Managing Attorney, Chicago

Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights invites applications for the full-time position of Managing Attorney to be based in Chicago. The Managing Attorney will supervise the Chicago team consisting of Attorneys, Social Worker, Case Support Associate, and Volunteer Coordinator. The Managing Attorney will help staff develop advocacy strategies and review work product on cases to which the Young Center is appointed Child Advocate. The Managing Attorney will work closely with their direct supervisor Deputy Program Director (DPD) Attorney to ensure that the office meets funding deliverables and program metrics, produces high quality work, and aligns advocacy strategies with the Child Advocate program's approach and best practices. This Manager will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with local stakeholders, including government field staff, government-contracted facility staff, legal service providers, and immigration judges. The Managing Attorney will join a team of Managers who manage program sites or national program components, and work to establish consistent interdisciplinary practices, ensure compliance with funding and program requirements, and support programmatic growth. In addition, this position will hire and train new staff in Chicago.

This position is funded primarily through a federal contract and is contingent on ongoing renewals.

ABOUT YOUNG CENTER:

The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests—safety and well-being—of immigrant children in the United States. The Young Center's Child Advocate Program (CAP) serves as the federally appointed, independent best interests representative for unaccompanied and separated immigrant children in federal custody. Through CAP's state initiative, we also serve and are appointed by the Superior Courts of New Jersey as independent Child Advocates to children released from federal custody into the New Jersey community. Child Advocates meet with children and learn their stories in order to identify and advocate for their best interests through an interdisciplinary, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive lens. The Technical Assistance Program offers intersectional expertise and critical resources to advocates and service providers working with immigrant children involved in child welfare and other state court systems. The Litigation Program, the Young Center's newest program, engages in impact litigation to advance policies that promote the safety, well-being, and best interests of immigrant children; to challenge policies and actions that harm immigrant children; and to ensure that their experiences and perspectives are considered by courts in decisions that affect them. The Young Center's Policy Program fights for wholesale reform of the immigration system while pursuing immediate changes in policy and practice that center children's rights and best interests in all decisions.

The Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We also serve children through our programs in New Jersey.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Hire and supervise performance, workflow, and professional development of individual supervisees, including weekly meetings with each direct report, performing 90-day and triannual reviews, and providing ongoing feedback and support.
• Ensure supervisees implement established policies, procedures, and best practices including but not limited to case strategy; volunteer training, recruitment and retention; and management of case and volunteer data systems.
• Lead weekly case rounds and staff meetings, and conduct meetings as needed, to ensure high quality work product and identify trends and areas for advocacy.
• Guide Child Advocate Supervisors (Attorneys and Social Worker) on effective and creative approaches to interdisciplinary case strategy.
• Advise the Child Advocate Supervisors to develop, and submit clear and persuasive interdisciplinary written and oral Best Interests Determinations to stakeholders (immigration judges, USCIS, government field staff, ICE, etc.); ensure that Best Interests Determinations apply federal, state, and international law, including but not limited to immigration and child welfare law.
• Consult complex cases with the DPD, and when necessary, participate in national complex case rounds or Best Interests Determination panels.
• Oversee the recruitment, training, support, and retention of volunteer Child Advocates.
• In collaboration with the DPD, oversee and support local stakeholder engagement, serve as a main point of contact for stakeholder relationships, meet regularly with local stakeholders, coordinate presentations to local stakeholders, and speak about the Child Advocate Program at local, regional, and national events.
• Ensure the site team enters timely, accurate data in data management systems and meets funding deliverables and program metrics; produce accurate and timely data to inform reports.
• Manage site budgets.
• Foster a supportive, collaborative work culture, leading and motivating staff to engage in creative, thoughtful, high-quality, and effective advocacy.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• J.D. and license to practice law
• 4+ years of experience working with immigrants and/or children and youth
• 1+ year management experience (including but not limited to staff supervision, supervision of volunteers, or other activities such as oversight of program or project deliverables)
• Commitment to the interdisciplinary model in both Child Advocate casework and staff management
• Effective communication skills, including ability to liaise across various stakeholders and volunteers
• Excellent case and project management skills
• High-level organizational skills
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and proactively address programmatic needs
• Ability to collaborate within the team and across offices
• Commitment to comprehensive culture of feedback, including seeking and providing positive and constructive feedback to supervisees, across departments and all levels of management
• Desire to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or anti-racism principles
• Ability to effectively engage across diverse cultures, identities, and ethnicities
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Aptitude and thoughtfulness in working with children and promoting child-centered advocacy
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Adobe
• Spanish/English bilingual
• Valid driver's license and access to a car

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience—lived, volunteer, or professional—with immigration matters
• Comfort with or willingness to speak to interested groups andmedia

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Physical demands include regular attendance; keyboarding; sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day); driving. Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine. Ability to travel by plane, car, and other conveyances within U.S.

APPLICATION DETAILS:

Young Center is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. Young Center encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans' status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified applicants with disabilities may participate in the application process; no applicant will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.

$84,630 to $95,894 is the standard new hire range for this position. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location and experience. The Young Center does not ask for prior pay history from our candidates, and our offer-making process is negotiation-free for salaries and benefits. We offer our best possible salary based on relevant experience. The range listed is just one component of the Young Center's total compensation package for employees. The Young Center provides excellent benefits, including health/dental/vision insurance (employee & dependents) at no cost to the employee, paid vacation, sick time, and a 401(k) plan with employer match.

A criminal background check will be conducted.

Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please apply on the Young Center website with a cover letter, resume, recent academic or professional writing sample, and three references. Only complete applications will be considered. To learn more about the Young Center's work, please visit

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