Immigration Advocate

The Immigration Advocate provides high-quality immigration legal support services for case management clients to help them achieve short-term and intermediate outcomes toward longer-term goals. Responsibilities include: maintaining DOJ accreditation; providing comprehensive consultations and direct representation to clients in a range of immigration matters , including removal of conditions, VAWA self-petitions, U and T visa petitions, employment authorization documents, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status petitions; supporting client progress using data management software; developing and maintaining community collaborations; and working with the direct service team to provide continuity in services. The ideal candidate should possess high energy, excellent communication skills, and creativity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

● Provide intake, advice and counseling, and direct legal representation to clients in immigration matters before USCIS in accordance with HarborCOV’s survivor-centered, trauma-informed goals, objectives, and core values

● Seek and maintain DOJ accreditation 

● Prepare and facilitate in-house trainings and workshops for HarborCOV staff and clients, in coordination with other team members

● Prepare and facilitate outreach and legal education for community members and partner organizations, in coordination with other team members

● Attend relevant coalition meetings on behalf of HarborCOV

● Record accurate daily data on services and client progress in organizational data management system

● Contribute to grant proposals and reports

● Actively participate in weekly team meetings, all-staff meetings, and regularly required trainings to promote continuity in high-quality services, meaningful leadership and a supportive agency-wide culture that fosters accountability and ongoing skill-building

● Adhere to strict organizational personnel, confidentiality, and conflict of interest policies

● Work with the staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, and interns to promote understanding and advancement of the HarborCOV mission, philosophy, and programmatic goals

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to develop and maintain strategic community collaborations relevant to immigration advocacy

• Demonstrated understanding of culturally competent, strength-based strategies within an anti-racism, and economic and social justice framework

• Understanding of client-centered approaches that focus on the client’s current strengths and needs for facilitating realistic and empowering goals, along with fostering long-term relationships and impacts.

• Strong listening, communication, and solution-focused problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.

• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to work calmly under pressure.

• Be a team player with enthusiasm about working in a linguistically and culturally diverse environment.

• Experience with and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Office.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bilingual, with oral and written communication skills in English and Spanish

• Some experience with immigration law or immigrant communities in the United States

• Experience working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence 

• Social justice and cultural competence awareness, and willingness to learn more about it.

• Proficient written and oral communication skills.

Equal opportunity: HarborCOV has cultural and linguistic diversity in all its programs. Minorities, bilingual/bicultural candidates, survivors of domestic & sexual violence, and LGBTQIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. HarborCOV is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.