Program Associate LOP/ICH, Center on Immigration and Justice
The Vera Institute of Justice, founded in 1961, is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization that combines expertise in research, technical assistance, and demonstration projects to assist leaders in government and civil society examine justice policy and practice, and improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety. Vera has offices in New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, and its projects and reform initiatives, typically conducted in partnership with local, state, or national officials, are located across the United States and around the world. Vera is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity in the workplace.
Vera’s Center on Immigration and Justice seeks a Program Associate to work in its New York City office with its Legal Orientation Program (LOP) and Immigration Court Helpdesk (ICH).
The LOP was created to inform detained immigrants about their rights, and the immigration court and detention processes. Vera staff work with federal government partners at EOIR and nonprofit legal service agencies to provide detained people at 35 sites nationwide with basic information about forms of relief from removal, how to represent themselves in immigration court, and how to get legal representation.
The ICH is a program that serves non-detained respondents who are scheduled for Master Calendar hearings at five EOIR Immigration Courts. The goal of ICH is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of immigration court proceedings by informing non-detained respondents appearing before the court about court practices and procedures, available legal options, and other relevant topics.
Vera staff is responsible for managing service provider networks, including monitoring compliance with subcontracts, providing technical assistance, and conducting program evaluation.
Responsibilities
The Program Associate will work closely with the Program Director in carrying out the following duties:
• Provide technical assistance to program sites in the form of site visits, on-site training programs, conference calls, individual consultations, and other means as appropriate;
• Conduct site visits of program sites (expect to conduct 6-12 site visits a year) and draft site visit evaluations;
• Plan and execute peer-to-peer on-site training programs for new providers;
• Assist in the preparation of quarterly and annual reports to government partners;
• Prepare and deliver webinars about best practices, immigration law, and detention;
• Continuously identify promising practices among program sites and devise ways to disseminate information about such practices to encourage implementation elsewhere;
• Coordinate development and review of legal orientation materials (in English and Spanish) and provide meaningful feedback;
• Facilitate regular check-in conference calls; and
• Assist on other projects as assigned.
Qualifications
• A JD degree;
• Working knowledge of Spanish;
• Willingness to travel outside of New York City frequently;
• Knowledge of immigration, criminal justice, or other justice areas;
• Experience representing detained immigrants strongly preferred;
• Ability to manage work on multiple projects simultaneously, efficiently and effectively;
• Ability to successfully balance travel responsibilities with office-based responsibilities in a fast-paced environment;
• Demonstrated interest in program administration and public policy;
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team and manage projects independently;
• A desire to effectuate change in partnership with government;
• Strong writing and research skills;
• Experience with “know your rights” or other community education initiatives strongly preferred;
• Ability to work with people of diverse experiences and backgrounds;
• A valid driver’s license.
Please submit cover letter, resume, list of three references, and a brief original writing sample (no outside editing, 5 pages or less). Online submission in PDF format is preferred.
However, if necessary, materials may be mailed or faxed to:
ATTN: People and Culture / CIJ Program Associate Recruitment
Vera Institute of Justice
233 Broadway, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10279
Fax: (212) 941-9407
Please use only one method (online, mail or fax) of submission.
No phone calls, please. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.