Interim Managing Legal Assistant

This is an internal opening only. This is a temporary assignment projected to start 2/6/2023  and end 6/20/2023.

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 Interim Managing Legal Assistant will be part of the Children’s Program Managerial Team, including Children’s Program Managing Attorneys, Children’s Program Managing Social Workers, and the Children’s Program Manager.  The Interim Managing Legal Assistant in the Children’s Program will provide supervision to Legal Assistants, Sr. Legal Assistants, and Intake Specialists as well as leadership, coordination, and oversight on programmatic needs related to those positions’ duties and responsibilities, including the coordination and provision of “Know Your Rights Presentations.” The Interim Managing Legal Assistant will also work in close collaboration with Senior Legal Assistants on the provision of mentoring and support to Legal Assistant staff. The Interim Managing Legal Assistant will also assist staff attorneys on the provision of direct legal representation to unaccompanied minors. This position includes extensive client contact with youth, including Indigenous youth and youth who have suffered abuse, abandonment, neglect or other emotional and physical trauma.

This position will require travel between Phoenix and Tucson to supervise staff from both offices.

The position also provides the opportunity to participate in outreach activities and collaborative projects within a national network of legal service providers for unaccompanied children. This position will report directly to a Children’s Program Managing Attorney or Accredited Representative.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supervising Senior Legal Assistants, Legal Assistants, and Intake Specialists in the Children’s Program. This includes coordinating regularly scheduled meetings with supervised staff members, providing critical feedback to promote staff members’ development and growth, and evaluating staff members’ performance.
• This position may require supervision in both Phoenix and Tucson and will be expected to travel when necessary.
• Providing leadership, coordination, and oversight in the hiring and training processes of new legal assistants and Intake Specialists. This includes participating in hiring committees for legal assistants and Intake Specialists, coordinating the on-boarding of new legal assistants, and creating and leading training for legal assistants.  These duties will be performed in collaboration with the Human Resources Team and the Children’s Program Managerial Team.
• Overseeing and being responsible for the quality of services provided to unaccompanied minors in shelter facilities, including the provision of “Know Your Rights” presentations and legal intakes.  These duties will be performed in collaboration with the Children’s Program Managerial Team.
• Providing leadership, coordination, and oversight on programmatic needs related to the management of the unaccompanied children’s juvenile court dockets.  These duties will be performed in collaboration with the Children’s Program Managerial Team.
• Providing mentorship and support to Legal Assistants and Intake Specialists in their provision of direct representation work for unaccompanied minors.  These duties will be performed in collaboration with the Children’s Program Managerial Team and Staff Attorneys.
• Providing leadership, coordination, and oversight on programmatic needs related to updating drive management systems, case management systems, and databases.  These duties will be performed in collaboration with the Children’s Program Managerial Team, Children’s Program Senior Legal Assistants, and Children’s Program Legal Administrative Assistants.
• Providing assistance to Staff Attorneys by maintaining an assigned caseload (number of cases will depend on workflow).
• Leading legal assistant meetings, working groups, and special projects as needed.
• Providing coordination and oversight related to programmatic needs related to mail and operations systems.  These duties will be performed in collaboration with the Children’s Program Legal Administrative Assistants and the Operations Team.
• Participating in overall program development with the Children’s Program Managerial Team.  This includes attending Children’s Program managerial weekly team meetings.
• Supporting Florence Project outreach and development activities as needed, including ad hoc projects.
• Data entry as assigned
• Performing administrative duties as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree, or a combination of relevant experience and education can be considered.

• Two years of relevant professional experience required. Specific legal assistant experience preferred.

• Ability to work with children and vulnerable populations is required.

• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.

• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish required.

• Strong leadership skills.

• Self-starter with demonstrated strong interest in immigration issues.

• Demonstrates interest in advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way as well as a zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission.

• A hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative and client centered work environment.

• Highly organized and able to be an innovative thinker and work in a high volume setting with limited resources.

• Ability to work independently with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects and set and meet deadlines.

• Is adaptable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities.

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

• Exhibits high level of professionalism.

• Exhibits a high level of consistent, exceptional performance on work products.

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

• Displays a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Excellent problem solving, research, and analytical skills.

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

• Proven computer skills, including Microsoft Office 365, Word, Excel, Power Point and Adobe Pro.

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

Preferred Requirements:

• Mentoring experience is highly desired.
• One year of supervisory experience preferred.
• Experience with immigration law, family law, working with teenagers, and/or survivors of trauma is a plus.
• Prior experience working with the Florence Project as a Legal Assistant preferred.

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.

• 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.

• Requires travel regularly between offices, and secondary work locations.

• 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, temporary assignment. The incumbent's annual base salary will be increased by $10,000 during the period of the interim managerial role.  This increase will take effect at the beginning and will cease at the end of the temporary assignment. 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.

• Company-paid federal holidays, all observed

• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (12) 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.