Managing Legal Assistant

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 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.

Primary Purpose of the Job:

The Managing Legal Assistant will be part of the Childrens Program Managerial Team including Childrens Program Managing Attorneys Childrens Program Managing Social Workers and the Childrens Program Manager. The Managing Legal Assistant in the Childrens Program will provide supervision to Legal Assistants Sr. Legal Assistants and Intake Specialists as well as leadership coordination and oversight on programmatic needs related to legal assistants duties and responsibilities including the coordination and provision of Know Your Rights Presentations. The Managing Legal Assistant will also work in close collaboration with Senior Legal Assistants on the provision of mentoring and support to Legal Assistant staff. The Managing Legal Assistant will also assist staff attorneys on the provision of direct legal representation to unaccompanied minors. This position includes extensive client contact with youth including Indigenous youth and youth who have suffered abuse abandonment neglect or other emotional and physical trauma.

This position will require travel between Phoenix and Tucson to supervise staff from both offices.

The position also provides the opportunity to participate in outreach activities and collaborative projects within a national network of legal service providers for unaccompanied children. This position will report directly to a Childrens Program Managing Attorney or Accredited Rep.

Position Duties (including but not limited to):

• SuperviseLegalAssistantsin the Childrens Program. This includes coordinating regularly scheduled meetings with supervised staff membersprovidingcritical feedback to promote staff members development and growth and evaluating staff members performance.

• Provideleadership coordination and oversight in the hiring and training processes of new legal assistantsandIntakeSpecialists. This includesparticipatingonhiring committees for legal assistantsandIntakeSpecialists coordinating theon-boardingof new legal assistants and creating and leading training for legal duties will be performed in collaboration with the Human Resources Team and the Childrens Program Managerial Team.

• Overseeandbeing responsible forthe quality of services provided to unaccompanied minors in shelter facilities including the provision of Know Your Rights presentations and legal duties will be performed in collaboration with the Childrens Program Managerial Team.

• Provideleadership coordination and oversight on programmatic needs related to the management of the unaccompanied childrens juvenile court duties will be performed in collaboration with the Childrens Program Managerial Team.

• Providementorship and support toLegalAssistantsand Intake Specialistsin their provision of direct representation work for unaccompanied duties will be performed in collaboration with the Childrens Program Managerial Team andStaffAttorneys.

• Provideleadership coordination and oversight on programmatic needs related to updating drive management systems case management systems and duties will be performed in collaboration with the Childrens Program Managerial Team Childrens Program Senior Legal Assistants and Childrens Program Legal Administrative Assistants.

• ProvideassistancetoStaffAttorneys bymaintainingan assigned caseload (number of cases will depend on workflow).

• Leadlegal assistant meetings working groups and special projects as needed.

• Providecoordination and oversight related to programmatic needs related to mail and operations duties will be performed in collaboration with the Childrens Program Legal Administrative Assistants and the Operations Team.

• Participatein overall program development with the Childrens Program Managerial includes attending Childrens Program managerial weekly team meetings.

• SupportFlorence Project outreach and development activities as needed including ad hoc project.

• Data entry as assigned.

• Performadministrative duties as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree or a combination of relevant experience and education can be considered.

• Two years of relevant professional experience (e.g. Legal Assistant)

• Ability to work with children and vulnerable populations.

• Mustbe comfortable working with people with criminal convictions.

• Fluency or advancedproficiency in Spanish.

• Strong leadership skills.
• Self-starter withdemonstratedstrong interest in immigration issues.
• Demonstrate commitment to advocating for indigent immigrant clients in a respectful and empowering way.
• Demonstratezealoussupportforthe Florence Projects mission.
  
• Demonstrate being a hardworking flexible respectful team player that can work effectively in a collaborative innovative and client-centered work environment.
• Ability to work independently be adaptable and reliable in the face of conflict pressure crisis or changingpriorities.
• Highly organized innovative thinker and ability to work in high-volume settings with limited resources.
  
• Effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.
• Exhibit highlevelof professionalism.

• Deliver exceptional high-quality work consistently

• Exhibit high ethical standards and the ability to maintainconfidentiality.

• Displays a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Excellent problem solving research and analytical skills.

• Must have a valid drivers license and reliable transportation.

• Proven computer skills including Microsoft Office 365 Word Excel PowerPointand Adobe Pro.

• Must be able to pass federal and state background checks.

Preferred Requirements:

• Mentoring experience is highly desired.

• One year of supervisory experience

• Prior experience with immigration law family law working with teenagers and/or survivors of trauma is a plus.
• Prior experience working in a unionized workplace is a plus.
• Prior Legal Assistant experience at the Florence Project
  

Working Conditions/Physical Demands:

• This position will require supervision in both Phoenix and Tucson and will be expected to travel when necessary.
  
• 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 -- accommodationsmay be available.
• Requires travel regularly between offices and secondary work locations.
  
• 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.

Salary & Benefits:

This is a full-time position. Salary is competitive for our field and geographical area. Salaries will be calculated based on relevant experience and our established comprehensive wage scale: $64459.20 - $84068.22 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.
  
• Fifteen (15) Organization-paid holidays all observed
  
• Eligible for Parental Leave which includes Twelve (13) 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 responsibilitiesqualificationsand requirements of the position but does not necessarily include all the job functions of the position.

Required Experience:

Manager