clear vision both internally and externally
• Demonstrated success in defining and executing organizational growth strategies and experience in adapting and pivoting to ensure impact
• Experience serving in frontline or direct service capacities, with the populations served by WRC preferred
• Understanding and proven experience in financial oversight, including managing budgets, financial statements, and forecasts
• Demonstrated success in team management, including leading, developing, and mentoring executive teams and motivating all staff
• Skilled at setting clear priorities, empowering, inspiring, and holding staff accountable in a hybrid environment
• A track record of leading effective change management efforts that ensure stability and foster an inclusive, collaborative, and transparent culture aligned with WRC’s values
• Experience working closely with a Board of Directors to ensure strong governance, transparent operations, and effective collaboration
• Experience working with government and multilateral organizations preferred
• A deep understanding of global trends impacting refugees, displaced, stateless, and migrant women and children, and a record of thought leadership and influence within the humanitarian, gender equality, refugee, or other relevant sectors
• Experience and understanding of the role of research in advocacy strongly preferred
• Commitment to and interest in following and interpreting trends, pressures, and changes affecting geopolitics

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this role is $275,000 – $320,000, based on experience. This is a full-time position offering a comprehensive benefits package, which includes medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage, as well as paid time off and a 401K matching plan. This position can be based in New York City or Washington, DC in a hybrid environment with frequent travel. This role requires work authorization in the US.

LOCATION

New York, NY or Washington, D.C.

Significant travel required

HOW TO APPLY

Women’s Refugee Commission has retained the executive search firm LeaderFit to lead this search. Candidates should share a resume and a brief cover letter outlining their interest in the role and upload it to the LeaderFit system through the link below.

At LeaderFit, all candidate materials are reviewed by experienced humans—never by AI. We believe that evaluating leadership potential, lived experience, and alignment with mission and culture requires human judgment, insight, and care. We leverage AI in other ways to ensure efficiency, optimized research, and allowing LeaderFit staff to focus on what humans do best, which is connecting, engaging, and building community.

APPLY FOR THIS JOB

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and we are an equal opportunity employer. We believe social change happens when people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and identities come together with a common purpose.

It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital status, veteran status or disability. All qualified people, including those with lived experience relating to a particular role, are encouraged to apply. The Women’s Refugee Commission is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

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Program Overview 

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) invites applications for an eight-month research fellowship designed to support mid-career researchers exploring critical questions at the intersection of gender, displacement, and humanitarian systems. This program centers the leadership and knowledge of displaced women and seeks to generate research that challenges conventional humanitarian approaches and promotes inclusive, feminist alternatives.

Fellows will receive financial support, research guidance, and opportunities for peer learning and collaboration with WRC staff and a cohort of fellow researchers.

Program Duration: Eight months (March 2026 – October 2026)

Fellowship Support Includes:

• Research stipend
• Research support from WRC staff
• Peer learning and cohort support
• Opportunities to present findings at convenings and publish through WRC platforms

Eligibility 

We are seeking early to mid-career women researchers who:

• Have completed or are currently enrolled in a graduate degree (Master’s or PhD) in a related field (International Studies, Political Science, Gender Studies, Public Health, Sociology, Anthropology, etc.)  and have 3-10 years of research experience

• Have lived experience of displacement, forced migration, or statelessness

• Demonstrate commitment to participatory, community-centered research methodologies

• Have experience working with or conducting research in displacement, migration, or humanitarian contexts

• Are fluent in English.

Women are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet all listed eligibility requirements. 

Ideal candidates will also:

• Have experience translating research into policy influence and advocacy

• Have strong skills in writing for various audiences and stakeholders

• Be proficient in MS Office Suite and qualitative or quantitative data analysis software
• Bring a gender justice lens to their work

Research Focus Areas

Fellows will pursue original research on one of the following themes, or propose an alternative topic aligned with WRC’s mission and priorities, or will explain their own area of research that is outside the list below.

• Redefining Protection: How do women define safety, dignity, and autonomy in displacement—and how can these definitions reshape humanitarian protection and GBV frameworks?

• Gender, Power, and Systems Change: What does a feminist, decolonial, and community-driven humanitarian system look like in practice? What community-built or culturally rooted approaches to humanitarian response are emerging—and how might they offer scalable alternatives to traditional humanitarian aid?

• Reproductive Health and Bodily Autonomy: How are displaced and migrant women and girls accessing and experiencing reproductive health care in humanitarian settings, and what does true bodily autonomy look like in crisis contexts? How can humanitarian systems better support community-driven approaches to contraception, maternal health, abortion care, menstrual health, and informed decision-making?

