Fellowship Director

FELLOWSHIP DIRECTOR

Hybrid work environment (subject to change); 2-3 days in office; other days remote

Location: New York, NY

Salary: $ 125,000

ABOUT IJC

​​​IJC is the country's first fellowship program cited by The New York Times as an innovator in our field. We are dedicated to meeting the need for high-quality legal assistance for low-income immigrants. Our Justice Fellows and Community Fellows are recent law graduates and college graduates, respectively, who are committed to providing immigration legal services to under-served populations and who join a new generation of dedicated advocates working to serve immigrant communities. Creative thinking and the pursuit of new strategies to increase access to justice are essential to our mission.​​

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​​​The United States is facing a growing representation crisis in immigration. Immigrant Justice Corps’ (IJC) Fellowship program offers a blueprint for meeting the ongoing representation crisis. Every year, we recruit, train, and mentor talented lawyers and exceptional college graduates and deploy them with legal services providers and community-based organizations to assist low-income immigrants. IJC’s goal is to substantially close the gap in representation for immigrants and believe an infusion of IJC Fellows can make a transformational difference. ​​

THE OPPORTUNITY

​​Immigrant Justice Corps (“IJC”) seeks an individual with initiative and who can work collaboratively in a team environment to serve as the Fellowship Director to the Fellowship Team and lead IJC’s Fellowship Program​. ​Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, ​​t​his position will lead the Fellowship department. Core responsibilities include:

Develop and oversee programmatic processes that align with the organization's long-term goals and objectives

• ​​​Development of legal and professional skill-building of Katzmann Justice Fellows, UCP Justice Fellows, Community Fellows, alumni, and host organization relationships as well as capacity building for specific projects.
• ​ Support process of selecting Justice and Community Fellows and assist with Host Organizations (“HO”) selection processes.
• ​Create programming to support and nurture fellows’ wellbeing and integration into our field of practice, including secondary trauma resources, burnout supports, time management and record keeping training, how to “manage up”, monthly meetings, substantive guidance as well as resource sharing.
• ​Develop and offer professional development opportunities for Fellows, including participation in rapid response efforts, training opportunities, fostering alumni connectivity, policy, and advocacy initiatives, etc.
• ​Direct and oversee all selected host organization relationships, including trouble-shooting issues with placed Fellows, providing access and support for secondary supervision demands, assessing and supporting existing HO Fellow supervisors, maintaining, and updating resources for HOs with IJC Fellows, etc.
• ​In collaboration with the Chief Program Officer, cultivate relationships with prospective host organizations for Fellow placement and work closely with the IJC Recruitment Team to develop and target Fellow outreach according to community demand, HO interest, legal access deserts, current funding prospects, etc.
• ​Collaborate with the IJC Training & Legal Technical Assistance Team to develop and execute trainings, annual conferences, substantive and soft-skill guidance sessions, provide ongoing mentorship and substantive support for Fellows throughout their placement, and ensure that curriculum is ripe, relevant, and up to date for presentation and distribution.

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​​Serve as a leader, collaborative team member, and champion for IJC’s mission​

• ​​​Provide senior leadership oversight for all Fellowship Department compliance processes, including fiscal management, CRM utilization and accountability, employee performance management, and all internal and external reporting requirements.
• ​Lead and provide direction, mentorship, guidance, and professional development for a team of managers, coordinators, and other support and administrative staff to create a network of collaborative development for out-placed Fellows and their Host Organization placements.​​
• ​​​Promote regular and ongoing opportunities for staff to develop as a team and give feedback on team operations.​​
• Act as a representative for the organization in external engagements, media relations, and other exposure opportunities.
• Ideate, incubate, and execute pilot initiatives, infusions, and region-driven projects in collaboration with the Chief Program Officer and other senior leadership.
• Other duties as assigned.

WHO YOU ARE

• A passionate advocate committed to IJC’s mission and values. You bring a strong commitment to social justice and the rights of immigrants. You thrive in an organization that values candor, trust, open communications, kindness, accountability, and a commitment to learning and growth.
• A versatile and well-rounded leader. You have a JD, at least 3 years of management experience, and 5+ years of supervisory experience. You are dedicated to access to representation for immigrant communities. Ideally you are a former Justice Fellow and/or immigration attorney with a depth of knowledge and familiarity with a diverse cross-section of immigration law and policy, particularly removal defense and affirmative family-based and humanitarian matters. You have a demonstrated ability to collaborate with senior managers to articulate and implement the strategic vision and leadership of the agency’s programs.
• A “big picture” thinker with the ability to implement tactically. You approach challenges and opportunities through an analytical lens and take a hands-on approach to translate strategy into tangible activities and goals. You integrate programmatic best practices with new thinking and approaches. You have extensive experience organizing and facilitating professional development opportunities for large convenings of varied learners.
• ​​​​​An exceptional communicator. You demonstrate an understanding of the context surrounding an issue area and create logical arguments that clearly articulate the “why” behind an organization’s mission and impact. You excel in explaining complex topics in layman's terms. You are a transparent, direct, and clear communicator who people feel comfortable approaching for assistance.
• A thoughtful relationship builder who develops rapport easily and fosters long-term connections. You have a sensitivity to client needs and those of budding immigration practitioners. You have a warm, energetic, and authentic personality that translates to building lasting relationships both internally and externally. You are a deep and attentive listener and can work with a variety of personalities.
• A tech-savvy and well-organized project manager. You have the ability to coordinate with multiple and diverse stakeholders across a single project. You nimbly lead both internal and external teams toward shared goals. You encourage the use of technology to create efficiencies. You utilize strong record-keeping methodologies to memorialize both successes and lessons to learn from.
• A flexible, resourceful, and willing team member. You thrive in a lean nonprofit setting with the ability to stay focused and flexible in the face of growth and change. You have a “get it done” attitude, with the ability to drive innovation, solve problems, and maintain productivity and creativity in a dynamic environment.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range is adjusted for experience and geographic location. Excellent benefits package including 401(k), dental and vision insurance, paid time off, and flexible spending account.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MISSION STATEMENT

IJC is committed to protecting the human rights of immigrants by increasing the quality and quantity of representation. In fulfilling its mission, IJC is committed to fostering diversity at all levels of the organization. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our staff and Fellows, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. In striving always to achieve those goals, IJC embraces justice, equity, diversity and inclusion as core values and is steadfast in our commitment to: (1) ensuring that IJC management and staff members represent a broad range of human difference and experience; (2) providing a work climate that is respectful and that supports success; and (3) promoting the dignity and well-being of all staff and Fellows. IJC’s leadership is responsible for ensuring excellence, diversity, and inclusion.

HOW TO APPLY

Please email your resume and personalized cover letter that answers the question: "What excites you about Immigrant Justice Corps and the Fellowship Director opportunity?”​ to Opsteam@justicecorps.org with the subject line: Fellowship Director.​​​ Applications will be considered on a rolling basis and handled with confidentiality.

EEO STATEMENT

Immigrant Justice Corps is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation as required by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other applicable federal and state statutes and organizational policies.