Volunteer & Intern Coordinator at Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants

Join the Journey: Empower Lives, Shape Futures at The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI)

Location: Bridgeport, CT

Salary: $44,000 annually + comprehensive benefits

Are you passionate about building community, connecting people to meaningful opportunities, and making a lasting impact? CIRI is seeking an enthusiastic, organized, and relationship-focused

Volunteer & Intern Coordinator to join our Bridgeport office.

In this role, you'll help turn compassion into action by recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers and interns who play a vital role in helping refugees and immigrants build successful lives throughout the Greater Bridgeport region. Whether you're matching a volunteer tutor with a newly arrived family, coordinating volunteer drivers, supporting youth educational programs, or helping college interns gain valuable experience, your work will directly contribute to positive outcomes for the people we serve.

If you enjoy building relationships, coordinating programs, and inspiring others to get involved in meaningful work, we'd love to hear from you.

Why Work for CIRI?

At CIRI, you'll find more than a job—you'll find purpose.

Make a Meaningful Difference

Every day, you'll help refugees and immigrants overcome barriers, achieve self-sufficiency, and become thriving members of our community.

Grow Professionally

Join a diverse, supportive team that values collaboration, innovation, and professional development.

Build Community Connections

Working from our Bridgeport office, you'll cultivate partnerships with volunteers, interns, colleges, universities, businesses, and community organizations throughout Fairfield County and beyond.

Enjoy Outstanding Benefits

We believe caring for our employees is essential to caring for our community.

Benefits Currently Include

• Medical Insurance (Anthem) – Multiple plan options available
• Vision Insurance (Mutual of Omaha)
• Dental Insurance (Mutual of Omaha)
• Employer-Paid Life Insurance
• Employer-Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance Options
• Identity Theft Protection
• 403(b) Retirement Plan
• 13 Paid Holidays
• 20 Days of Paid Time Off Annually
• Commitment to work-life balance and employee wellness

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a qualifying nonprofit employer, CIRI employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

CIRI participates in E-Verify.

What You'll Do

Based in our Bridgeport office, you'll serve as the primary point of contact for volunteers and interns supporting CIRI's programs in the Greater Bridgeport area and surrounding communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Recruit and engage skilled volunteers and interns to support programs across the organization.
• Conduct interviews, screening, and placement of volunteers and interns.
• Collaborate with program and administrative staff to identify needs and create meaningful volunteer and internship opportunities.
• Coordinate volunteer support in areas such as:
• Transportation assistance
• English language tutoring
• Youth educational support
• Community activities and outings
• Administrative support
• Pro bono legal services
• Employment readiness programming
• Lead volunteer and intern onboarding, training, and orientation activities.
• Facilitate monthly volunteer meetings, check-ins, and engagement opportunities.
• Provide ongoing support, coaching, and problem-solving assistance to volunteers and interns.
• Partner with colleges and universities to ensure internship requirements are met.
• Track volunteer and intern hours and maintain accurate records in volunteer management software.
• Prepare monthly reports on volunteer and internship activities and outcomes.
• Continuously identify opportunities to strengthen volunteer engagement and program impact.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Associate's Degree and at least three years of relevant experience.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse audiences and community partners.
• Professional, approachable, and confident interpersonal style.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a team.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Outlook and Excel.
• Knowledge of office administration, record management, and organizational systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing volunteers, interns, community engagement initiatives, donor relations, or other customer-facing programs.
• Experience working in nonprofit, educational, or community-based settings.
• Passion for serving refugee and immigrant communities.

The Impact You'll Make

This position is based in CIRI's Bridgeport office and plays a critical role in expanding community engagement throughout the region. Behind every volunteer opportunity is a family receiving support, a student gaining confidence, a newcomer learning English, or an individual finding their place in a new community. Your work will help create those connections and ensure that volunteers and interns have meaningful experiences while making a real difference in the lives of others.

If you're ready to bring people together, strengthen communities, and help transform lives, we encourage you to apply.