• Dignified and Gender-Inclusive Self-Reliance: What are the key barriers and enablers for displaced women to secure sustainable and dignified self-reliance across different displacement settings? What are best practices from policy or practice that can be replicated?

• Rights and Justice: The impact of national laws, policies, and government practices on advancing or regressing protection, justice, and self-reliance for displaced, stateless, and migrant women.

WRC particularly welcomes research focused on displacement (including returnees), statelessness, and migration in Afghanistan/Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central America, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Rohingya population (Bangladesh/Myanmar), Sudan, and Syria.

Fellowship Components

• Research

• Design and conduct independent research on your chosen theme

• Employ participatory, ethical, gender-sensitive research methodologies that center displaced communities

• Produce a final research report or paper suitable for publication

• Research guidance (offered by WRC)

• Technical support on research design, methodology, and analysis

• Guidance on translating research to policy recommendations

• Peer learning

• WRC-facilitated cohort meetings with fellow researchers

• Opportunities to share work-in-progress and receive feedback

• Collaborative learning on research methods, advocacy strategies, and humanitarian systems

• Dissemination and advocacy

• Present findings at WRC convenings or public forums

• Contribute to WRC policy briefs, reports, or advocacy materials

• Engage with policymakers, practitioners, and humanitarian stakeholders

Application Requirements 

Please submit the following materials by February 9th, 2026:

1. Statement of Interest/Cover Letter (maximum 800 words)

Your statement of interest should include:

Brief biography (200 words max.)

Why you are interested in this fellowship (300 words max.)

How this fellowship aligns with your professional goals and personal experiences (300 words max.)

2. Research Proposal (maximum 1,500 words) 

Your proposal should include:

Research question(s): What do you wish to explore?

Significance: Why does this research matter? How does it advance gender justice in displacement contexts?

Methodology:  What research methods will you use? How will you center community knowledge and ensure ethical, participatory approaches?

If proposing an alternative research topic (not listed above), please provide clear rationale for how it advances WRC’s mission.

3. Two Writing Samples 

Please submit two examples of research or analytical writing (published or unpublished) where you are the sole or lead author. These may include:

• Journal articles or book chapters

• Policy briefs or reports

• Dissertations or thesis chapters

• Analysis or commentary pieces

At least one writing sample should demonstrate your ability to conduct independent research. Writing samples should total no more than 50 pages combined.

4. CV/resume (maximum 3 pages) 

5. Two references—please provide name, title, affiliation and contact details

Selection Criteria 

Applications will be evaluated based on:

• Research quality and rigor: Strength of research question, methodology, and feasibility

• Alignment with WRC mission: Connection to gender justice and displaced women’s leadership

• Participatory approach: Commitment to centering community knowledge and using ethical, participatory methods

• Potential for impact: Likelihood that research will inform policy, practice, or humanitarian systems change

• Writing ability: Demonstrated analytical and communication skills
• Diversity of perspectives: Preference for applications that bring diverse lived experiences, geographic contexts, and disciplinary approaches

Program Timeline 

February 9, 2026: Application deadline

February 2026: Review and selection process

Mid-March 2026: Fellows notified and onboarding begins

March 2026: Fellowship officially begins

April– August 2026: Research, research support, peer learning

September – October 2026: Dissemination of findings (convenings, publications, advocacy)

Expectations:

Fellows are expected to:

• Conduct research in accordance with ethical standards and WRC values

• Participate actively in monthly cohort meetings and mentorship sessions

• Provide a research plan before beginning data collection

• Produce a final research report or paper

• Present findings to WRC staff and at least one external audience

• Contribute to WRC advocacy or publications, as appropriate
• Acknowledge WRC support in any publications or presentations resulting from fellowship research

About the Women’s Refugee Commission

The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) protects the rights, health, and safety of displaced and migrant women and girls, and drives systemic change to ensure humanitarian responses are more inclusive and effective. For over 35 years, WRC has been a global leader in research and advocacy that places displaced women and girls at the center of humanitarian and policy responses.

WRC was founded on the principle of listening to women. We believe that displaced and migrant women are not only experts in their own experiences but also leaders in developing solutions to the challenges they face. Our approach includes co-designing research agendas with national women-led organizations and local researchers and supporting community-based and refugee-led groups to identify priorities, generate evidence, and drive meaningful change.

Deadline to Apply

Monday, February 9th, 2026, 11:59 PM EST.

APPLY Here