Regional Coordinator, Afghan Legal Services At International Rescue Committee

Background: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC is at work today in more than 40 countries and in 26 U.S. cities. The IRC’s Resettlement, Asylum and Integration (RAI) department creates opportunities for refugees and other vulnerable migrants to survive and thrive in the US. RAI serves over 50,000 individuals each year in the US through a diverse portfolio of programs aimed at achieving outcomes in five impact areas: Health, Safety, Economic Wellbeing, Education, and Power.

As a part of the RAI department, the Legal Services Unit provides technical support and oversight to immigration legal services in 24 IRC offices in the United States, which collectively serve more than 15,000 clients per year. The unit also supports advocacy on matters related to refugees and other immigrants, including those affected by violence and war.

Scope of Work: The Regional Coordinator, Afghan Legal Services, will manage IRC’s deliverables under a new subcontract to provide Afghan arrivals with quality legal services—both through IRC’s legal services programs and through structured partnerships with external legal providers, including nonprofit agencies and private immigration practitioners. IRC’s role will be to ensure the delivery of direct legal services to Afghan arrivals in the western region of the U.S.–including the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Regional Coordinator will be responsible for all coordination with the funder, oversight of data quality and reporting, and ensuring protocols are followed by IRC offices and external legal services providers to determine client eligibility for the program. This role has secured funding until September 2024 with a potential for renewal.

Major Responsibilities:

Program Management and Oversight

• Develop and oversee program policies and procedures that will ensure adherence to all program tasks and requirements.
• Work with US Legal Services Unit senior management and the funder to develop and vet all program tools and materials, including client retainer agreements, intake forms, memoranda of understanding, release of information forms, informational materials for prospective clients and partnering legal services providers, and other materials needed to competently and ethically complete all required tasks.
• Work with a team of legal services coordinators, including several who are based at IRC implementing offices, to verify program eligibility of all clients referred for legal services within the parameters of the program as defined by the government funder and the prime contractor.
• May supervise legal service coordinators based at HQ and focused on particular locations.
• Ensure strict adherence to procedures designed to ensure timely case initiation and progress by the IRC office or external legal services provider.
• Ensure appropriate tracking of all client biographical and case information as required under the subcontract, and submission of timely data and narrative reports.

Partner Coordination

• Serve as a primary point of contact with the funder, including by meeting regularly with the funder and other national subcontractors to update on program progress, share challenges, and vet solutions.
• Oversee the development of robust outreach strategies to reach Afghan arrivals in communities not served directly by IRC offices, notably in the states of Oregon and Nevada.
• Support the development of outreach strategies developed by IRC offices that are coordinating with external legal providers.
• Participate in external meetings and coalition spaces related to Afghan legal services.

Internal Coordination and Training

• Meet regularly with IRC offices providing direct services and coordinating partner services under the subcontract to monitor progress towards deliverables and troubleshoot challenges.
• Coordinate with IRC’s technical advisors to ensure IRC offices providing direct services under this contract receive timely and relevant training and technical assistance needed to provide high quality legal services to Afghan arrivals.
• Provide remote and on-site training to IRC offices on program requirements, and collaborate with technical advisors and other colleagues to provide trainings on substantive and procedural issues impacting Afghan arrivals.
• Attend cross departmental meetings to provide updates on Afghan legal services and exchange information with colleagues in Resettlement, Safety & Wellness, Economic Empowerment, and other units serving Afghans.
• Attend relevant trainings and stay current on immigration law and policy, especially as it relates to the Afghan parolee situation.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree (with bar membership in good standing in any U.S. state) or Department of Justice full accreditation required;
• 3-5 years’ experience of immigration legal services work, preferably with refugees and other vulnerable migrants;
• 1-2 years’ experience working on affirmative and/or defensive asylum cases preferred;
• Prior legal supervision experience ideal;
• Ability to work independently and as a team member in a diverse, fast-paced environment;
• Strong critical thinking, research, and analytical skills;
• Solid training, presentation and team building skills;
• Experience working with and/or building pro bono or partner networks;
• Evidence of capacity to be a strong team member in a highly collaborative social service environment;
• Trauma-informed and sensitive listening and communication skills;
• Personal integrity in handling ethically complex and confidential situations;
• Strong computer literacy, research and analysis skills;
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• Fluency in English, written and spoken;
• Preferred but not required: bilingual in one or more languages of the Afghan parolee population (e.g., Dari, Pashto);
• Deep commitment to working with humanitarian migrants;
• Ability to travel within the U.S. up to 10-25% (estimated)

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirement

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires new hires to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to be considered for any in-office or hybrid positions. All IRC US offices require full vaccination to attend any in-office functions (e.g., meetings, trainings).

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.