Director of Immigration Legal Services

Position Title: Director of Immigration Legal Services (ILS)

Supervisor: Chief Strategy and Operations Officer

Status: Full-time, salary, exempt professional

Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ the best-qualified personnel without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, gender identity, marital status, or any other reason prohibited by law.

Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc. is a refugee resettlement and immigration services provider for the Western New York Region. Journey’s End works to assist newly arriving refugees to find gainful employment and avoid dependency on social services

Reporting to the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, the Director of Immigration Legal Services will manage and further develop the Immigration Legal Services program that offers comprehensive, high quality immigration representation to low-income refugees, asylees and other vulnerable immigrant populations. This position is part of the Journey’s End Leadership Team.

The Director of Immigration Legal Services must exemplify Journey’s End’s core values in their work. These values include intercultural responsiveness, integrity, person-centered, empowerment, and exemplary service.

• Mentor, guide and support ILS staff and leadership, fostering a culture of learning and development
• Manage and expand the ILS programming based upon client or community need.
• Ensure inclusive management of all regional offices and have regular physical presence at each office to ensure employee engagement and representation in each of those local communities
• Manage and expand the ILS program budget in conjunction with the Chief Strategy and Operations Officer & Chief Financial Officer
• Work in conjunction with executive and senior leadership and ILS senior staff members on policy development and data collection relevant to achieving overall agency goals
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring alignment and collaboration that improves the JERS brand and demonstrated impact in the community
• Ensure personnel and operational needs across five legal offices are met
• Develop and manage community partnerships, including but not limited to other civil legal service providers, human service agencies, professional groups, courts, government agencies, and institutes of higher education in collaboration with other leadership team members
• Participate in state-wide initiatives, coalitions, membership organizations, and endeavors that benefit the ILS program and its clients
• Act as a liaison with ILS funders, foundations, and government agencies and keeping the CEO and Chief Strategy and Operations Officer informed
• Act as a legal resource for other Journey’s End programs and staff (as appropriate)
• Represent Journey’s End in the community and participate in Journey’s End sponsored events
• Other duties as assigned

Participate as a member of the Senior Leadership Team to provide a united, visible, and strong leadership presence across the organization.

Actively problem solve and prioritize overall effectiveness of meeting stakeholders’ needs

• Assist in maintaining mission-focused culture of wellness and respect
• Help to develop, implement, and record/measure outcomes for strategic plan and goals
• Support JERS regional expansion strategy in collaboration with executive and senior leadership team
• Identify, analyze, and propose innovative solutions and recommendations on relevant systemic issues

• Stay informed of changes in immigration-related legislation and advise leadership on potential implications
• Offer expert immigration legal counsel and advisement to executive team on a wide range of complex legal immigration issues
• Develop, evaluate and implement immigration legal strategies and policies that align with organizational goals and community need

The Director of Immigration Legal Services will be thoroughly committed to Journey’s End strategy and mission. All candidates should have demonstrated leadership and senior level interpersonal, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build consensus among groups of diverse internal/external stakeholders, resolve issues, and make decisions.

• Admitted to practice law in the United States; state of New York preferred
• Minimum 7 years’ experience in practicing immigration law
• At least 5 years’ experience in senior management of law practice or legal programming
• Preferred experience in grants management and reporting
• Preferred relationships with state and federal agencies who may fund and/or influence the practice of U.S. immigration law
• Ability to oversee a dynamic team of talented and dedicated individuals
• Strong written and oral communication skills