Managing Attorney, Houston

Job Description

Job Description

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights invites applications for the full-time position of Managing Attorney, to be based in Houston, Texas. The Managing Attorney will co-manage the Houston Child Advocate Program team in collaboration with the Managing Social Worker. At present, the Managing Attorney will supervise a team of Child Advocate Supervisors (Attorneys) and Volunteer Coordinators. In the Manager’s capacity supervising Child Advocate Supervisors (Attorneys), they will work with program staff, in collaboration with their Co-Manager, to develop advocacy strategies on cases to which the Young Center is appointed as Child Advocate and will review work product. The Managing Attorney will work closely with their direct supervisor Deputy Program Director (DPD) (Attorney or Social Worker), as well as a partner DPD (of the complementary legal or social work discipline) to ensure that the office meets case deliverables and program metrics, produces high quality work, and aligns advocacy strategies with the Child Advocate Program’s approach and best practices. This Manager position will be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships – along with the Co-Manager – with local stakeholders, including government field staff, facility staff, legal service providers, and immigration judges. The Managing Attorney will join a team of Managers who manage the program sites or national program components, and work to establish consistent interdisciplinary practices, ensure compliance with funding and program requirements, and support program growth. In addition, this position will coordinate hiring and training new staff under their supervision in Houston. This position is funded primarily through a federal contract and is contingent on ongoing renewals. 

ABOUT THE YOUNG CENTER 

The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights is a national organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights and best interests, safety, and well-being of immigrant children in the United States. We center children's voices, celebrate their strengths, and recognize their fundamental need to be with family and in community, not detention.  

For more than 20 years, the Young Center has accompanied and advocated for over 10,000 children from more than 70 countries worldwide. We are the only organization that takes an integrated approach to protecting and advancing the rights of children, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state and federal law, through Direct Services, Stakeholder Support Across Child Welfare Systems, Systems and Narrative Change, and Litigation. Further, we fight tirelessly to bring greater equity to the child welfare system, demanding accountability from systems and people in positions of power, so children in immigrant families who face court cases remain safe, free, and with families in communities where they are supported. 

The Young Center has offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. We also serve children through our programs in New Jersey. To learn more about the Young Center, visit  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES   

• Oversee and divide office duties with the Co-Manager. 
• Hire and supervise performance, workflow, and professional growth of individual supervisees, including weekly meetings with each direct report; performing 90-day and quarterly reviews; and providing ongoing feedback and support. 
• Ensure supervisees implement established policies, procedures, and best practices including but not limited to case strategy; volunteer training, recruitment, and retention; and management of case and volunteer data systems. 
• Lead weekly case rounds and staff meetings, and conduct meetings as needed, to ensure high quality work product and identify trends and areas for advocacy. 
• Guide staff on effective and creative approaches to interdisciplinary case strategy, including oral and written best interests determinations for submission to stakeholders (immigration judges, government agencies, etc.); apply federal, state, and international law, including but not limited to immigration and child-welfare law. 
• Advise the Child Advocate Supervisors to develop and draft clear and persuasive interdisciplinary written and oral best interests determinations. 
• Consult on complex cases with the DPDs (Social Worker and Attorney), and when necessary, coordinate and/or participate in national complex case rounds or Best Interests Determination panels. 
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and retention of volunteer Child Advocates. 
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, and professional development for all new hires and existing site staff, including collaborating with the DPDs on office-specific staff trainings and retreats. 
• In collaboration with the Co-Manager and DPD, develop strategic partnerships in the Houston area to support the work of Child Advocates and meet regularly with local stakeholders (government field staff, facility staff, immigration judges, ICE officers, and legal service providers). 
• In collaboration with the Co-Manager, oversee stakeholder engagement, troubleshoot challenges with stakeholder engagement, serve as a point of contact for stakeholder relationships, coordinate presentations to local stakeholders, attend case staffings or other stakeholder meetings, and speak about the Child Advocate Program at local, regional, and national events. 
• In collaboration with the Co-Manager, manage site referrals, assist staff in developing interdisciplinary case advocacy strategies, oversee court preparation, and manage support on all cases. 
• Along with the Co-Manager, ensure the site team meets case deliverables and program metrics for government and public funders and organizational strategic plans; manage site budget. 
• In collaboration with the Co-Manager, produce accurate and timely data management to inform reports to the government and private funders and for the organizational strategic plan regarding children served, case outcomes, program metrics, and trends observed. 
• Foster a supportive, collaborative work culture, leading and motivating staff to engage in creative, thoughtful, high-quality, and effective advocacy. 
• Other duties as assigned 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

• J.D. and license to practice law 
• 4+ years of experience working with immigrants and/or child and youth 
• 1+ year management experience (including but not limited to staff supervision, supervision of volunteers, or other activities such as oversight of program or project deliverables) 
• Commitment to the interdisciplinary model in both Child Advocate casework and staff management 
• Effective communication skills, including ability to liaise across various stakeholders, program management, and volunteers 
• Excellent case and project management skills 
• High-level organizational skills 
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and proactively address programmatic needs 
• Ability to work collaboratively 
• Commitment to comprehensive culture of feedback, including seeking and providing positive and constructive feedback to supervisees, across departments and all levels of management 
• Desire to learn, both as an individual and as part of an organization, and apply diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or anti-racism principles 
• Ability to effectively engage across diverse cultures, identities, and ethnicities 
• Strong writing and editing skills 
• Aptitude and thoughtfulness in working with children and promoting child-centered advocacy 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Adobe 
• Spanish/English bilingual 
• Valid driver’s license and access to a car 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience—lived, volunteer, or professional—with immigration matters 
• Comfort with or willingness to speak present to interested groups and speak with the media or press 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

Physical demands include regular attendance, keyboarding, sitting for long periods (at least 5 hours a day), driving. Ability to use computer, telephone, and copy machine. Ability to travel by plane, car and other conveyances within U.S. Occasional lifting for event setup/preparation. 

APPLICATION DETAILS 

The Young Center is an "at-will" and equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in and affirmatively factors diversity into its hiring practices. Young Center encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, marital or parental status, pregnancy, citizenship, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, genetic information, or veterans’ status. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process; no applicant will be penalized for requesting an accommodation. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application. 

$87,878 to $99,575 is the standard new hire range for this position. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location and experience. The Young Center does not ask for prior pay history from our candidates and our offer-making process is negotiation-free for salaries and benefits. We offer our best possible salary based on relevant experience. The range listed is just one component of the Young Center’s total compensation package for employees. The Young Center provides excellent benefits, including health/dental/vision insurance (employee & dependents) at no cost to the employee, paid vacation, sick time, and a 401(k) plan with employer match. 

A criminal background check will be conducted.  

Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please apply on the Young Center website with a cover letter, resume, professional or academic writing sample and three references. Only complete applications will be considered.  

To learn more about the Young Center’s work, please visit  

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