Professional Development Manager (Phoenix & Tucson)

The Organization:
The Florence Project was founded in 1989 to respond to a representation crisis for indigent non-citizens detained at the rural Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Florence, Arizona. Through our programs today, we provide services to thousands of adults, youth, and children detained in Eloy, Florence, Phoenix, and Tucson, Arizona on any given day. In 2001, the Florence Project implemented our Integrated Social Services Program, one of the first of its kind in this field. The Florence Project provides high quality legal and social services and supports initiatives for national changes in immigration law and policy.

Professional Development Manager: 

The Professional Development Manager will play a key role in designing and implementing training and professional development opportunities for Florence Project managers, staff, and interns. This position will report to the Deputy Director and work closely with the Executive Directors, Legal Director, program managers, and Office of People and Culture team.  

The main duties of the position are 1) creating comprehensive legal training strategies for the organization with an emphasis in collaborating with our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Team (Jedi Team), 2) organizing leadership trainings and developing initiatives to grown leadership opportunities for staff, 3) coordinating and overseeing the legal intern and fellowship program, and 4) fielding and collaborating with our Ethics Counsel on legal conflicts and ethics questions for the staff and organization.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Manage and support the creation of standard trainings on SAP Litmos and in-person. This includes trainings with best practices for adult learning including synchronous and asynchronous methodologies as well as a longer-term curriculum of regular training to ensure staff are up-to-date on applicable areas of law and their ethical/professional obligations, meet their requirements for licensing, and receive opportunities to grow professionally.   
• Bring up-to-date and maintain FIRRP’s legal library including sample briefing, checklists, filing templates, practice manual(s), practice advisories etc.  As needed, review and provide feedback on materials newly created by staff and save them to FIRRP’s legal library.   
• In collaboration with Office of People & Culture and under Deputy Director supervision, create and facilitate opportunities for leadership and growth for throughout the organization with priority on legal and social services at the Florence Project.  

• Coordinate and manage the individual accredited representative application and renewal process with the Department of Justice (DOJ).  Support and collaborate with the Deputy Director to renew organizational DOJ accreditation and to submit required. documentation for continued listing on the DOJ’s list of pro bono legal service providers. 
• Coordinate in house trainings and supportive trainings for staff who are or want to become accredited representatives.  
• In coordination with OPC, leadership, JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) committee propose and implement best practices and trainings to bring an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens to our client work. 
• Coordinate and strengthen our intern program for legal interns, including summer and academic year interns.   
• Research and strengthen opportunities for FIRRP to build and grow capacity through legal fellowships.  Lead fellowship candidate and proposal selection process, manage fellowship application timelines and logistics, and coordinate fellowship application process working closely with supervising managers and/or program managers. 

• Be the point person on staff for conflicts and ethics questions that arise in client’s legal cases and the provision of direct services. Follow and improve framework for legal conflicts checks, be the go-to person for legal conflicts/ethics questions, and timely manage conflicts and ethics questions from staff. Educate staff on internal office procedures and framework for addressing potential ethical concerns or conflicts.   
• Provide mentorship to attorneys and remain attuned to legal issues and court procedures by providing second chair counsel on a limited basis. Identify and develop other mentorship opportunities for staff. 
• Support the Volunteer Coordinator with short-term legal volunteers and with presentations to community and professional organizations as needed. 
• Collaborate with operations and program managers to evaluate, identify, and recommend legal subscriptions and resources for direct services staff. Manage a legal resources/training budget for the organization and appropriately anticipate and ensure timely access to funding for critical trainings, resource materials, and subscriptions (Westlaw, AILAlink for example).  

Casework 

• Participate in training on immigration procedures and may conduct training sessions as assigned.  
• Develop and recommend case strategies consistent with immigration law and procedure in conjunction with co-counsel and supervisors and implement agreed upon strategy. 
• Conduct assessment of client’s social, economic, and psychological functioning.  
• Attend all team meetings, trainings, and is well versed in relevant immigration law and procedures.  

• Remain current in immigration law, and on implications of criminal and civil law. 
• Comply with required ethical standards, preserve client confidentiality, and avoid conflict of interest. 

