Children's Program Manager (Phoenix or Tucson office)

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 the more than 10,000 men, women, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day.  The Florence Project is nationally known for its legal and social services that ensure that detained people are empowered and have access to justice. The Florence Project provides high quality legal services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy. 

Detention in Arizona is growing, including of young children, and family separation continues. Recent changes to case law and policies have made immigration cases incredibly challenging. The Florence Project is on the frontlines of immigration, fighting back against constant attacks on immigrants’ rights. We are looking for a creative manager to join our growing team to provide top notch mentorship, program development, and legal representation. Come join our team and be part of the change, fighting for immigrants’ rights in these challenging times. 
 
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM MANAGER POSITION SUMMARY

The Florence Project is seeking an individual to join as Children’s Program Manager to oversee the organization’s large Children’s Program, which serves unaccompanied minors, including abused, abandoned, abused, or trafficked youth and youth with fear-based claims. The position will oversee Managing Attorneys and ensure they have the support and resources for their supervision. The Children’s Program Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining professional relations with stakeholders including community organizations, national and local legal organizations, pro bono law firms, Office of Refugee Resettlement and Department of Homeland Security officials, and shelter/detention facility staff and management. The Children’s Program Manager will oversee program development and outreach activities, in collaboration with the Deputy Director, Legal Director, and Executive Director. This position reports to the Deputy Director. 

The Florence Project has three offices in Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson, and Florence. Children are detained in and around Phoenix and Tucson. The position may work from either our Phoenix or Tucson office, to be discussed at the interviewing stage depending on what is best for the applicant and the program. 
 
Duties include but are not limited to the following:

  • Lead program development with Deputy Director, Legal Director, Executive Director, and Managing Attorneys, and participate 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.
  • Supervise 5-7 Managing Attorneys, and provide coverage of supervision when needed to those Managing Attorneys. 
  • Maintain a small caseload of challenging cases in front of the Immigration Court or Board of Immigration Appeals, with the opportunity to select challenging casework or appeals of particular importance, including district court advocacy. Provide mentorship and second chair new attorneys in a variety of deportation defense cases.  
  • Oversee collection of data by the legal staff, complete quarterly reporting for funders, and participate in Vera and other government contract calls, meetings, and trainings.
  • Coordinate recruitment, hiring, and training of new staff in collaboration with the Deputy Director, Managing Attorneys, and the HR department. 
  • Develop and manage stakeholder relations and address issues as they arise including but not limited to shelter/detention facilities, government actors, and community organizations. Participate in national advocacy and media work with the Legal Director and Advocacy Team as needed. 
  • As needed, provide weekly case review meetings with legal staff, orientation for new hires, and plan regular trainings for legal staff. 
  • Work with the Advocacy Team to highlight various initiatives and strategic legal advocacy to support the Florence Project’s mission. 
  • Support Florence Project outreach and development activities as needed. 
  • Other administrative duties as needed.  

QUALIFICATIONS

  • J.D. and licensed to practice law in any state.  
  • Must be fluent or have advanced proficiency in Spanish 
  • A minimum of two years of prior experience in removal defense, immigration law, child welfare law, or other law that is relevant to this position.  
  • Must have proven experience supervising staff or interns, and demonstrated ability to inspire confidence in others and play a supportive role. Must have a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
  • Demonstrated commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way and zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission. 
  • Must be a hard working team player with a sense of humor who is flexible, patient, respectful, and comfortable (and have necessary organizational skills to thrive) in a busy nonprofit setting. 
  • Must have excellent written and oral advocacy skills, problem solving, research, and analytical skills, and strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work with diverse populations.
  • Must be able to both work independently and also part of a team, and be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crises, or changing priorities.
  • Prior experience working with trauma survivors or individuals with mental health issues is a plus, and must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions. 
  • Travel is required for this position, therefore candidates must have access to reliable transportation. 
  • Candidates must be able to clear basic background checks, and obtain security clearance to enter detention facilities.
 
SALARY AND BENEFITS 

This is a full-time, salaried-exempt position. Salary is based on experience, and salaries are competitive for our non-profit network and public interest legal jobs in Arizona. Cost of living in Arizona is very reasonable. The Florence Project strives to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for staff.  We offer excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, with full premiums paid by the Florence Project. We also provide mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work. After one year of employment, staff members are eligible for the employer matching retirement plan. Paid time off includes one personal day each month in addition to fifteen days of vacation and twelve days of sick/medical leave annually, six weeks of parental leave (up to twelve weeks total, with option to use personal, vacation, and sick paid time off for unpaid portion), and bereavement leave. The Florence Project observes all federal holidays. After three consecutive years of employment with the Florence Project, staff members are eligible for an eight week paid sabbatical. 

APPLICATION PROCESS 

This is an immediate opening. To apply, please complete the application below, and upload a resume, letter of interest detailing your interest in the position with three professional references, and writing sample. Apply soon to join our exciting team! Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Only applicants 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, individuals with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.  
 
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. 
 

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