National Immigrant Justice Center Director of Policy

Job Description

Job Description

About NIJC

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) advances human rights and due process for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers through direct legal services, impact litigation, advocacy and public education.

Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Washington, D.C., Indiana, and San Diego, California, NIJC's 150-person team-which is amplified by more than 2,000 pro bono attorneys-is at the forefront of immigration reform.

About the Position

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) Director of Policy helps develop, implement, and execute policy priorities. The Director is responsible for advancing NIJC's strategic advocacy efforts, primarily at the federal level, and will also work with staff on advocacy at the state, local, and regional advocacy in Illinois and in Midwest.

NIJC's policy priorities focus on advocating against immigration detention, exposing the real-life harms caused by deportation, advocating for meaningful and equitable access to asylum, and advancing access to counsel for immigrants.

The Director of Policy coordinates NIJC's policy work through collaboration with NIJC's legal services, federal litigation, and communications teams.

The goal is to ensure that NIJC's client's voices and experiences are reflected and centered in our policy work. The Director collaborates with immigrant and human rights organizations, advocates, legislators, representatives from administrative agencies, other policy makers, and the media.

Specific accountabilities and work volume will be established through the development of annual Success Objectives, within the framework outlined below.

The position reports to NIJC's Executive Director, is a member of NIJC's Senior Leadership Team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Lead NIJC's advocacy efforts with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies, and serve as the organization's primary voice / representative in Washington, D.C.
• Develop and implement strategic approaches to advancing federal advocacy goals in coordination with NIJC's communications, litigation, and legal services staff.

These may include congressional advocacy and education, comments on proposed rulemaking, Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties complaints, and other avenues for advocacy.

Work with NIJC's subject matter experts to create strategic policy priorities on issues related to immigration enforcement and detention practices;

due process protections; and issues related to asylum seekers and unaccompanied youth, LGBTQI immigrants, and survivors of domestic violence and trafficking.

• Coordinate with NIJC's Chicago and Indiana based staff to advance pro-immigrant positions at the state, local, and regional levels.
• Participate and lead formal and informal coalitions of legal services and advocacy organizations to advocate for policy reform.
• Analyze legislation and make vote recommendations, with input from NIJC's legal teams, prepare talking points on legislation as appropriate, and work with staff to identify client stories to support policy positions.
• Develop and maintain relationships with members of Congress and members of the administration and federal agencies consistent with achieving NIJC's advocacy goals.
• Support policymakers and legislators engaged in agency oversight and in the confirmation process for executive branch nominations as they pertain to immigration.
• Educate Congressional staff, community members, and the public on issues relevant to NIJC's priority concerns.
• Supervise the development of (including writing and review of others' work) advocacy and educational materials on emerging policy issues, and work with NIJC staff, Board members, and other stakeholders to build their capacity to respond to such issues effectively.
• Provide policy related insights to NIJC's litigation goals and strategies, with a particular focus on how other forms of advocacy may complement litigation plan.
• Where necessary and in coordination with NIJC's Development team, write and edit grant reports and project proposals and contribute to cultivating and maintaining individual and organizational donors.
• Provide direct supervision and support to members of the Policy team as well as other staff, interns and volunteers as assigned.
• React to feedback productively and perform other job-related duties as assigned, including providing backup support to NIJC's other programs and their clients.
• Participate in media interviews to promote NIJC's local and state advocacy goals, with support from NIJC's communications team.

Qualifications : To perform this job successfully, the ideal candidate must be able to perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The ideal candidate :

• is a mature professional who can work independently and takes initiative, particularly in response to tight deadlines and emerging opportunities;
• is a strong public speaker who can represent NIJC well and can confidently articulate the organization's policy goals;
• identifies / anticipates emerging opportunities or issues; and
• pays attention to detail, knows how to prioritize work, has strong organizational skills, maintains confidentiality, thrives in a fast-paced and demanding environment, and is open to change.

Required Experience

• Education and / or Experience : J.D. preferred; minimum of seven years of related professional experience.
• Language Skills : Excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated competency in public speaking and exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Other Skills : Experience working with elected officials and / or legislative and administrative agencies required. Experience with immigrant or refugee issues and experience working with federal budgets and congressional appropriations a plus.

Ability to lead teams and mentor staff and other individuals.

Computer Skills : Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook / Exchange; Windows and include a willingness to learn new software.

Physical Demands and Work Environment : The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position will be based in Washington, D.C. but occasional travel to Chicago and to other regions, including to the U.

S.-Mexico border may be expected.

• The position is currently entirely remote, but this is subject to change should NIJC re-open a physical D.C. office space.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
• The employee is frequently required to use hands to key, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk.
• The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
13 days ago