Immigration Services Coordinator

Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. One aspect of the IRC is to assist refugees resettling in the United States. The IRC opened a Denver office in 2016 to provide reception and placement services to newly arrived refugees. The office is slated to resettle approximately 600 refugees and more than 700 Afghan parolees in the coming federal fiscal year. Wraparound program services and holistic supports aim to realize positive impact in clients’ safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and power. Some services are limited to refugees and other Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible populations, while others are open to a broader population of refugees, immigrants, and forcibly displaced people.
 
The IRC in Denver’s approach is client-centered, empowerment-focused, trauma-informed, and multigenerational. Advancing racial equity and narrowing the gender gap are priorities for the IRC in Denver. The team’s efforts in this space are ongoing and evolving. Current work is focused on participating in learning and dialogue to deepen understanding and awareness of systemic inequities and systems of oppression; building an internal organizational culture that reflects a commitment to antiracism and gender equality for clients as well as staff, volunteers, and the broader community; engaging clients more deeply in making decisions that affect them, whether at the individual, household, program, or organizational level; using our power and influence to advocate for rules, policies, and laws that address inequities experienced by the people we serve and seek systemic change for the benefit of all who are impacted by these inequities; undertaking intentional efforts to shift dynamics and promote power sharing between leadership and the broader team as well as between staff and clients; and examining and changing practices in recruitment, recognition, and other areas of employee engagement and talent development to prioritize access to opportunity and work toward full inclusion and belonging for clients, staff, and volunteers who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQI, as well as those who have lived experience as refugees and immigrants. 

JOB OVERVIEW
IRC's immigration legal services program serves more than 14,000 individuals in 23 sites throughout the U.S. each year, providing accessible and critical legal representation and advice to immigrants and their families in order to acquire the highest level of immigration status available, keep families together, access their full rights, and successfully integrate in the U.S.

The Immigration Services Coordinator supports the immigration legal services program for the assigned location, which represents clients before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and conducts community-based orientations and workshops. IRC is a lead agency responding to the Afghan evacuation and serving hundreds of Afghan parolees rebuilding their lives in Colorado. This position will focus on ensuring Afghan parolees and other clients have accurate and timely information and access to legal services through a range of services such orientations, legal screenings, and representation. This position will lead outreach, community engagement, and internal development of processes to provide legal services to clients in coordination with a range of internal actors as well as volunteers, community partners, and pro bono legal providers. It is expected that staff hired in this role will work towards Department of Justice accreditation under the legal supervision of the supervising attorney or DOJ accredited representative and with support from IRC’s Immigration Technical Unit based at IRC Headquarters. 

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Major responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Community Outreach & Program Development 
• Lead or co-lead efforts to design and implement legal services for Afghan parolees that account for community needs and resources and adhere to the IRC Immigration Program Policies Manual. 
• Coordinate ongoing outreach to Afghan parolee clients together with colleagues in other departments (e.g., Afghan Placement and Assistance staff working in the Resettlement and Integration team) to ensure all adult Afghan parolee clients receive a legal consultation and are advised of potential legal pathways to a permanent form of immigration status, and to provide updates or information regarding legal pathways or availability of legal services.
• Identify and develop partnerships to refer clients and collaborate on joint activities, including legal clinics and workshops.
• Design and implement legal service events including legal clinics and workshops, working in tandem with colleagues to facilitate referrals and connections for clients, manage planning and logistics, and coordinate all related items to ensure successful delivery of quality services.
• Represent IRC at immigration-related meetings and events in the community, including by giving presentations and orientations, with clients and partners. This includes timely communication, scheduling appointments, organizing and supporting events, and conducting outreach for legal services.
• Actively co-facilitate and support grant opening, grant review, and grant closing meetings, and lead all aspects of grant cycle, including developing/implementing monitoring & evaluation plans.
• Collaborate with IRC team members locally and nationally on legal and programmatic issues. 
• Manage intern and volunteer support as needed. 

