Regional Deputy Director, US Legal Services

This opening is not available anymore. Do not try to apply for this job.

IRC - The International Rescue Committee

Open positions at IRC
Logo of IRC

Job Description

SCOPE OF WORK: The Regional Deputy Director, US Legal Services provides strategic direction and oversight to a dynamic and growing network of immigration legal services programs situated within a global humanitarian agency. The US Legal Services team is part of the Asylum and Immigration Legal Services (AILS) Unit, which sits within RAI’s Program Quality & Innovation (PQI) department. The AILS Unit supports a wide range of legal services to migrants and asylum seekers in the US and Europe and develops policy positions that aim to safeguard migrants’ ability to access the asylum system in safety and dignity. The Deputy Director, US Legal Services works with the US Legal Services Director to oversee immigration legal services across a network of 24 RAI US offices with a strong focus on and high degree of engagement with one of the 3 RAI US regions (approximately 8 offices each in West, South, and East regions). The Regional Deputy Director for the South region will also oversee a range of legal access programs at the US-Mexico border. IRC offers a wide scope of legal services, including a range of affirmative applications and petitions before US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), overseas consular processing, affirmative and defensive asylum, removal defense, and legal services for unaccompanied children. The Deputy Director will embody respect, collaboration, diversity, inclusiveness, anti-racism, and equity, both internally and externally. The position may supervise legal experts—Technical Advisors—who provide technical support to legal services in the US.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy, Policy and Leadership

· Contribute to a vision and strategy on legal services for RAI US

· Establish, implement, and monitor policies and protocols that ensure the competent and ethical provision of legal services

· Report to RAI senior management and leadership on strategic, operational, programmatic, policy, and statistical issues on immigration legal services

Program Management and Operations

· Provide regular, collaborative support of programs in one of the 3 RAI US regions on the management and supervision of legal services

· Communicate regularly with Executive Directors, Deputy Directors, and legal services program leads in assigned regional offices to stay abreast of program developments and develop context-specific program strategy.

· Work with HR and local leadership to promote staff retention, professional development and promotion opportunities, smooth transitions, and organizational DEI commitments; support local leadership in the recruitment, development and oversight of immigration legal services staff based in program offices ensuring adherence to the program’s staffing and supervisory policies

· Conduct regular site visits to regional RAI US program sites to monitor quality of services

· Provide oversight and administration of projects and budgets as it relates to federal contracts and other HQ-led funding awards

· Provide guidance, oversight, training, and technical assistance to legal services programs, centering client needs and legal ethics in problem solving

· Provide guidance to program staff on fiscal management and sustainability of legal services programs, including fee-based revenue

Program Quality, Development & Evaluation:

· Coordinate the delivery of effective, evidence-based legal services programming that reflects national and local needs and contexts; incorporate understanding of local contexts in assigned regional offices

· Ensure consistent adherence to network-wide strategy for program development and quality assurance

· Facilitate exchange of information, good practices, and lessons learned through effective knowledge management, training, and communities of practice

· In close coordination with program office teams, develop, adapt and implement methods of service delivery to expand access and ensure cost-effectiveness (i.e., incorporating technology to deliver remote services, group processing, etc.)

· In collaboration with AILS Unit colleagues, evaluate the effectiveness of programming; ensure data collection and analysis measures program outputs and outcomes across the RAI US network using an effective case management software and adhering to data protection policies

· Attract funding to develop business for legal services programs in partnership with Development colleagues and cultivate donor and partners relationships to garner program resources

· Oversee the development and review of concept notes and proposals

· Provide technical guidance to launch immigration legal services in new RAI US program sites in collaboration with local and regional leadership

Advocacy, Communications and External Relations

· Represent US legal services programs across the organization, serving as a resource to IRC leadership and staff seeking information about program activities

· Participate in national immigration coalitions and collaborate with Policy & Advocacy team on relevant issues.

· Maintain effective and collaborative relationships with prime contractors on national legal services contracts

· Maintain effective relationships with key government agencies (e.g. in Departments of Homeland Security State, Justice, Health and Human Services)

· Develop program and policy content for communications materials and provide technical review to communications related to immigration legal services

Key Working Relationships:

· Position Reports to: Director, US Legal Services

· Position directly supervises: may supervise Technical Advisors or Program Officers

· Other Internal and/or external contacts: RAI Regional and Executive Directors and Site Leads, immigration legal services staff in program offices, the Program Quality and Innovation (PQI) Senior Management Team, Policy & Advocacy, Communications, and Global Partnerships & Philanthropy. Represent IRC on immigration coalitions and working groups and in other relevant fora.

REQUIREMENTS:

· Juris Doctorate and Bar Admission required, or Department of Justice fully accredited representative with commensurate experience.

· Minimum 6-8 years’ experience in immigration legal services

· Management experience at a program director level, including staff supervision and budget oversight.

· Extensive knowledge of refugee protection and immigration law, including removal defense, asylum, family-based immigration, naturalization, and refugee/asylee adjustment required. Knowledge of overseas refugee processing desirable.

· Understanding of and experiencing working at the US-Mexico border for the position assigned to the South region.

· Prior experience managing federally-funded legal services programs desirable; experience managing and/or acquiring a diverse portfolio of funding streams desirable.

· Strong analytical, training, organizational, oral, and written communication skills.

· Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and partners in a cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary environment; excellent interpersonal, diplomatic and networking skills, ability to manage a variety of internal and external relationships, to multi-task and prioritize tasks

· Proven leadership and management skills to lead staff and promote productivity, and ability to be flexible and to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment

· Spanish language skills a plus

· 20-30% travel required.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement****: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity****: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer****: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits****: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

#LI-GR1

Qualifications

Added 1 year ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: rescue.org