Associate Program Director for Operations & Quality Assurance - Acacia Center for Justice

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:

The Associate Program Director will oversee the team providing program management support to legal service providers (LSPs) serving unaccompanied children nationwide with immigration legal services, including full-scope representation in removal proceedings. The team ensures the provision of high-quality legal services to children in and released from immigration detention and funding contract compliance. In this role, they will coordinate with the Budgets & Resource Management; Technical Compliance; Learning & Development; and Research, Evaluation & Data Analytics teams to ensure cohesive and comprehensive program policies and technical assistance for the network of LSPs. They will support the Operations and Quality Assurance team in strategically brainstorming solutions to challenges that arise in the LSP network and will elevate any challenges, as necessary, to the Program Director. They will join a functional team with various backgrounds in immigration advocacy, child welfare, finance, and research.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

Operations Planning and Program Direction

• Oversee planning and implementing improvements to LSP network operations, including through service-quality and contract-compliance monitoring and developing programming aimed at ensuring network services sustainability.
• Guide Program Managers on monitoring contract compliance for individual LSPs, including thorough analysis of monthly program data, and providing regular updates to the Program Director. Support team in ensuring contract requirements are met by network LSPs where necessary, including by troubleshooting and documenting contract compliance challenges, identifying performance issues, and supporting a high level of quality assurance.
• Work closely with Program Managers to keep updated on trends, challenges, and best practices in the field and strategically brainstorm solutions to challenges experienced by individual LSPs. When necessary, assist in elevation of challenges to internal leadership, including primarily Program Director, and to funding partners.
• Liaise with the Budgets & Resource Management team to ensure that LSP spending and budgeting is appropriate based on knowledge of the program and on-the-ground needs.
• Develop and maintain relationships with project partners, including government and external stakeholders.

Services Reporting and Technical Assistance

• Oversee site visit completion and review reports drafted by Senior Program Associates and research team, including site visit reports and annual reports. Oversee team’s routine identification of technical assistance needs of the network and collaborate with the Learning & Development team to create training resources that address these needs. Participate in delivery of technical assistance on an ad hoc basis.
• Oversee identification of promising practices among subcontractors and maintenance of ways to disseminate information about such practices to encourage implementation elsewhere in the network.
• Collaborate with the Research, Evaluation & Data Analytics team to ensure program analysis is accurately captured in reporting.

Required Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software
• A demonstrated knowledge of immigration, child welfare, criminal or juvenile justice, or other justice areas
• Strong writing, research, data analysis, communication, and facilitation skills
• Ability to manage work on multiple projects effectively and efficiently
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team, as well as to take the initiative and manage projects independently
• Ability to successfully balance travel responsibilities with office-based responsibilities
• Experience representing detained immigrants and/or children is a strong plus
• Experience with "know your rights" and other community education initiatives are a strong plus
• An uncompromising commitment to immigrants' rights and race equity

 Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Experience with overseeing a network of legal services providers.

Education and Experience:

• A JD degree, or Advanced Degree
• At least 7-8 years of legal, government, or policy work experience

Compensation and Benefits:

Acacia has established an internal compensation philosophy that centers equity and pay transparency. The salary for this position is set at $126,000. The salary listed is just one component of Acacia’s total compensation package for employees. Supporting Acacia staff—both personally and professionally—is our priority.

• Medical/Dental/Vision- Some plans at $0 cost to the employee
• Employee Assistance Program
• 20 days per year of vacation time
• 12 days per year of sick time
• 5 personal days
• 4 organization-wide Wellness Days
• 11 observed holidays, including the last week of December.
• $2000 Professional Development Stipend
• Home office set-up stipend
• Internet Stipend
• 401k with 5% employer contribution, no employee participation required.
• Student loan repayment assistance.
• Gym Reimbursement

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.

To Apply:

Submit your resume and cover letter through the Acacia Careers site. If you encounter technical issues or have accessibility needs, email your resume and cover letter to hiring@acaciajustice.org with Subject: ATTN: Human Resources / [Job Title], Acacia Center for Justice

PLEASE ONLY SUBMIT THROUGH ONE METHOD.

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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