Direct Client Services
• Under legal supervision, provide information on legal pathways for Afghan parolees, conduct screenings of clients, work with clients to gather documents, and assist clients to complete applications.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date physical and electronic files and detailed case notes, enter required data in a timely manner, meet all case reporting requirements within established timelines and standards, and assist in the completion of statistical, narrative, and financial reports. 
• Provide case management services to clients, including notifying clients of case status, responding to inquiries, and processing USCIS and Department of State correspondence and following up as appropriate. 
• Assess and make client referrals for other legal and/or social services as appropriate. 
• Maintain strict client confidentiality and observe all other ethical practices/obligations as outlined in IRC’s Immigration Program Policies Manual. 
• Pursue Department of Justice accreditation by successfully completing all vital training.

Data Management & Reporting 
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of all program reports as required by funding sources, headquarters, and other partners.
• Record and track monthly and quarterly performance and ensure all client work is appropriately documented.
• Other related duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
• Undergraduate degree required. Graduate degree in a related field (Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, etc.) preferred.
• At least three years of professional experience with community-based outreach and/or work promoting immigrant rights experience is required. 
• Previous experience with immigration legal or social services is strongly preferred. 
• Familiarity with immigration software and experience with data entry and management are a plus.
• At least 1 year of experience supervising staff preferred. 
• Excellent English written and oral communication skills, including presentation s skills. 
• Proficiency in Dari and/or Pashto is preferred.  
• Ability and passion to envision a program and work towards its fruition. 
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to be flexible and work well under pressure in a fast-paced team environment.
• Previous multi-cultural experience and proven ability to communicate well with people from diverse backgrounds strongly preferred.

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 candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to be considered for this position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
• At present, the IRC in Denver office is partially open. Hybrid remote/in-person work modifications are in place due to ensure staff and client safety given public health guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Staff will be provided with IRC laptops and cell phones and must have access to a location with secure internet service where remote work can be performed as needed according to the schedule negotiated with their supervisor.
• All staff are required to adhere to IRC’s COVID risk mitigation policies, which include but are not limited to masking, physical distancing, enhanced hygiene practices, symptom screening, and isolation and quarantine when needed. In some cases, these policies may be stricter than those established at the federal, state, or local level. 
• The IRC in Denver strives to offer a positive working environment, with intentional efforts to ensure that it is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible for all. Staff are required to adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates under policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. 
• This role entails regular travel in and around the Denver metro area to attend meetings, conduct outreach, serve clients, and participate in workshops and other immigration legal service events.
• Hours outside of typical office hours, including weekends and evenings, are occasionally required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
This position is a full-time position scheduled at 37.5 hours per week that is classified as non-exempt and eligible for overtime under state and federal law. Starting compensation is $25.00 per hour. As a regular, full-time employee, the Immigration Services Coordinator qualifies for the IRC’s phenomenal benefits package, which includes: 
• Generous paid time off with 20 days of paid vacation per year, 10 days of paid sick leave per year (not inclusive of paid COVID leave), and at least 9 paid holidays per year.
• Outstanding medical, dental, and vision care benefits with low employee premiums.
• Optional health care and dependent care flexible savings accounts and commuter benefits.
• Life, accident, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance.
• Comprehensive parental and family leave benefits.
• A 403(b) retirement savings plan that offers generous employer contributions and a matching contribution program.
• A comprehensive employee assistance and resilience program.
• Business travel medical insurance, access to Guardian Nurses, and more.
   
In addition, the IRC in Denver actively promotes learning and growth for its team members, through staff development accounts that allow staff to engage in individualized goal-aligned professional development, access to a range of talent development offerings to build skills in a wide array of areas from humanitarian principles to management skills, and opportunities to lead and engage with colleagues from across the IRC through communities of practice, special assignments, and designated roles that represent the Denver office, whether here in the U.S. or globally.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on 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 at IRC.Denver@rescue.org to request accommodation.