Other Duties & Responsibilities: 

• Participate in organizational fundraising and outreach efforts as requested. 
• Participate in developing and implementing special projects or presentations. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Requirements: 

• J.D. and admission to any state bar. 
• Must be licensed to practice law in any state or jurisdiction. 
• Must have proven experience supervising staff or interns and demonstrated ability to inspire confidence in others and play a supportive role. Must have a commitment to diversity and inclusion. 
• Demonstrate commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way. 
• Demonstrate a zealous support of the Florence Project’s mission.  

• Must be comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.  
• Strong litigation experience and/or oral advocacy skills. 
• Must have excellent written and oral advocacy skills. 
• Strong legal research. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.  

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. 
• Highly organized, an innovative thinker, and work in high-volume settings with limited resources. 
• Excellent problem solving, research and analytical skills. 
• Effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.  
• Demonstrate to be a hardworking, flexible, respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative, innovative, and client centered work environment.  

• Ability to work independently and also as part of a team, be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict, pressure, crisis or changing priorities. 
• Exhibit high ethical standards and the ability to maintain confidentiality. 
• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks. 
• Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish required.  
• Travel is required for this position.  

• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.  
• Proven computer skills.  Advanced understanding of basic office applications. 

Preferred Requirements:   

• 2 years of minimum experience providing direct representation to immigrants removal proceedings, and extensive knowledge of immigration law, specifically deportation defense, asylum, and criminal-immigration law issues is strongly preferred. 

• 2 years of prior experience practicing before the Arizona Courts, the Immigration Courts, or USCIS is strongly preferred. 
• Prior advocacy work in immigrant rights, human rights, LGBTQ rights, criminal justice, or experience working with trauma survivors is preferred. 
• Experience with databases and data tracking (i.e., Legal Server) is preferred. 

Working Conditions/Physical Demands: 

• Operate in a professional office environment and requires the ability to sit for long periods of time with intermittent walking, standing, bending, squatting, pulling and pushing. 
• Ability to use standard office equipment such as scanners, computers, keyboards, phones, shredders, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.  Requires the ability to lift up to ten pounds - accommodations may be available.  
• Effective September 1, 2021, FIRRP has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. To comply with this policy, active employees must be fully vaccinated by October 15, 2021. Employees seeking an exemption due to a medical condition or sincerely-held religious belief should contact our Human Resources Department at humanresources@firrp.org.    

Salary & Benefits

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographical area and is commensurate with experience: $67,000-$80,000 Annually DOE. We strive to create and uphold a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff.

We offer excellent benefits, including: 

• Medical plans including health, dental, vision coverage, subject to plan terms
  
• Short Term Disability
  
• Eligibility for group benefits such as voluntary life insurance, subject to applicable waiting periods
  
• Retirement plan, subject to plan terms
  
• Paid Time Off earned on a biweekly accrual basis- Twenty-five (25) Days of Vacation Time, annually
  
• Five (5) Days of Medical/Sick Time, annually
  
• One (1) Day of Personal Time, monthly
  
• Eight (8) Week Paid Sabbatical, after three years of employment
  
• Bereavement leave.
  
• Company-paid federal holidays, all observed
  
• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (12) paid weeks
  
• Mileage reimbursement for travel between offices and places of work.
  
• Relocation Assistance for out of state new hires available for some positions.

Application Process: 

This is an immediate opening. Salary is commensurate with experience. The position will remain open until we receive enough qualified applicants. To apply, please submit a cover letter detailing your interest in the position as well as your resume, three professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply early. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The Florence Project values diversity in the workplace and strongly encourages applications from people of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of underrepresented communities.  

At FIRRP, we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the requirements of a job.  If your experience is close to what you see listed in our current job opportunities, please still consider applying.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence, which is very much valued at FIRRP.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.  Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process. 

This job announcement is for informational purposes only and is subject to change and modification without notice. This job announcement includes a non-exhaustive list of responsibilities, qualifications and requirements of the position, but does not necessarily include all the job functions of the position.