Program Manager, Learning & Development-PRLS

Remote
Full Time
Post-Release Legal Services
Manager/Supervisor

About Acacia Center for Justice:

The Acacia Center for Justice (“Acacia”) provides legal support and representation to immigrants facing deportation through the development, coordination, and management of national networks of legal services providers serving immigrants across the country. Acacia’s goals are twofold: to support immigrant legal services and defense networks to provide exceptional legal services to immigrants; and to advocate for the expansion of these programs and the infrastructure critical to guaranteeing immigrants access to justice, fairness, and freedom. Acacia ensures accountable, independent, zealous, and person-centered legal services and representation to protect the rights of all immigrants.

Job Summary:

About the Post-Release Legal Services Program

Each year, thousands of unaccompanied children, many fleeing unspeakable violence in their own countries, enter the United States. Upon apprehension and after enduring a harrowing journey, they are detained in federal custody in facilities contracted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and placed in removal (deportation) proceedings. Unaccompanied children do not have a right to a government-appointed attorney and too often must face the immigration courts without the benefit of counsel. Through its network of more than 90 LSP subcontractors across the U.S., Acacia currently provides free legal services to tens of thousands migrant children.

To meet the growing demand for legal services for unaccompanied children, Acacia, in partnership with 27 LSP subcontractors, will expand its work to include on-the-ground presence in select Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) courthouses to provide additional legal services and representation to children released from ORR in conjunction with EOIR’s Juvenile Dockets. Under the new PRLS program,

LSP subcontractors will conduct Know Your Rights presentations aimed at increasing children’s understanding of immigration proceedings, host workshops to assist children with navigating different forms of immigration relief and provide direct representation. Acacia and its partners will also engage in community outreach to create awareness and provide information and resources to partners who have direct contact with unaccompanied children. Finally, building on Acacia efforts to expand representation, LSP subcontractors will develop innovative recruitment, and retention plans to build capacity in the field and provide continuity of service to unaccompanied children.

The Program Manager of Learning and Development for the Post-Release Legal Services (PRLS) program will join a new and growing multi-disciplinary team with immigration advocacy, child welfare, finance, and research backgrounds. This role will assist the Associate Director to ensure that the legal service providers have the substantive training and technical assistance support to carry out the work done on the ORR contract. The Program Manager will be well versed in evolving immigration practices generally and specifically the legal landscape of unaccompanied children’s cases. By providing technical assistance to legal service providers in the PRLS network, the Program Manager will play an integral role in overseeing and ensuring that legal service providers have the knowledge, support and resources they need to provide zealous, person-centered, and high-quality legal services to the youth served by the program.

Note: The Post-Release Legal Services Program is contingent on Acacia Center for Justice being awarded a contract to provide post-release services.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Lead the development and provision of technical assistance to legal service providers on novel legal issues, trauma informed practices, provisions of program services, and themes unique to children in the form of on-site training programs, conference call facilitation, webinars, written advisories, and other means as appropriate.
  • Assist in public-facing work as needed, such as drafting public comments on policies that impact the representation of unaccompanied children.
  • Track and prioritize technical assistance requests and consult with the Operations and Quality Assurance team to determine which technical assistance requests to raise with partners and stakeholders.
  • Continuously collaborate with the Operations and Quality Assurance team to identify technical assistance opportunities and connect around the ongoing needs of the network.
  • Coordinate the development and review of resource material in various languages for PRLS legal service providers. Ensure that materials shared with the government are Section 508 compliant.
  • Consult with the Program Directors of Orientation Programs, as needed, to support and advocate for effective practices around conducting Know Your Rights presentations and Self Help Workshops that assist unrepresented children and provide legal help and referrals.
  • Supervise Senior Program Associates on the Learning & Development team.
  • Ensure that the L&D team’s approach to the work aligns with Acacia’s missions and values and includes trauma-informed and child-centered approaches to representation.
  • Travel domestically 2-4 times per year to conduct on-site training programs.

Required Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

  • A demonstrated knowledge of immigration law, child welfare issues, family law, criminal and juvenile systems. Knowledge regarding the forms of relief available to children including asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, U Visas and T Visas.
  • Experience working before tribunals and decision-making bodies, including state and federal courts, immigration courts, and USCIS.
  • Adaptability and ability to work quickly and manage multiple projects effectively and efficiently.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Strong writing, research, data analysis, and facilitation skills.
  • Comfort with public speaking and giving presentations.
  • Ability to work collaboratively on a team, as well as to take the initiative and manage projects independently.
  • Enthusiasm to mentor new professionals and support experienced advocates.
  • Interest in effectuating change in partnership with the government.
  • Ability to respond flexibly to changes in government contracts.
  • Willingness to travel 2-4 times per year to conduct and attend in-person training programs, and ability to successfully balance travel responsibilities with office-based responsibilities.
  • An uncompromising commitment to immigrants' rights and race equity.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

  • Spanish proficiency strongly preferred, and knowledge of other languages a plus.
  • Knowledge of the ORR system for Unaccompanied Children.
  • Experience representing detained children.
  • Familiarity with trauma-informed practices.
  • Experience providing legal orientations, Know Your Rights presentations, legal screenings, or other community education initiatives.

Education and Experience:

  • J.D. required.
  • 6-9 years of relevant experience (experience in the immigration legal services field, including providing direct legal representation or orientation to people in removal or related proceedings).
  • Familiarity with or previous experience working on EOIR representation programs.
  • Comparable work and educational experience will also be considered, particularly where the candidate has direct experience with the immigration legal system and is personally impacted.

 Compensation and Benefits:

Acacia has established an internal compensation philosophy that centers equity and pay transparency. The salary for this position is set at $118,200. The salary listed is just one component of Acacia’s total compensation package for employees. Supporting Acacia staff—both personally and professionally—is our priority.

  • Medical/Dental/Vision- Some plans at $0 cost to the employee
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • 20 days per year of vacation time
  • 12 days per year of sick time
  • 5 personal days
  • 4 organization-wide Wellness Days
  • 11 observed holidays, including the last week of December.
  • $2000 Professional Development Stipend
  • Home office set-up stipend
  • Internet Stipend
  • 401k with 5% employer contribution, no employee participation required.
  • Student loan repayment assistance.
  • Gym Reimbursement

People of color and those who have been impacted by the criminal system and immigration system are strongly urged to apply. Acacia is deeply committed to race equality, inclusion and belonging and strives to create a work culture that recognizes everyone's unique lived experience.

To Apply:

Submit your resume and cover letter through the Acacia Careers site. If you encounter technical issues or have accessibility needs, email your resume and cover letter to [email protected] with Subject: ATTN: Human Resources / [Job Title], Acacia Center for Justice

PLEASE ONLY SUBMIT THROUGH ONE METHOD.

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Acacia is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and support their retention and advancement within the organization. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs, or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities and requirements but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function within our organization.

Acacia Center for Justice is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

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