Defensive Program Director

Oasis Legal Services seeks a thoughtful and strategic leader to cultivate our Removal Defense program and increase access to culturally-responsive representation for low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) immigrants facing deportation. The ideal candidate is excited by service-delivery innovations and undaunted by obstacles. We are excited to hire someone with at least five years of experience representing clients in front of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), and is able to effectively communicate complex legal topics to clients in Spanish and English, without an interpreter or translator.

WHO WE ARE

Oasis Legal Services empowers low-income LGBTQ+ immigrants who have survived violence and persecution due to their sexuality, gender identity, and/or HIV status by increasing access to quality culturally-responsive legal representation and social services. Founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in May 2017, Oasis now serves more than 800 clients every year through two offices in California’s Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area. We are proud of the work we do and our commitment to our clients. This exceptional team is known for our compassion, empathy, and deep expertise. Join us!

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to Director of Programs & Advocacy in Berkeley CA. Supervises two Staff Attorneys in Berkeley CA, and up to two legal interns at a time. Oasis Program Directors are expected to manage a combination of Associates, Coordinators, Managers, Specialists, interns, consultants, and volunteers, regardless of whether they are the supervisor.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leadership & Program Strategy

• Provide overall development and management of the Defensive Program and work with the Director of Programs & Advocacy and team members to set a direction and vision for the program. Responsible for the success of the program and team members, including the program budget, funding deliverables, and policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with the Director of Programs & Advocacy, other Program Directors, and other colleagues to coordinate service delivery across programs, ensure clear communication, and maintain high operational standards and quality legal representation for clients within the Legal Team and Programs Department.
• Liaise with the Operations Department on information technology and data systems, and with the Development Department on grant deliverable tracking and reporting. Routinely provide Development Team with ideas, feedback, data and client information for grant applications.
• Stay up-to-date on external legal, policy, and funding changes and adjust legal strategy and service delivery accordingly to meet the needs of Oasis’ client communities.

Legal Supervision & People Management

• Supervise the legal work of other attorneys and legal advocates to ensure they are providing competent legal representation to clients and managing their caseloads effectively and efficiently. This may include co-counseling cases and providing other support as needed.
• Assign legal work and administrative tasks to paralegals, legal interns, pro bono attorneys and other volunteers in coordination with the Affirmative Program Director and Director of Programs & Advocacy. Review declarations, motions, and briefs, and observe intakes and hearings.
• Serve as the Oasis supervisor for up to three staff members and up to two legal interns at a time. Participate in weekly individual check-ins with these team members to provide ongoing feedback and support, and guide people in developing and executing appropriate advocacy strategies for their new and ongoing cases.
• Participate in Legal Team and Management Team meetings. Support effective recruitment and orientation of Legal Team members, create the conditions for people to succeed at Oasis, support them in following Oasis policies and procedures in tandem with the Operations Team, and identify and facilitate training and other professional development opportunities.

Representation of LGBTQ+ Immigrant Clients

• Directly represent LGBTQ+ clients: in removal proceedings in front of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR); in appeals in front of the Bureau of Immigration Appeals and the 9th Circuit; in affirmative asylum proceedings in front of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS); in credible-fear and reasonable-fear interviews and check-ins in front of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); in habeas proceedings in front of California District Courts; and in California State Court for the purposes of obtaining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status predicate orders.
• Interview clients about sensitive topics, and communicate complex legal concepts to clients in Spanish and English, so they understand their options, can make informed decisions, and are prepared for hearings.
• Gather information and collect evidence to inform legal research, case investigation, and strategy. Prepare immigration forms, update databases and maintain accurate records.
• Manage relationships with clients, witnesses, and experts, coordinate their efforts, and track deadlines for a large caseload of up to 12 active clients at a time. Work with the Social Services Program to make referrals for collateral issues clients are facing. Respond to inquiries in a timely manner, including from many clients whose cases have already been filed and are pending.

