Program Manager, Program Planning, Services and Support - 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:

Acacia and its partners operate and manage multiple nationwide legal access and representation programs. These programs provide critical services to immigrant adults, children and families in immigration detention and/or in removal proceedings. With federal immigration policy and priorities constantly changing, these programs are regularly called upon to pivot and shift with little to no notice. The Program Planning, Services and Support unit is an agile team created to allow for greater flexibility and nimble responsiveness to shifting requirements.

The Program Manager will work closely with the Director to coordinate planning, workflow and process management across the Program and Research units; provide staffing support on new and urgent issues where necessary; and support effective program execution and implementation across Acacia’s programs in the face of evolving demands. The Program Manager will be adaptable and collaborative in their approach to work, confident and competent in moving projects and achieving deliverables in a timely manner, and resilient in the face of change.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities:

Collect, document, and update programmatic workflows (both internal and external) to support efficient and effective work across units

• Work with program teams to create or refine centralized information for each program’s provider network
• Review and update program guidance documents and materials, as well as onboarding processes
• Identify and problem-solve areas of need for increased efficiency or effectiveness in coordination with relevant units/teams · Upon request, work with various units or programs to determine areas where processes can be improved, including soliciting and synthesizing feedback from Acacians, subcontractors and other stakeholders, proposing solutions, and closing feedback loops. Based on capacity and expertise, may manage process improvements and solutions
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with the staff on other programmatic units, as well as a working knowledge of the contracted programs, so that when support is necessary, transition can be done as seamlessly as possible

Supervise staff members on the Program Planning, Services and Support team as assigned

•  As assigned by the Director, supervise staff at varying levels comprising detail-oriented and organized project management, program implementation, and planning professionals with a culture of flexibility, support, problem-solving, and resilience
• Provide guidance and support to staff on shifting priorities to enable nimble responses to new and urgent programmatic needs
• Help develop and implement processes for monitoring and shifting workload on the team as necessary

As assigned by the Director, provide support to Managing Directors, Program Directors and/or Associate Directors when program demands and priorities require. This may include situations such as: new and/or urgent program requests from the government for new initiatives or expansion; new and/or urgent developments in the field that have significant impact on program operations; limited staffing capacity in other programmatic units as a result of unfilled positions and/or extended leave. The Program Manager will need to be able to adapt and shift focus as called by the situation. At various times, responsibilities here may include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee contract compliance and contractual deliverables by Acacia and by legal service provider (LSP) subcontractors, including tracking and monitoring requirements and deliverables
• Support and coordinate the recruitment and onboarding of LSP organizations and onboarding of LSP staff to various contracts across units at Acacia (technical compliance, program operations, research evaluation and data analysis, learning and development, budget and resource management, information technology services, legal, etc.)
• Conduct Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for potential providers to support expansion of existing work, or start new work; engage with LSPs about the technical and substantive requirements of the work; collaborate across units to ensure coordination; support the contracting process
• Conduct site visits in accordance with the policies and procedures set out by the relevant program; serve as site lead for LSPs and troubleshoot challenges, with support of relevant Program Director and Associate Director
• Provide supervision and strategic support to Senior Program Associates, with guidance from the Program Directors or Associate Directors
• Review and develop legal resource materials for LSPs (e.g., orientation program scripts, legal intake/screening forms, training materials on new policies, etc.); conduct trainings where appropriate
• Liaise with government partner officials about site-specific programmatic issues, billing, reporting, policy changes, legal developments impacting delivery of services across programs, and other related matters
• Review and analyze quantitative and qualitative program information received from LSPs and other stakeholders. Review provider data and programmatic updates on an ongoing basis. Draft report language with distilled findings regarding network-wide trends and updates
• Assist in responding to time-sensitive government inquiries, and manage that process across units, as appropriate

Required Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Uncompromising commitment to immigrants’ rights
• Exceptional project management, stakeholder management and communication skills
• Solid organization skills with the ability to manage work on multiple projects simultaneously, efficiently, and effectively
• Strong attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve under challenging circumstances, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and pivot and exhibit resilience in the face of constant change
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with others toward short- and longer-term goals, and to manage projects independently
• Experience supervising and supporting staff of different experience levels; demonstrated ability to accept and implement, and to give, constructive feedback
• Deep commitment to race, equity, and inclusion, and to treating others, regardless of organizational hierarchy, with empathy, patience, and person-centeredness; demonstrated ability to work with people of diverse experiences and backgrounds
• At least seven years of experience in the immigration legal services field, government contracting or contract/grant administration; demonstrated experience supporting contract deliverables and providing technical assistance to program subcontractors
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills; demonstrated ability to communicate and connect with all stakeholders, from government funder to legal service provider to impacted community member
• Ability to successfully balance travel responsibilities with office-based responsibilities when necessary

Additional eligibility requirements:

• In accordance with federal contracts, a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) check may be required for this position.

List of required software applications:

• Microsoft Office suite, Zoom

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, Abilities:

• Experience negotiating obstacles to access to justice for people in carceral, detention, or institutional settings
• Experience providing legal defense to people who are detained or incarcerated
• Program management experience, especially of legal service or representation programs that contain a training and technical assistance component
• Knowledge of the immigrants’ rights field, including previous experience working with key field stakeholders
• Experience building partnerships with legal services providers to meet the needs of people in jails, prisons, and/or immigration detention
• Lived experience and/or demonstrated commitment to challenging inequities and racism in the immigration legal system
• Demonstrated ability to promote team/coalition cohesion, to build staff morale, and to function as an equitable team member

Education and Experience:

• Advanced degree in Law or Public Policy or similar degree and 7 years of relevant work experience in legal access or representation services, immigration policy, or a related field

Compensation and Benefits:

Acacia has established an internal compensation philosophy that centers equity and pay transparency. The salary for this position is set at $118,200. 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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