Program Consultant, Mother Up Phase Three Pilot

Program Consultant, Mother Up Phase Three Pilot

Reports To

Executive Director, with collaboration with the Staff Attorney and Pilot Project Coordinator.

Term and time commitment

This is a temporary consultant position for up to four months, with the possibility of extension based on funding, performance, and program needs. Expected commitment is approximately twenty five to thirty hours per month, with some flexibility around peak application review periods.

About Mother’s Outreach Network and the Mother Up Phase Three Pilot

Mothers Outreach Network is a Black women-led legal and economic justice nonprofit in Washington DC that advances income security, family integrity, and racial justice for Black mothers. Mother Up is a guaranteed income research pilot for Black mothers with child welfare involvement, evaluated with the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School. Phase Three focuses on mothers whose children are in the foster system or in relatives’ or other peoples’ home and requires careful, trauma informed screening and application review.

Position Overview

The Program Consultant will use their Juris Doctor training and family law experience to review and screen applications for Phase Three of the Mother Up guaranteed income research pilot. The consultant will apply clear eligibility criteria, assess child welfare and family law context, flag complex situations, and work closely with the Executive Director, Staff Attorney, and Pilot Project Coordinator to help identify a cohort of participants whose cases align with the pilot goals and parameters. This role is ideal for an attorney with strong child welfare or family defense background who is detail oriented, trauma informed, and committed to racial and economic justice for Black families.

Key Responsibilities

Application Review, analysis, issue spotting, and Screening

• Review and analyze applications from mothers whose children are in foster care or otherwise involved with child welfare systems.
• Apply written eligibility criteria for Phase Three, including geography, parenting status, child welfare history, and other program factors.
• Identify and flag complex legal and factual issues and bring them forward for team discussion when needed.

Case assessment and recommendations

• Summarize child welfare and family law context in a clear, concise way for each applicant.
• Provide written recommendations on eligibility and key considerations for participation.
• Participate in case conferences with the Executive Director, Staff Attorney, and Pilot Project Coordinator to finalize acceptance decisions.

Coordination with research and program teams

• Track screening decisions, rationale, and follow up questions in shared program and research tracking tools.
• Adhere to timelines and information needs established by the Access to Justice Lab team so that screening processes align with research protocols and data needs.
• Help refine and document screening workflows so that they are transparent, fair, and consistent across applicants.

Trauma informed and equity centered practice

• Engage applicants in a respectful, supportive, and trauma informed manner when clarification is needed.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all applicant and family information in line with legal ethics and program policies.
• Document patterns and themes in applications in a structured way so they can directly support the ongoing advocacy and legal work of Mothers Outreach Network.

Qualifications

Required

• Direct experience representing parents in child welfare or abuse and neglect matters, or experience as a family law practitioner with custody cases involving the child welfare system
• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• At least three years of experience in family law, child welfare, or closely related practicesuch as family defense, parent representation, or children law.
• Familiarity with child welfare systems, foster care, and court processes in DC or a similar jurisdiction.
• Experience working with people who have experienced trauma
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, economic justice, and supporting Black families who are targeted by systems.
• Strong analytical and writing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex case information into clear recommendations.
• Ability to handle sensitive and traumatic stories with care, maintain boundaries, and uphold confidentiality at all times.
• Comfort working independently on a defined workplan while collaborating closely with the Executive Director, and Staff Attorney, Pilot Project Coordinator, and research partners, as needed.

Preferred

• Attorney admitted or with strong practice experience in DC, Maryland, or Virginia.
• Experience working on or within research projects, pilots, or structured evaluations.
• Trauma informed training, including system induced trauma.

Compensation and logistics

Consultant rate is forty dollars per hour for approximately twenty five to thirty hours per month.

This is a temporary engagement for up to four months, with a possible extension.

Work will be primarily remote with scheduled meetings by video and occasional in-person meetings in Washington DC, as needed.

To Apply

Email these materials to careers@mothersoutreachnetwork.org

• A brief letter of interest describing relevant family law and child welfare experience and alignment with the mission of Mothers Outreach Network.
• A current resume or curriculum vitae.
• One short writing sample that demonstrates clear, concise legal or case analysis.
• Three professional references with contact information.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Visit https://www.mothersoutreachnetwork.org for more information about the organization.