Partnerships & Advocacy

• Seek out opportunities to represent Oasis externally at conferences, workshops, summits, and participate in collaboratives and partnership meetings focused on service delivery to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.
• Prepare and deliver training to Oasis colleagues, external partners and service providers on topics such as asylum law, trauma- informed representation, and serving LGBTQ+ immigrants, to increase the capacity of the legal community to serve LGBTQ+ immigrants. Develop new training content and resources as needed to help ensure materials anticipate emerging needs and reflect current law and practice.
• Engage in outreach to LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities, and speak persuasively about Oasis and our work to potential clients and to other organizations that serve them, so that all eligible community members are aware of Oasis services.
• Participate in Advocacy Team meetings and help create strategies to foster client empowerment and elevate LGBTQ+ immigrant voices.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in staff, departmental, and team meetings, professional development activities and other required training, annual all-staff gathering, Oasis’ annual celebration, and performance review systems.
• Work collaboratively with all staff members to ensure effective, comprehensive support for clients and to coordinate best practices across teams, departments, and Oasis offices. Represent the organization internally and externally.
• All other duties assigned by their supervisor.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR (requirements)

• At least seven years of experience as a licensed attorney, including a minimum of five years representing clients in front of EOIR.
• Juris Doctor degree (J.D.), and member in good standing of a state bar and licensed to practice law in the United States.
• Supervisory experience, including supervising other attorneys and/or legal advocates with partial or full U.S. Department of Justice accreditation.
• Proficient in both English and Spanish languages (spoken and written). Must be able to communicate to clients in Spanish and English, without an interpreter or translator.
• Experience creating tools and workflows to manage a large caseload of clients.
• Experience working with low-income LGBTQ+ community members.
• Facility with Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Zoom, and macOS, with ability to learn how to navigate other platforms required for work.
• Able to communicate in person and via phone, email and video conference, to work at a computer for extended periods of time, and travel to meetings and events.
• Able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or participate in an interactive process for accommodations.

Oasis Competencies – How You’ll Do the Work

• Problem-Solving & Resourcefulness: Develops team work plans with goals and interim milestones to manage resources, time, and people efficiently and effectively. Plans for interdependencies, risks, and contingencies within the department. Leads others in creative problem-solving to address challenges. Works with the team to identify opportunities for innovation and new possibilities amidst change.
• Communication: Contributes to an environment of productive listening and exchange, even when the status quo is challenged. Creates processes for productive communication including guidelines for drawing boundaries around unproductive communication. Develops and implements systems to effectively communicate key messages across teams, peers, and external partners.
• Collaboration: Develops and implements systems to take down silos within teams and departments, creating formal and informal structures for collaboration. Applies a culturally-competent lens to significant decisions and new processes.
• Management: Makes sound decisions that drive the organization forward and marshals the appropriate resources to execute on those decisions. Sets high expectations for quality execution. Develops and implements systems to effectively support the team in developing and demonstrating management skills. Creates a culture of continuous feedback and mutual support among staff within purview and in collaboration with other directors and managers.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience in project management or program leadership
• Experience working with incarcerated and/or detained clients
• Experience with federal litigation
• Language proficiency in Arabic or Portuguese, in addition to English and Spanish

OTHER DETAILS

This is an exempt, full-time role (35 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) based at the Oasis Legal Services office in Berkeley CA, with the option to work from home up to two days per week. The work schedule is subject to change based on programmatic needs, and working some evenings, weekends or holidays may be required. Candidates must be located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and able to work in a shared-office environment where there may be ambient noise and overheard conversations. Occasional travel may be required.

• Annual salary is commensurate with years of same-level experience in a similar role, i.e., either $94,000 for a candidate with less than three years of experience, or $100,000 for 3-5 years of experience, or $108,000 for 6-10 years of experience, or $118,000 for 11+ years of experience. This pay is for working our standard full-time work schedule of seven hours per day and 35 hours per week. Candidates to advance to the final interview will be asked to provide information about their same-level experience in any similar role, if not included in their resume, as the basis for Oasis to calculate a possible job offer within our salary framework.
• Paid Time Off: Flexible paid time off policy (approximately 25 days annually), winter office closure, and 14 holidays per year including quarterly Oasis wellness days. Sabbatical leave after six years.
• Employer contributions to health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision), group life insurance, Simple IRA retirement account, and Oasis Family Leave.
• Pre-tax savings on commuter benefits and Flexible Spending Accounts for health care and dependent care expenses.
• Professional development funds (budget permitting).
• Relocation support may be available for moving to the San Francisco Bay Area from another California region, U.S. state or country.

Proficient in both English and Spanish languages (spoken and written). Must be able to communicate to clients in Spanish and English, without an interpreter or translator.