Director of Programs & Advocacy

About KIAC

Founded in 2004, the Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center (KIAC) advances the well-being and power-building of immigrants through education, advocacy, and social justice. We envision a community where all people, regardless of birthplace, have access to justice, respect, and opportunity. KIAC provides free and affordable immigration legal services, family support, tax and business assistance, and advocacy. Our clients come from over 70 countries, speaking more than 60 languages.

Position Objective

The Director of Programs & Advocacy provides strategic and people-centered leadership for KIAC's family services, advocacy, and community engagement work. The Director partners with staff, community members, and organizational leadership to strengthen programs, deepen community relationships, support advocacy efforts, and ensure services remain responsive to evolving community priorities.

The Director serves as a member of the leadership team, helping guide organizational priorities while cultivating partnerships, supporting coalition work, and ensuring programs reflect KIAC's mission and values.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for KIAC's family services and advocacy programs.
• Partner with the Executive Director to shape program priorities and organizational strategy.
• Foster a collaborative, equitable, and learning-oriented team culture.
• Support cross-program collaboration and organizational decision-making.
• Champion community-informed planning and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams through change, supporting staff development, and building trusting relationships across diverse communities.

Program Leadership and Staff Supervision

• Supervise, coach, and provide professional development for support program staff through regular one-on-one meetings, goal setting, feedback, and professional development.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and supportive team culture.
• Ensure programs continue to evolve in response to community priorities, participant feedback, and organizational values.
• Support staff in planning, problem-solving, and coordinating program activities.
• Promote culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and language-accessible services across all programs.

Program Strategy, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

• Lead ongoing assessment of programs to identify strengths, opportunities, and emerging community needs.
• Develop program goals, outcomes, evaluation practices, and continuous improvement strategies.
• Monitor program performance and support data-informed decision-making.
• Collaborate with staff to strengthen program design, service delivery, and community impact.
• Work with leadership to identify opportunities for program growth and sustainability.

Advocacy Leadership

• Partner with the Executive Director to implement KIAC's advocacy agenda.
• Develop community-centered advocacy and organizing strategies that elevate immigrant voices and leadership.
• Coordinate advocacy initiatives across programs and with external partners.
• Support policy education, civic engagement, and community organizing efforts.
• Assist in developing advocacy staffing plans and support hiring and onboarding as needed.

Partnership and Coalition Building

• Cultivate and steward relationships with community organizations, coalitions, public agencies, and partner organizations.
• Represent KIAC in collaborative initiatives, coalitions, and community meetings.
• Serve as liaison to KIAC's Community Advisory Group.
• Strengthen partnerships that advance programmatic goals and systems change.

Grant and Program Administration

• Work closely with leadership to monitor grant implementation and program outcomes.
• Ensure grant-funded activities meet objectives, timelines, and reporting requirements.
• Support data collection, reporting, and evaluation across programs.
• Collaborate on program budgets and monitor expenditures to ensure alignment with grant and organizational requirements.

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a member of KIAC's leadership team and contribute to organizational planning and decision-making.
• Collaborate across departments to strengthen organizational systems and community impact.
• Support organization-wide events, advocacy campaigns, and community engagement activities.
• Provide interpretation or language support as appropriate.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support KIAC's mission.

Other Responsibilities

• Meet regularly with the Family Services team and participate in staff and leadership meetings.
• Work closely with the Director of Family Services to monitor grant budgets, ensure alignment with allowable expenses, and prepare data and documentation for reporting requirements.
• Track program-related expenses and maintain accurate records for purchases, reimbursements, and event supplies in line with budget and procurement policies.
• Assist with data collection and program reporting and evaluation.
• Collaborate on organization-wide initiatives, advocacy efforts, and community events that align with the organization’s mission.
• Support with interpretation as needed.
• Perform other duties as needed to contribute to the overall success of the organization’s mission.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in community-based programs, advocacy initiatives, or nonprofit services.
• Experience in social work, public administration, public policy, nonprofit management, education, or a related field, or equivalent lived and professional experience.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust, navigate complexity, and support teams through change with empathy, accountability, and transparency.
• Experience working with immigrant, refugee, or multilingual communities.
• Three or more years of staff supervision and team leadership experience.
• Experience building partnerships and working in coalitions or collaborative community initiatives.
• Experience with program planning, implementation, evaluation, and grant management.
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Commitment to immigrant justice, racial equity, and community-centered leadership.
• Fluency in both English and Spanish (written and spoken).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong ability to work both independently and collaboratively across teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and database entry/client management systems
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Available for occasional evening or weekend events.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. Must also have vehicle insurance per Washington state law.
• Ability to pass a background and driving record check indicative of the position requirements.
• Deep commitment to serving and working alongside immigrant and refugee communities.

We recognize that leadership experience can be developed through community organizing, volunteer leadership, lived experience, mutual aid, advocacy, and other nontraditional career pathways.

Desired Skills

• Knowledge of Washington State policy and advocacy landscape.
• Experience with nonprofit grants, contracts, and reporting requirements.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed approaches and issues impacting survivors of gender-based violence, particularly within immigrant communities.
• Familiarity with Mam (Guatemalan language) or a basic understanding of Mam, with the ability to communicate key information, is preferred.

Physical and Emotional Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be regularly required to be both stationary and mobile; occasionally lift up to 35 lbs; communicate and manage workflows in person, over the computer and via phone; drive a vehicle to additional events. Occasionally required to climb a small ladder, sit, stoop, kneel, crouch. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision [close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus].

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally be required to discuss and engage with issues related to lived trauma and the immigrant experience.

This position is primarily in-office work with some hybrid flexibility (approximately 15-20% remote). Additional travel in surrounding regions for events and meetings may be required regularly.

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To accomplish this job, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Benefits package includes generous paid time off. Full-time employees are eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance. KIAC covers 100% of medical, dental, and vision with options to add dependents (at cost), and retirement.

Fluency in both English and Spanish (written and spoken).