Citizenship Program Director

Somos Un Pueblo Unido; Albuquerque, Santa Fe (NM, NM); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Retirement match

Holidays

Job summary

Somos Un Pueblo Unido seeks a licensed, bilingual attorney to lead our community-based pro-se citizenship program.

The Citizenship Program Director will manage the program, supervise legal assistants, coordinate a pro se citizenship program in Santa Fe, rural northern, and southeastern New Mexico, provide legal representation in some naturalization cases, and collaborate with Somos staff to expand access to citizenship services.

Qualifications

• J.D. and licensed to practice law preferably in New Mexico.
• At least 2–3 years of experience in immigration law.
• Fully bilingual in English and Spanish (required).
• Experience supervising legal support staff.
• Willingness to travel to rural northern & southeastern New Mexico and work occasional evenings or weekends.

Responsibilities

• Lead a pro se naturalization program and provide legal guidance to LPRs.
• Supervise citizenship legal assistants and volunteers.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards in immigration law.
• Maintain records for program evaluation and grant reporting.
• Occasionally provide direct legal representation to LPRs seeking citizenship.
• Coordinate workshops and clinics with community partners.
• Integrate citizenship services into broader immigrant rights campaigns.
• Support grant proposals and reporting for citizenship funding.

Job description

Job Title: Citizenship Program Director

Location: Based in Santa Fe, NM (hybrid eligible; occasional travel to northern & southeastern New Mexico required)

Position Type: Full-Time (32-hour work week)

Compensation: Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications and includes a comprehensive benefits package

Reports To: Executive Director

Organizational Overview

Somos Un Pueblo Unido (Somos) is a 30-year-old statewide community-based racial and economic justice organization dedicated to organizing immigrant families and low-wage workers in seven counties in New Mexico. Our work focuses on building long-term community power, protecting rights, improving economic conditions, and strengthening communities. We employ a range of strategies, including community education, leadership development, litigation, grassroots policy and legislative advocacy, community-based research, voter and civic engagement.

Position Summary

Somos seeks a licensed, bilingual attorney to lead our community-based pro-se citizenship program. The Citizenship Program Director will manage the program, supervise legal assistants, coordinate a pro se citizenship program in Santa Fe, rural northern, and southeastern New Mexico, provide legal representation in some naturalization cases, and collaborate with Somos staff to expand access to citizenship services. This is a position based in Santa Fe with regular travel to rural communities. There is flexibility for some remote work.

Key Responsibilities

• Legal Services and Program Leadership: Manage a pro se naturalization program that provides group application support and legal guidance to lawful permanent residents applying for U.S. citizenship in underserved rural areas and Santa Fe, including legal screenings, eligibility assessments, and naturalization preparation.
• Supervise citizenship legal assistants and volunteers.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards and up-to-date practices in immigration and naturalization law.
• Maintain accurate records and case management systems to support program evaluation and grant reporting.
• Occasionally provide direct legal representation to LPRs applying for U.S. citizenship.

Community Engagement and Outreach

• Coordinate and lead citizenship workshops and naturalization clinics in collaboration with community partners.
• Recruit community partners.
• Work closely with Somos’s organizing team to integrate citizenship services into broader immigrant rights and civic engagement campaigns.
• Deliver community education presentations and trainings related to naturalization, fee waivers, disability exceptions, and language access.

Administration and Advocacy

• Contribute to grant proposals and reports for citizenship-related funding.
• Track service metrics and outcomes to improve program effectiveness and impact.
• Represent Somos in local, statewide, and national advocacy spaces focused on immigrant inclusion and naturalization access.
• Support Somos campaigns and policy advocacy.

Qualifications

• J.D. and licensed to practice law preferably in New Mexico.
• At least 2–3 years of experience in immigration law.
• Experience working with pro se applicants or in community-based legal settings preferred.
• Experience supervising legal support staff.
• Fully bilingual in English and Spanish (required).
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant justice, grassroots organizing, and racial equity.
• Willingness to travel to rural northern & southeastern New Mexico and work occasional evenings or weekends. Mileage compensation and car rental options available for work-related travel.

Salary and Benefits

• Competitive salary, negotiable based experience and qualifications.
• 32-hour workweek with full-time benefits
• Generous benefits package including:
• 100% of medical insurance coverage (dental and vision included).
• Paid vacation and sick leave.
• Paid parental leave.
• 18+ paid holidays and days off.
• 401K retirement match plan.
• Bar dues and professional development support