Senior Program Associate, NQRP/CCI

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:

We are seeking a Senior Program Associate (SPA) to join our Learning and Development (L&D) team focusing on the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP) and the Counsel for Children Initiative (CCI). The Representation SPA plays a crucial role in programmatic functions and in ensuring that legal service providers in the NQRP and CCI networks have the knowledge and resources they need to provide zealous, person-centered, high quality legal services to the clients they serve. The SPA will be responsible for staying abreast of changes in immigration law that may impact the practice of representing non-citizens in removal proceedings. The SPA will synthesize and summarize such new information in a comprehensible way to provide timely and accurate guidance to our legal service providers, help identify relevant topics for network-wide trainings, and assist in the development and execution of such training programs.

Applicants can be considered for multiple positions and are encouraged to apply for all positions at Acacia in which they have interest.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

• Identify the training needs of the National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP) and the Counsel for Children Initiative (CCI) and collaborate with colleagues to create training resources that address those needs.
• Stay abreast of case law and policy changes relevant to NQRP and CCI through regular review of professional listservs, attendance at conferences and virtual trainings, and collaboration with immigration advocacy organizations.
• Coordinate with other members of the Learning and Development team to assess the networks’ technical assistance needs and develop responsive technical assistance resources, including practice advisories.
• Assist in the provision of technical assistance to NQRP & CCI providers in the form of network conference calls and one-on-one consultations.
• In collaboration with the L&D team, support the delivery of webinars, interactive workshops, trainings, presentations and workshops at on-site training programs.
• Support in the development and revision of Program Manuals for the representation providers.
• Provide administrative and logistical support for representation-focused trainings, including scheduling and facilitating virtual trainings, preparing training materials and handouts, and coordinating lodging and meals for onsite trainings.
• Liaise with EOIR points of contact for NQRP & CCI.
• Alternate attendance at representation program site visits as appropriate with L&D Associate Program Director and the L&D Program Manager for Representation.
• Collaborate with the L&D team staff focused on the orientation programs, which include the Legal Orientation Program (LOP), Legal Orientation Program for Custodians (LOPC), Immigration Court Helpdesk (ICH), Family Group Legal Orientation Program (FGLOP), and Legal Access Program for Reunified Families (LASRF). The SPA may also collaborate with other Acacia-managed programs, including the Unaccompanied Children Program (UCP) and the Children’s Holistic Immigration Representation Project (CHIRP).
• Support Acacia leadership in strategy and program innovation, and develop and maintain relationships with project partners, including other stakeholders.

Required Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Experience representing people who are detained and children in removal proceedings.
• Experience with issues related to mental health and competency in removal proceedings.
• A demonstrated knowledge of immigration law.
• An ability to manage multiple projects effectively and efficiently.
• Strong writing, editing, and research skills.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills by providing constructive and actionable feedback to peers and team members, while also being open to receiving feedback to continuously improve performance and processes.
• Comfort with public speaking, facilitation, and giving presentations.
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team, as well as to take initiative and manage projects independently.
• Ability to respond flexibly to changes in government contracts.
• Enthusiasm to mentor new professionals and support experienced immigration advocates.
• Ability to successfully balance travel responsibilities with office-based responsibilities.
• Interest in effectuating change in partnership with the government.
• Ability to work with people of diverse experiences and backgrounds.
• Commitment to principles of equity and inclusion.

Additional eligibility requirements:

• Be capable of passing an NCIC background clearance.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Willing to travel out-of-state 4-5 times per year.
• Acacia is unable to provide H1B sponsorship at this time; candidates must have United States citizenship.

List of required software applications:

• Familiarity with Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Office, Outlook, ClickUp, Adobe, SharePoint, VPN, Smartsheet, and other software applications as need arises.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Experience with NQRP and CCI programs.
• Spanish language fluency or other language ability.
• Familiarity with trauma informed practices.
• Experience inspiring others to pursue zealous advocacy.
• Experience providing legal orientation, know your rights presentations, legal screenings, or other community education initiatives.
• Experience working before tribunals and decision-making bodies, including state and federal courts, immigration courts, and USCIS.
• Familiarity with the networks of legal service providers and EOIR programs.

Education and Experience:

• Law degree required.
• 4-7 years of experience of relevant experience (experience in the immigration legal services field, including providing direct legal representation or orientation to people in removal or related proceedings).\
• Comparable work and educational experience will also be considered, particularly where the candidate has direct experience with the immigration legal system and has been personally impacted by it.

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.

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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