National Project Coordinator

THE ORGANIZATION

Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights helps people living in poverty or danger improve their lives and realize their human rights. From a refugee fleeing violence and torture to a public housing resident trying to escape the cycle of poverty, Heartland Alliance helps people in the toughest of circumstances—who often have no place else to go. For more than 100 years, Heartland Alliance has provided hope, opportunity, and solutions—through both services and advocacy. Our work spans across four key areas, creating paths from crisis to stability and on to success: Housing, Health Care, Economic Opportunities, and Justice.

THE PROGRAM

The Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) is dedicated to ensuring human rights protections and access to justice for all immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. NIJC provides direct legal services to and advocates for these populations through policy reform, impact litigation, and public education. With the support of hundreds of pro bono attorneys, NIJC provides legal services to more than 8,000 individuals each year and maintains a success rate of 90 percent in obtaining asylum for those fleeing persecution in their home countries. Since its founding three decades ago, NIJC has been unique in blending individual client advocacy with broad-based systemic change.

THE POSITION

National Litigation Project Coordinator: The overall objectives of the position are to: 1) provide administrative support to the litigation team; 2) provide legal support to the litigation team in the form of drafting letters, memos, and other materials; 3) maintain litigation website to publicize current cases; 4) respond to national calls and letters from immigrants in ICE custody as a result of immigration enforcement; 5) coordinate effective documentation of due process violations for immigrants, including those related to LGBT and HIV-positive refugees and asylum seekers, and those with claims to U.S. citizenship; 6) respond and document the needs of partner organizations, including conducting issue-based training on legal relief available to detainees, detention conditions and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

•Interview immigrants for purposes of due process or impact-related litigation

•Maintain NIJC's dockets

• Maintain litigation cases in NIJC's database.

•Perform periodic checks of federal court websites.

•Perform administrative functions relating to federal case document filings, website posting, and other matters.

•Oversee project database files for purposes of reporting project information to funders.

•Analyze human rights violations, including information gathered through Freedom of Information Act FOIA) requests and develop materials for national advocacy efforts.

•Investigate immigrant detainee complaints regarding detention conditions and work with the Litigation team to file administrative complaints, initiate litigation to correct these conditions in a timely manner, provide pro se materials to the detainee, or coordinate pro bono representation of detainee.

• Coordinate regular litigation meetings for NIJC litigation team and pro bono partners •Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

• Education and/or Experience: Bachelor's degree and two years of experience in human rights field, legal and/or communications work required. This position may require experience with vulnerable populations.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English and Spanish is required. Ability to effectively interview clients and engage in fact-gathering for advocacy or litigation in a fast-paced environment.
• Technical Skills: Ability to design and maintain program website with minimal training; Fluency in Microsoft Office especially Word and Excel; Ability to maintain and organize large quantities of information in an electronic database
• Attention to detail and accuracy: Ability to competently and effectively communicate orally and in writing for a variety of audiences; Ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrants' rights/human rights
• Volunteer Management: Ability to train interns, to assist with projects, supervise work, and assign additional tasks on an as needed basis
• Understanding the Importance of Client Confidentiality: In accordance with organizational policies and ethical standards required of the legal profession and the code of professional responsibility, preserves client confidentiality, accounts for client monies, and avoids conflicts of interest.