Children's Legal Program Manager

The Organization:
The Florence Project was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults, youth, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day. In 2001, the Florence Project implemented our Integrated Social Services Program, one of the first of its kind in this field. The Florence Project provides high quality legal and social services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy.

Primary Purpose of the Job:

The Legal Program Manager for the Children’s Program oversees the organization’s work serving unaccompanied minors. The Legal Program Manager will provide programmatic leadership and supervision of the Children’s Program’s delivery of legal services.  The Legal Program Manager will directly supervise Managing Attorneys and the Associate Legal Program Manager in the Children’s Program and provide coverage for Managing Attorneys and the Associate Legal Program Manager as needed. The Legal Program Manager will also lead and oversee program development and contribute to the design and implementation of organization-wide developments with the Deputy Director, Legal Director, and Executive Director.

The Children’s Program handles a variety of forms of relief from deportation. The Legal Program Manager will mentor and supervise legal staff and provide legal representation to detained and non-detained immigrant children. The Legal Program Manager will also collaborate on training and professional development initiatives for legal staff and participate with program development and outreach activities in conjunction with the Children’s Program Associate Legal Program Manager, Managing Attorneys, Legal Director, Deputy Director, and Executive Director.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Complete the following duties and responsibilities.

• Supervise the Associate Legal Program Manager, Managing Attorneys and provide programmatic leadership and support to t Children’s Program staff.  This includes conducting case reviews with Managing Attorneys and providing training, mentorship, and support to the Associate Legal Program Manager and Managing Attorneys.  The Legal Program Manager will also work closely with the Associate Legal Program Manager and Managing Attorneys to ensure that they are also providing proper supervision and support to their legal staff.  The Legal Program Manager will also work closely with the Managing Legal Assistants and the Legal Administrative Assistant team to provide programmatic leadership and support.

• Provide oversight and undertake responsibility for the quality of legal services provided by the Children’s Program,

• In conjunction with the Deputy Director, and Executive Director, oversee the hiring of legal staff and interns and follow the process and procedures required for these efforts.

• Facilitate and lead programmatic meetings with legal staff.

• Coordinate in conjunction with the Associate Legal Program Manager, Children’s Program Managing attorneys, the Development Manager, and the Deputy Director needed orientations for new hires.

• Collaborate with the Associate Legal Program Manager, Children’s Program Managing Attorneys, Development Manager, and the Deputy Director to develop regular training and mentorship opportunities for Children’s Program staff.

• Participate weekly in executive team meetings and help with strategic visioning for the Children’s Program and the organization.

• Manage stakeholder relationships and address issues as they arise, including but not limited to detention facilities, government actors, and community organizations.

• Manage stakeholder contractual relationships.

• Manage the Children’s Program budget in collaboration with the Senior Finance Manager, Deputy Director, and Executive Director.

• Provide coverage for the Associate Legal Program Manager and Managing Attorneys as needed.

• While prioritizing programmatic managerial needs, maintain a small caseload of removal defense immigration cases, providing representation to detained minors, with the opportunity to select challenging casework or appeals of particular importance.

• While prioritizing programmatic managerial needs, provide mentorship and serve as second chair to new attorneys.

• Participate in program development with organizational leadership, including participating in annual strategic planning retreats with the Board and staff. Lead the implementation of any changes to the scope of legal services provided or the model for delivering those services.

• Oversee collection of data by the legal staff, complete regular reporting for funders, and participate in Legal Orientation Program calls, meetings, and trainings.

• Communicate with the Legal Director and Deputy Director about possible advocacy initiatives, strategic litigation, and legal training for the community.

• Support Florence Project outreach and development activities as needed, including participation in media requests.

• Other administrative duties as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

• J.D. and admission to any state bar.

• Arizona bar is strongly preferred.

• 2 years minimum experience providing direct representation to immigrants in removal proceedings or other relevant experience required. Other relevant experience as a lawyer could be considered.

• Experience supervising staff or interns and demonstrated ability to inspire confidence in others and play a supportive role.

• Be a proactive and engaged supervisor without micromanaging and be a clear and thoughtful decision maker.

• In lieu of supervisory experience, leadership potential and excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as ability to learn and execute a variety of job requirements with the capacity to be trained to be an effective manager may be considered.

• Demonstrate commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way.

• Demonstrate a zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission.

• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.

• Strong litigation experience and/or oral advocacy skills.

• Strong legal research.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Highly organized, an innovative thinker, and works in high-volume settings with limited resources.

• Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills.

• Effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Demonstrate to be a hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client centered work environment.

• Ability to work independently, be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities.

• Exhibit high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.

• Travel is required for this position.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

• Proven computer skills.  Advanced understanding of basic office applications.

Preferred Requirements:

• 2+ years of minimum experience providing direct representation to immigrants in removal proceedings, and extensive knowledge of immigration law, specifically deportation defense, asylum, and criminal-immigration law issues is strongly preferred.

• Extensive knowledge of deportation defense, special immigrant juvenile status, and asylum strongly preferred.

• Be a proactive and engaged supervisor without micromanaging and being a clear and thoughtful decision maker.

• If no supervisory experience, must have leadership potential and excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as ability to learn a variety of job descriptions and capacity to be trained to be an effective manager.

• Prior experience working with trauma survivors or individuals with mental health issues is a plus.

• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• Operate in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling and pushing.

• Require the ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.  Requires the ability to lift-up to ten pounds. Accommodations may be available.

• Require to travel regularly between offices, and secondary work locations.

• Require frequent time in children’s shelter detention facilities and immigration courts located in Tucson and Phoenix.

• The Florence Project has three offices: Florence, Tucson, and Phoenix. Depending on the needs of the program, the position may be based in the Phoenix or Tucson offices, with regular travel to the alternate location.

• Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy.   To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021.  Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at humanresources@firrp.org.

Salary & Benefits:

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographical area. Salaries will be calculated based on relevant experience and our established comprehensive wage scale: $106,204.80- $147,471.76 Annually DOE.

We strive to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. We offer excellent benefits, including:

• Medical plans including health, dental, vision coverage, subject to plan terms

• Short Term Disability

• Eligibility for group benefits such as voluntary life insurance, subject to applicable waiting periods

• Retirement plan, subject to plan terms

• Paid Time Off earned on a biweekly accrual basis- Twenty-five (25) Days of Vacation Time, annually

• Five (5) Days of Medical/Sick Time, annually

• One (1) Day of Personal Time, monthly

• Eight (8) Week Paid Sabbatical, after three years of employment

• Bereavement leave.

• Fifteen (15) Organization-paid holidays, all observed

• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (13) paid weeks

• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.

• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires available for some positions.

Application Process:

This is an immediate opening. Salary is commensurate with experience. The position will remain open until we receive enough qualified applicants. To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position as well as your resume, three professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply early. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.

At FIRRP, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the requirements of a job.  If your experience is close to what you see listed in our current job opportunities, please still consider applying.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence, which is very much valued at FIRRP.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.  Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

This job announcement is for informational purposes only and is subject to change and modification without notice. This job announcement includes a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications and requirements of the position, but does not necessarily include all the job functions of the position.

Keywords

Legal Program ManagerImmigration LawSupervisionLegal ServicesProgram DevelopmentLeadershipAdvocacyRemoval DefenseImmigration CasesStrategic VisioningStakeholder RelationshipsBudget ManagementData CollectionLegal ResearchInterpersonal SkillsEthical StandardsConfidentialityTravelComputer Skills