Project Coordinator – Mobile Dignity Hub, South-West England
Job description
This is a role based in the South-West of England, working across the region to deliver a new mobile refugee clinic. The Project Coordinator is responsible for setting up and running the pilot project: coordinating a rented van, a small cohort of trained volunteers, and a rolling programme of visits to areas where people seeking asylum have been dispersed. The primary services will be dependent on the availability of other services in the local area but are non-specialist advice and referrals, and the distribution of welcome packs, clothes and hygiene items. The Project Coordinator can be based anywhere across the South-West.
The mobile model exists because widening dispersal is moving people seeking asylum further from city-centre services, often to rural areas with little existing support infrastructure. Fixed premises are a poor fit for many people’s reality – low incomes, limited transport, childcare, language barriers and poor health can make a city-centre appointment practically inaccessible. This project takes support to where people are, building trust through co-hosting with local organisations and the use of refugee peer supporters.
The Project Coordinator will work closely with the CEO and Back Office, collaborating on volunteers, budget management, partnerships and the development of the project. This role starts part-time (3 days per week) and is expected to increase to full-time (5 days per week) from January 2027. Extension beyond the pilot period will be based on performance and funding, and decided by mutual agreement between the Project Coordinator and the CEO.
Role specification
Setting up and running the mobile clinic:
- Lead the practical set-up of the pilot: sourcing and maintaining a rented van, developing a network of partners across the South-west to coordinate operations and facilitate storage
- Plan and deliver a rolling weekly/monthly rota of visits to different areas where people seeking asylum have been dispersed, working towards the target of 200 members served in the three-month pilot (800 in the first six months).
- Oversee day-to-day delivery of non-specialist advice and referrals, and the distribution of welcome packs, clothes and hygiene items, ensuring services operate efficiently, safely and in line with organisational procedures.
- Create and keep up to date a directory of local support services (health, legal, housing and other) so members can be referred accurately and quickly.
- Identify and monitor the evolving needs of members and suggest new or improved ways of working to best serve the communities the project works with.
- Identify and realise purchases needed to run and develop the project. Pay suppliers or ensure the Back Office knows when to pay.
- Undertake any additional ad hoc tasks or responsibilities as directed by the CEO to support the effective running of the project.
Member support:
- Assess member needs and identify local service gaps to ensure relevant and suitable support is provided.
- Support members to access and enrol with appropriate service providers through effective referral pathways.
- Collect monitoring and evaluation data on what and how the project is delivering, including member feedback.
Volunteers and safeguarding:
- Recruit, welcome, train and manage a small team of volunteers, ensuring everyone is well supported and clear on how to help members within eligibility criteria.
- Ensure all volunteers, visitors and any other relevant party understand and adhere to all safeguarding policies and procedures, including photos/media.
- Manage safeguarding, including reporting concerns, incidents and disclosures immediately.
- Ensure a safe environment for members, volunteers and visitors, maintaining appropriate health and safety standards on the road and at any partner venues.
Partnerships and stakeholder management:
- Develop partnerships with local organisations across the South-West (including hosting arrangements at hubs and other venues) to build trust and extend the project’s reach.
- Maintain and nurture relationships with partners through clear, timely communication and attendance at relevant meetings.
Budget management, reporting and accountability:
- Manage and keep to the project budget.
- Ensure careful management of financial resources and account for all expenditure on Xero.
- Maintain regular communication with the CEO and Back Office, responding to queries and carrying out tasks as required, including participating in regular meetings.
- Contribute to a full evaluation of the pilot project to inform decisions about extension or expansion to other areas.
Essential Criteria
- At least two years’ experience (paid or voluntary) working with displaced and/or marginalised people.
- Ability to stay calm and work under pressure in a highly emotional environment.
- Very clear communicator, able to lead and motivate a team of volunteers and clearly enforce rules.
- Understanding of professional boundaries.
- Ability to stay emotionally resilient and practise self-care while remaining compassionate to the needs of others.
- Proven ability to improve services within limited resources.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office software and tech literacy in general, most importantly with Excel, Teams and digital file management.
- Eligibility to work in the UK.
- Strong spoken and written English is essential. You must be confident working in a multilingual environment where not everyone shares the same language.
- A full, valid UK driving licence, and confidence driving a large van.
- Willingness to travel regularly across the South-West of England and to work outside the formal hours of 9am–5pm occasionally, as the work demands.
- Understanding of the UK asylum system and dispersal policy.
- Knowledge of the South-West of England, particularly Dorset and Bournemouth.
Desirable
- Interest and knowledge of the NGO sector and humanitarian movements in the UK and Europe.
- Existing network of or knowledge of various services and providers across the South-West
- Additional language skills are desirable but not required.
- Passion, initiative and creativity to constantly improve what we do.
- Experience starting a business/charity or of working in a start-up would be a distinct advantage
Offered Benefits
- Salary of £30,000 per annum (FTE). This role is part-time (3 days per week) for four months, potentially rising to full-time thereafter (5 days per week), with salary pro-rated accordingly.
How to apply
- To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to info@refugeesupporteu.com by Monday 31st August 2026. We will be interviewing on a rolling basis and may close the position before the deadline, so we urge you to apply as soon as possible.
- Due to the high volume of applications, we will only contact shortlisted candidates.