Human Rights Advocate Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Medical Case Manager (French Speaking)

Location: Chicago, IL

Work Arrangement: In person

Job Type: Regular Full-Time

Union: Yes

Classification: Non Exempt

Department: US Programs, Marjorie Kovler Center

Reports To: Shira Cavalieri; Manager of Case Management

About Heartland Alliance International & Marjorie Kovler Center: Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is a global human rights organization advancing the health and human rights of marginalized communities. HAI implements programs addressing trauma-informed mental health care, access to justice for survivors of rights abuses, and stigma-free health services. Through innovative, equity-driven approaches, HAI promotes human rights protections and gender equality across its global and U.S.-based programs.

HAI's Marjorie Kovler Center (MKC), based in Chicago, is a nationally recognized treatment center for survivors of torture and severe trauma and their families. Serving individuals from more than 60 countries, MKC provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health, medical, and social services. The center also advocates for the end of torture worldwide and for the rights of immigrant and refugee communities.

Summary: The Senior Medical Case Manager (French Speaking) serves
as the primary medical systems expert across programs at the Marjorie Kovler Center, leading complex, trauma-informed medical case management and care coordination. This role ensures culturally and linguistically responsive services for French-speaking individuals and families, owns and improves medical case management practices, exercises independent judgment in resolving complex healthcare access barriers, and provides guidance to staff and interdisciplinary teams.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Medical Care Coordination & System Navigation

• Independently assess, prioritize, and determine strategies to address participant medical needs and barriers
• Lead coordination of complex cases requiring multi-system navigation
• Manage medical appointments, referrals, and access to primary, specialty, and behavioral health services
• Collaborate with providers and internal teams on care coordination
• Serve as an escalation point for complex medical coordination issues

Program & Systems Improvement

• Lead improvements to medical case management workflows and processes
• Identify systemic barriers to care and implement solutions to improve access
• Support development of standards for referrals, tracking, and follow-up

Team Expertise & Support

• Serve as a subject matter expert on healthcare systems and insurance navigation
• Provide guidance to staff on complex cases
• Support training and onboarding related to medical case management

External Engagement & Advocacy

• Build relationships with healthcare providers, hospitals, and insurers
• Engage external partners to resolve escalated cases
• Represent the program in medical coordination efforts as needed

Participant Support & Documentation

• Provide services in French and English
• Support insurance access, billing navigation, and care coordination
• Maintain accurate documentation and track outcomes

Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree required
• 3-5 years case manager experience; including healthcare system navigation
• Fluency in French and English required
• Experience with immigrant/refugees populations preferred
• Prior experience working with interns, volunteers and assisting in new staff training is preferred.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):

• Knowledge of healthcare systems and insurance navigation
• Organizational and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication and cultural competency
• Ability to remain calm, flexible, and solution-oriented in complex environments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365
• Commitment to ethical practice, confidentiality standards, and professional development.

Work Environment:

HAI has a dynamic and collaborative work environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment at the Marjorie Kovler Center is usually moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Sit, reach with arms and work with hands to operate computers or equipment
• Stand, walk, climb stairs, and may need to kneel or crouch to access workspace equipment
• May occasionally need to lift or move items up to 10 pounds

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Heartland Alliance International makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.