Directing or Senior Directing Attorney, Quality Parenting Initiative

Summary

The Youth Law Center (YLC) is excited to announce our newest Attorney position. The Directing or Senior Directing Attorney will drive our Quality Parenting Initiative’s (QPI) systems-change advocacy on behalf of youth in the foster care system. We’re seeking an innovative advocate and community organizer who is excited to use an array of strategies to create and implement child-centered, developmentally sensitive policy and practice in partnership with foster care systems nationwide. Qualified candidates for this role will have at least 10 years’ experience as a practicing attorney and either current California bar licensure or willingness to obtain it. (YLC is an eligible legal aid organization in California for applicants who may wish to seek permission from the California State Bar to practice in the state as a Registered Legal Aid Attorney (RLAA).)

About the Youth Law Center’s Advocacy

YLC’s mission is to transform foster care and juvenile justice systems across the nation so every child and youth can thrive. Attorneys and advocates at YLC use a wide variety of advocacy strategies, including policy advocacy; litigation; legislative and administrative work; collaborative systems-reform campaigns; public education and media advocacy; legal and non-legal writing; training; and technical assistance. YLC’s approach is grounded in the knowledge that those most directly impacted by systems are best positioned to transform them. We believe change comes from listening deeply to young people and the organizations that support them, helping them translate their ideas into practice and policy change, and working together to advance a new narrative about how we should transform our systems.

YLC’s broad advocacy goals include:

• Ending the incarceration of youth in the juvenile justice system and imagining new approaches to youth justice;
• Ending the use of congregate care for youth in foster care and juvenile justice and ensuring youth receive excellent parenting in families in their own communities;
• Improving access to education, including postsecondary ed, for system-impacted youth;
• Ensuring healthy transitions to adulthood for system-impacted youth and access to the services needed to make that transition; and
• Improving conditions in foster care and juvenile justice systems as supported by child and adolescent development research.

Find out more about us at ylc.org and qpi4kids.org.

About the Quality Parenting Initiative

QPI is based on the principle that foster care systems must ensure that every child in their care receives excellent parenting. In each jurisdiction in our national QPI network, participants in their system—including children and foster and birth parents—help develop, modify, and implement local and state policy and practice to support that goal. YLC leads this work by:

• Investing in local change agents who will lead child-development-informed advocacy in their own communities.
• Seeding and sustaining changes that advance healthy child and adolescent development, in partnership with agency leaders and policymakers.
• Mobilizing and supporting a movement of local leaders committed to helping children thrive by prioritizing their relationships in policy and practice.

Over the past 16 years, the QPI approach has expanded from three to over 80 jurisdictions. The next phase will require strategic advocacy to ensure that best practices and policies are shared and replicated.

Position Description & Responsibilities

The Attorney will direct our QPI advocacy, joining a team of other dedicated attorneys and advocates. The position’s focus will be twofold—first, on direct work with our sites, local advocates, and QPI systems-change processes; and second, on keeping QPI integrated with YLC’s broader constellation of efforts to improve lifelong outcomes for system-impacted youth.

The Attorney will:

• In partnership with the Executive Director, develop and lead QPI’s advocacy strategy using a variety of tools, including administrative advocacy, community organizing, legislative and policy advocacy, and narrative change work.
• Provide technical assistance, training, and advocacy support to QPI participants in sites—advocates, agency staff, and directly impacted youth and families—to address barriers to young people in foster care receiving excellent parenting.
• Engage in policy advocacy at the local, state, and national levels, elevating issues and solutions identified through QPI work.
• Assess and refine advocacy efforts to increase impact and support the development of new strategies.
• Work with the QPI team and sites to identify systemic problems and potential solutions.
• Develop and maintain relationships with leaders of participating agencies and new partners, jurisdictions, and stakeholders.
• Partner with the Managing Director to ensure that all components of QPI advocacy are coordinated with each other and substantially integrated with YLC’s broader legal team and other projects.
• Work with the QPI team to develop advocacy goals for QPI meetings and convenings.
• Manage and mentor QPI staff and consultants.
• Assist the Executive Director in fundraising and cultivating philanthropic relationships.
• Participate in organizational strategy and planning.

Who & What We’re Looking For

We want to hear from creative strategists with the knowledge, skills, and perspective to promote innovation that improves outcomes for children and youth. An excellent QPI attorney embodies curiosity, continually seeking out others’ viewpoints to help diagnose problems and identify pragmatic, equitable, and sustainable paths to change. They will also be a natural relationship-builder, within and outside our team, and will embrace our advocacy values.

People of color and those with lived experience with the foster care, juvenile justice, or youth homelessness systems that can be used to inform advocacy are highly encouraged to apply.

Below is a list of the skills and experience we believe are needed for success in this role. We also recognize that women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ folks, and other historically marginalized people are more likely to self-select out of applying for jobs if they don’t meet all of the listed criteria. We encourage you to apply if you’re enthusiastic about this role, even if you can’t check off every item on the list.

• Active CA bar license or willingness to obtain CA licensure, either by seeking CA bar admission or by applying for RLAA status
• 10+ years’ experience as a practicing attorney utilizing a variety of advocacy strategies
• Experience directing projects, leading teams, and providing supervision
• Experience supporting other organizational and team functions, such as fundraising or budgeting
• Demonstrated ability to take responsibility for driving results, delivering outcomes, and ensuring that efforts are achieving the desired goals
• Demonstrated ability as an advocate in juvenile justice, foster care, education, health, youth homelessness, or a closely-related field
• Substantive experience with and knowledge of systems serving youth, including child welfare, education, health, housing, and others
• Community organizing experience
• Creativity, passion, and vision to challenge the status quo
• Ability to think strategically and analytically and to identify policy issues
• Ability to see and set long-term vision and mission, identify the strategies needed to achieve them, and balance strategic action with daily tasks
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, and communication skills, including the ability to facilitate, write persuasively and clearly, communicate effectively, and build strong partnerships and coalitions
• Ability to work well with diverse groups of people, including families, youth, and agency leaders
• Commitment to uplifting the voices of young people impacted by the foster care system
• Ability to take initiative, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, work independently, and meet deadlines
• Interest in working in a flexible, adaptable, team-oriented environment
• Ability to travel regularly for a variety of meetings, events, and other activities

Equal Opportunity Employer

YLC values a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, body size, natural hair style, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.

Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Read our DEI statement here.