Global Executive Director

Innovative Human Rights NGO Seeks Global Executive Director

Close date: September 30, 2026

About Asylum Access

We are human rights advocates who support forcibly displaced individuals and communities as they reclaim their rights, agency and power.

Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work on fair terms and go to school in supportive environments.

Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives.

Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organizations advocate to make human rights a reality for refugees around the world. Our national organizations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between us and our clients. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyze and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.

Position Description

The global Executive Director is responsible for ensuring the Asylum Access family of organizations fulfills and advances Asylum Access’ mission around the world. This includes leading the organization’s global systems change portfolio; positioning the global organization to support strategic and effective national-level legal empowerment and policy advocacy by Asylum Access national organizations; and guiding the organization in creating and pursuing a bold, cohesive vision toward a world where all displaced people enjoy all of their human rights.

Asylum Access values a collaborative approach to leadership. The global Executive Director is expected to work in close partnership with the national Executive Directors, who lead strategy and implementation of the mission at Asylum Access national organizations, to shape global organizational strategy, priorities, and performance. All four Executive Directors are responsible for stewarding Asylum Access’ vision and role within the global refugee response ecosystem; setting and executing organizational strategy within their particular remits and collaboratively across the global family of organizations; overseeing budgets and resource allocation; and ensuring strong programs, operations, and teams.

The successful candidate for global Executive Director will be visionary in outlook, with a broad understanding of displacement dynamics and political trends around the world – particularly in and affecting Africa, Asia and Latin America, where most refugees remain. They will be deeply collaborative in approach. They understand the importance of shared enthusiasm as a driving force, and the necessity of a cohesive leadership team to achieve meaningful impact in challenging circumstances. They are committed to understanding and supporting the contexts in which Asylum Access organizations currently work, and to identifying and advancing efforts in other contexts if/as this has the potential to magnify Asylum Access’ impact in creating the world we envision.

The global Executive Director is hired by, reports to, and serves at the pleasure of the Board of Directors, in accordance with the organization’s bylaws, and may serve as a nonvoting, ex officio member of the Board.

Essential Job Responsibilities

Key components of the global Executive Director role include, without limitation:

Strategic Visioning and Leadership

With a consistent eye on the future, continually gather information and assess trends relevant to Asylum Access’ mission, and guide the organization to adapt accordingly – bearing in mind Asylum Access’ historic role at the forefront of paradigm shifts and operational innovations that support displaced people to reclaim their rights, agency and power.

Together with staff and board leadership, and in consultation as appropriate with other stakeholders inside and outside the organization, craft and carry out a strategic vision in line with Asylum Access’ mission and values. This includes the development of theories of change and the development and implementation of multi-year strategic, operational, and annual plans.

Ensure the entire family of Asylum Access organizations maintains coherence and consistency with the organization’s mission, vision, values, and brand.

Envision and develop governance structures that align with Asylum Access’ deep commitment to shifting power dynamics in service of a shared leadership model. This includes building consensus among the Executive Director team for decisions with organization-wide impact.

Inspire, motivate, and catalyze the development of staff at all levels of the organization.

Global Oversight

Steward the cohesion of the global leadership team and the culture of collaborative leadership across the organization.

Provide support and administrative supervision to National Executive Directors, and manage the hiring, onboarding, and termination of these positions in accordance with Asylum Access’ human resources protocols.

Together with the National Executive Directors, lead oversight of Asylum Access’ impact to ensure all programs and advocacy are aligned with human rights principles and designed to effectively achieve Asylum Access’ mission, vision, and goals.

Reputation and Influence

Steward and advance Asylum Access’ global reputation as a well-known refugee human rights organization and as an important and effective actor in displacement response, human rights, and migration fields. In particular, give voice to on-the-ground impact within national organizations – and partner organizations where requested and appropriate – in international dialogue.

Grow Asylum Access’ influence with decision-makers and influencers at all levels of the displacement response, human rights, and migration sectors -- global, regional, and national.

Consistently uphold and promote Asylum Access’ values, acting thoughtfully and with integrity in all interactions, internal and external.

Resource Magnetism

Demonstrate an exceptional ability to attract and retain resources -- funding, people, partnerships, reputation -- that enable the organization to advance its mission.

Ensure plentiful funding for Asylum Access’ needs and growth, including but not limited to:

Cultivating and stewarding relationships with key current and prospective funders and donors.

Advancing the philanthropic community’s knowledge of the problems and barriers impacting refugees, and the role of philanthropy in addressing them.

Advancing Asylum Access’ reputation and influence with funders and donors.

Global Systems Change

Shape and steward Asylum Access’ global systems change goals and priorities. These goals and priorities should be shaped by the information-gathering and trends assessment that are a key part of the global Executive Director’s strategic visioning role, alongside the deep knowledge and learning of Asylum Access national organizations and, where appropriate, relevant insights from knowledgeable partners (particularly in other refugee-hosting regions).

Impact Oversight

Continually ensure Asylum Access’ programs, communications, and operations are advancing the organization’s mission and creating significant positive impact for current and future refugees on appropriate timelines.

Accurately assess effectiveness and impact on a regular basis, and make appropriate adjustments where needed to improve outcomes.

Operational Effectiveness

Continually ensure that Asylum Access has a solid operational foundation that appropriately aids the program and other impact-focused activities of the organization. Specifically, without l