Project Coordinator, Children’s Legal Services

JOB OVERVIEW: IRC seeks a Project Coordinator, as part of our Children’s Legal Services Program for unaccompanied children who are particularly vulnerable and include special populations like: children processed through Influx Care Facilities (ICF), Emergency Intake Sites (EIS), tender-age and aged-out children, and Unaccompanied Afghan Minors (UAMs).These children often have not received a Know Your Rights presentation, are more likely to face placement disruptions with sponsors, may have more complicated legal case postures, or limited forms of relief they are eligible for. The program also provides initial legal services to unaccompanied children in care of the Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR) on a temporary basis. 

As a result, the Project Coordinator will help to further develop and implement an outreach model that is trauma-informed and child-friendly for unaccompanied children who need a Know Your Rights (KYR) presentation and/or legal intake, as part of our expanded post-release services and support for UAMs. This position involves working directly with diverse unaccompanied children and sponsors across the country, remotely, and in a fast-paced environment while maintaining professional standards and best practices for client appointments and communication. The Project Coordinator will conduct outreach and legal intakes remotely via WhatsApp and Zoom and/or Teams to eligible populations, request relevant documentation, and track/input case data in relevant databases. The Project Coordinator will also assist in coordinating initial legal services, including KYR presentations, legal screenings, directly with ORR facilities. Additionally, the Project Coordinator will assist the team in referral coordination. This position reports to the Supervising Attorney and works closely with the Immigration Intake Specialists and other members of the legal team. This is a remote position.

Responsibilities: 

• Review weekly reports and ensure that outreach efforts are made according to established protocols.
• Conduct Know Your Rights presentations remotely to unaccompanied children from EIS and ICF sites.
• Conduct legal screenings for eligible unaccompanied children including children from EIS and ICF sites, tender-age and aged-out children, and Unaccompanied Afghan Minors, with an interpreter, as needed.
• Coordinate initial legal services directly with ORR facilities.
• Assist in coordination of referrals for all unaccompanied children served.
• Assist in the development of an outreach model that can be modified and replicated by other partners.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and eligibility criteria for immigration legal services and other social services.
• Schedule appointments and follow up on calls to ensure intakes and relevant referrals are provided to unaccompanied children and sponsors.
• Maintain and update cases in Unaccompanied Children Legal Services Database (UCLS) and UCORD and provide reports to funder, as requested.
• Schedule Know Your Rights presentations via Zoom and WhatsApp and help develop relevant supplemental digital resources packet.
• Escalate cases to Supervising Attorney and Crisis Response Officer, and Protection Specialists, as directed by Supervising Attorney, based on established safety protocols.
• Schedule client appointments and send reminder text messages and/or phone calls.
• Arrange for interpretation with approved providers, for KYR presentations and intakes, as needed.
• Conduct monthly file review and report
• Create electronic files and ensure relevant documentation is provided to facilitate consultations and placement with an attorney.
• Other tasks and projects as assigned.

Team Collaboration

• The Project Coordinator will be line-managed by the Supervising Attorney.

• They will work closely with IRC’s legal services teams and Child Protection teams.

Job Requirements: 

• College degree in a social justice, immigrants’ rights, community advocacy or a related field. Master’s degree in a social justice or legal field, preferred.
• 2-3 years of relevant professional experience.
• Understanding of how to develop and refine a program or model that can be replicated, or an interest in learning the basics of program design and implementation.
• Bilingual English/Spanish. Fluency in spoken and written English is required (B2 or greater).
• Knowledge of or interest in learning about immigration law and related benefits for unaccompanied children.
• Experience working with immigrants and refugees and/or lived experience with displacement or the immigration system.
• Demonstrated success working and communicating effectively in a multi-cultural environment
• An understanding of the subtlety of language and how to communicate effectively with diverse children and sponsors.
• Self-starter with excellent problem-solving skills combined with the proven ability to multi-task, prioritize duties and manage time effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional attention to detail required.
• Interest and ability to contribute both independently and as a key team member.
• Strong computer proficiency and well acquainted with basic software tools – ability to navigate autonomously in Windows, Android, Microsoft 365 Suite, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google docs.
• This is a remote position.

Working Environment: 

• This is a remote position.

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 requirements.

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: The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.