Senior Director, Immigrant Justice Legal Clinic

Dcbar; Chicago (IL); Vor Ort; USD 120.000 - 180.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

TRP Immigrant Justice seeks a Senior Director for the Immigrant Justice Legal Clinic in Chicago. You will provide strategic leadership, mentorship, and oversight of a 35–40 person legal team, ensuring ethical, high‑quality services to clients and strong collaboration across programs and partners.

The role drives program development, staffing, budgets, and fundraising, while guiding policy and procedure in immigration law.

Qualifikationen

• Juris Doctorate degree and licensed to practice law; 10+ years in immigration legal services or related management.
• Current knowledge of immigration law; removal defense experience preferred.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred.
• Excellent verbal, analytical, writing, and organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of MS Office and Internet.

Aufgaben

• Staff Development: identify, recruit, train, support, and evaluate managers to implement programming.
• Lead program development and strategic planning for the clinic and ensure high quality legal services.
• Mentor and supervise staff, volunteers, pro bono attorneys, and interns; foster teamwork and collaboration.
• Develop and oversee protocols to strengthen immigration services in collaboration with IJLC managers.
• External Relationship Building: cultivate relationships with TRP members, officials, and partners to support goals.
• Direct Service: advise staff on case matters and provide expert consultation and representation when needed.
• Program Leadership: manage staffing structures, budgets, and fundraising opportunities.
• Maintain data collection and reporting to meet funding and ethical requirements.
• Communicate across teams and sustain organizational culture during growth.
• Attend meetings and participate in required trainings; perform other duties as assigned.

Kenntnisse

Bilingual English/Spanish

Legal leadership

Ausbildung

Juris Doctorate

Jobbeschreibung

Position Title: Senior Director, Immigrant Justice Legal Clinic

Supervisory Relationship: Vice President of Programs

Work Location: Office: 1805 S. Ashland Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60608

General Job Description:

The Senior Director of the Immigrant Justice Legal Clinic (IJLC) provides leadership, mentorship, legal strategy, and oversight in the implementation of legal services through the clinic. Reporting to the Vice President of Programs, the Senior Director ensures TRP Immigrant Justice’s vision and values are reflected in the legal services provided to our communities. The Senior Director leads a team of 35-40 legal staff, ensuring all team members are fully prepared to provide quality services to TRP clients.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Staff Development

• Identify, recruit, train, support, develop, and evaluate a talented, high-performing team of managers to implement effective and responsive programming.
• Ensure that the responsibilities, authority, and accountability of all program staff members are defined and understood.
• Intentionally check-in with staff on development opportunities & performance feedback.
• Lead in the development and implementation of training programs and retreats to expand the capacity of all legal staff in collaboration with IJLC managers.

Legal Oversight & Strategy

• Lead on program development and strategic planning for the clinic.
• Ensure all volunteer and staff legal work fulfills ethical and professional standards, and high-quality legal services are provided to all clients, including adherence to protocols for client interactions and record keeping.
• Support Managing Attorneys in training, mentoring, and supervising legal staff, volunteers, pro bono attorneys, and interns and create an atmosphere of teamwork, collaboration, and high-quality legal service provision.
• Lead team in participating in organizing and advocacy efforts based on expressed community needs under the direction of the Chief Program Officer and in coordination with the Director of Advocacy and Leadership.
• Develop and oversee implementation and monitoring of protocols that enable the organization to strengthen and expand its provision of immigration services in collaboration with IJLC managers.
• Provide legal guidance to TRP’s leadership in policy and procedure development and implementation as needed.

Program Leadership & Management

• Develop and evaluate the staffing structures needed to achieve program and organizational goals.
• Manage program budgets, ensuring resources are allocated effectively and efficiently in collaboration with Finance and Immigrant Justice Admin teams.
• Identify and support the pursuit of funding opportunities for the department in conjunction with the Chief Programs Officer, Vice President of Programs, and the Institutional Advancement team.
• Oversee the data collection and monitoring of all IJLC data, ensuring that data is accurate, complete, and responsive to funding requirements and ethical rules.
• Support in the development of necessary systems, processes, and tools to ensure consistent, high-quality case management.
• Provide leadership in cross-team communication and cohesiveness, sustaining culture and supporting staff during organizational growth.

External Relationship Building & Management

• Cultivate, manage, and expand relationships with participants, leaders, TRP member institutions, government officials, elected officials, and other partners to promote and further TRP’s Immigrant Justice Department goals and organizational mission.
• Ensure the organization's programs are visible and impactful in the community. Communicate with various stakeholders within the immigration legal services community to discuss issues, influence decision-making, and secure continued & future funding for programs.
• Identify and develop staff to publicly represent the organization with media and other external stakeholders.
• Represent TRP’s Immigrant Justice Legal Clinic in meetings, press related events, regional/state associations, conferences, and other public forums as needed.

Direct Service Responsibilities

• Advise legal staff on case matters and legal strategies.
• When necessary, provide expert consultation and representation to clients and potential clients, including but not limited to covering representation at court hearings or USCIS interviews.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of developments in immigration law and provide information, updates, and training to staff and volunteers;
• Maintain required job skills and core professional competencies;
• Maintain open and ongoing communication;
• Attend and participate in required educational programs and staff meetings; and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

Juris Doctorate degree and currently licensed to practice law, with 10+ years of experience in immigration legal services, legal services management, or some combination of both

• Current knowledge of immigration law and practice required, with experience in removal defense strongly preferred
• Bilingual in English and Spanish strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and work effectively with people of diverse social, faith, economic, and racial/ethnic backgrounds
• Excellent verbal, analytical, writing, and organizational skills
• Proficient knowledge of MS Office and Internet is required
• Highly motivated and demonstrated ability to work independently and with diverse teams.
• Strong enthusiasm for leading a team
• Attention to detail
• Willingness to work flexible hours as needed; some evenings and weekends are required