Program Officer, Intake & Case Support

Program Officer, Intake & Case Support

Full-time, 40 hours per week

Existing Vacancy

About Us

Around the world, 67 countries have anti-homosexuality laws, and many more have other laws that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In 11 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 provides support to LGBTQI+ individuals seeking safety 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 full-time Program Officer that will elevate our current work and strategy in service of our clients. The Programs Team is the client-facing hub of Rainbow Railroad for case individuals seeking help from over 50 countries worldwide.

A Program Officer on our Intake team is responsible for assessing, organizing and triaging cases for referral to applicable programs within the organization. This includes acting as the first point of contact for individuals requesting our support by communicating directly with case individuals to verify and compile case files for relocation support.

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, 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 Intake, Emergency Travel Support and Cash Assistance.

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

Case Work

• Serve as the first point of contact for requests for help, communicating directly with at-risk individuals to review, organize, verify, and triage their cases for further management by caseworkers and programs directors;
• Ensure data in Salesforce is accurate and consistent. Uploading and renaming files/documents, writing case summaries, and assessing the needs of case individuals to make recommendations for cash or relocation support;
• Continuously manage communications with case individuals and assisting with identifying and reporting irregular and exponential trends in our requests for help;
• Conducting video interviews with case individuals to assess and flag urgent and priority cases, while assisting in researching short-term and/or emergency supports while the case individual waits for further case support from a caseworker;
• Working with domestic and international partner organizations to directly support our case individuals;
• Perform administrative tasks relating to casework;

Reporting and tracking

• Maintain accurate case notes in Salesforce and ensure case files are up to date at all times;
• Tracking and following up with all partners;
• Adding report documents to Salesforce; maintaining and updating tracking documents (evidence documents; identity and travel documents etc.);
• Work with other programming or strategy staff to develop and streamline detailed systems and guides for casework (when appropriate);

Skills and Experience

• Minimum 3 years’ work experience in related governmental/non-profit required, ideally with vulnerable populations through a service delivery position.
• Degree in fields of Social Work, International Development, Law, or Political Sciences required. Advanced education in Social Work or equivalent professional experience 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 required - knowledge of Salesforce an asset.
• Commitment and support of the LGBTQI+ community in Canada and internationally.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• A versatile, skilled, and effective communicator required. Demonstrable evidence of strong written communications skills is an asset.
• Lived experience as a refugee or immigrant and/or fluency in a second language (Arabic, Farsi, Russian, Turkish, Spanish, French) is an asset

Lines of Communication

● Reports to the Director of Intake, Emergency Travel Support and Cash Assistance

● Supports the work and strategy of the management team.

Application Deadline - November 16, 2026

Length of Contract – Full-Time, Permanent

Salary Band- $60,000 - $75,000

Hiring Salary – $60,000

Application Process- Please submit your application through the portal link in 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 [email protected] for inquiries. No AI is used in the process for screening, assessment, or selection of candidates.

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