Legal Resource Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center isHiring!

TexasOrganizer- Houston or San Antonio, TX

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is seekingup totwofull-timeTexas Organizersin Texas. This is an exempt position that reports to theDirector of Texas Campaigns and Organizing.This is a bargaining unit position represented by the National Legal Services Workers (NOLSW), Local 2320.

The ILRC currently has a hybrid work model requiring two in-office days per week.

Who We Are:
The ILRC is a leading immigrant rights organization headquartered in San Francisco with staff in Washington, D.C., Texas, Southern California, the Central Valley of California, and Washington state. Since 1979, our mission has been to educate, support, and empower immigrants, community organizations, and legal practitioners to build a more just, inclusive, and democratic society. Our team is passionate, collaborative, and committed to equity and innovation in all we do.Additionalinformation about our organizational values is availablehere.

The Opportunity:

The ILRC supports local and state campaigns to reduce involvement of local law enforcement in immigration enforcementand reduce deportations,while building the capacity of organizations and coalitions to broadly address the criminalization of communities of color.We partner with criminal defense and immigration attorneys, grassroots organizations, and coalitions across the country, but with a deeper focus in California,Texasand Washington, D.C.

In Texas, over the next several years we seek to advance, and support coordinated local campaigns that address the overcriminalization and incarceration of communities of color, with a particular focus on the impact on immigrants,toreducedeportations, build power within immigrant communities, strengthen local intersectional alliances, hold elected officials accountable, and movecloser to a vision of a more inclusive and equitable Texas.

The Texas Organizer, in deep collaboration with ILRC partners, will:

• Create defenses to arrest, prosecution, criminalization, incarceration, and deportation, and other forms of criminalization, takingideasfrom our resource "Moving Texas Forward: Local Policies Towards Inclusive Justice;"

• Supporteducationeffortsfor elected officials,stakeholdersand thepublicon themany waysthe arrest-to-deportation-pipelineharms our communities

• Hold local elected officials accountable to our communities and ensure that we have local leaders that not only say they are protecting and being inclusive of our communities, but taking meaningful action to do both;

• Advocate for and implement localpolicies and practices that strip away the ability of the criminal and immigrant enforcement systems to continue to criminalize, oppress, and banish immigrant communities; and

• Work to use all tools available, such as direct action, advocacy, civic engagement, andeducation.

Responsibilities:

• Co-leadstrategy developmentwith local partners,including goals,objectives, tactics, and timeline of the campaigns;

• Co-facilitatemeetings for existing local coalitionsandsupport coalition'soperationsas needed

• Support thepolicy research andimplementationphasesof the campaigns;

• Mapthe local political and legal landscapesof designated localities, which includesparticipatinginongoing meetings with local elected officials, other city and county officials, advocates, and others;

• Build relationshipsand advocatewith key stakeholders and targets in the campaigns;

• Facilitate the implementationofpolicy advice through technicalassistanceand trainingfrom the ILRC Texas attorneys;

• Coordinatewith the ILRC Texas team toconduct trainingfor local organizers and advocatesthat buildcampaignskillsandtheunderstandingofissuesinvolving the intersection of the criminal and immigration systems("crim-imm");

• Work with local partners and theILRC Texas teamtoproducecommunityeducation materials that break downcrim-immand enforcement issues;

• Review community-facing documents, when applicable;

• Support communications work for local policy campaigns, when applicable;

• Explore/maintainrelationships withleaders ofintersectinglocalorganizing, especiallycriminaljustice advocates;and

• Travel toILRC San Francisco officetwice a year,annualTexas team retreat,andotherlocationsas needed.

Qualifications:The qualifications for the Texas Organizer include:

• Educational requirements:Bachelor's degreeor equivalent experience;
  

• At leastfiveyearsincampaign managing experience for a political or advocacy campaign;

• At leastfiveyears in community organizing, preferably in immigrant rights, relatedcriminalandracial justice issues;

• Experienceleading and coordinating coalitions/ strategic alliances;

• Experience withcampaign planning and project management;

• Proficient in Spanish;

• Proficiencyinalanguage is a plus

Skills and Attributes:The skills and attributes for the Texas Organizerinclude:

• A commitment to buildinggrassrootspowerto combat the criminalization of immigrant communities in Texas;

• The ability to create strategic alignment among diverse stakeholder groups;

• Proactive at building relationships withorganizers,advocatesand elected officials in new areas;

• Excellentfacilitationand trainingskills;

• Strongwritten,verbaland interpersonalcommunication skills;and

• Demonstrate flexibility in a changing work environment whilemaintainingeffectiveness and efficiency.

• Excellent communication, particularly writing, skills with the ability to craft clear, concise, and compelling narratives;

• Passion for advancing equity and improving life outcomes for marginalized Texans;

• Excellent organization and prioritization skills;

• Keen attention to detail and ability to ensure accuracy and rigor to the highest standards;

• Creative and strategic thinker;

• Recognizes ways that race and ethnicity, gender, and other identities intersect in the communities that we serve;

• Growth mindset and commitment todemonstratingresults and gathering feedback to inform experimentation, iteration, and improvement;

• Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability toanticipateneeds, prioritize, and juggle multiple projects at once; and

• Conflictresolution and mediation skills are a plus.

Compensation/Benefits:

Pay iscommensuratewith experience, with an expected range between$85,000 - $95,000annually.The ILRC offers excellent benefits, medical/dental/vision insurance, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) sessions, a flexible spending account for medical and dependent care, vacation, and sick leave. The ILRC also sponsors a retirementplancontribution upon fulfillment of eligibility. Additionally, we offer an annual professional development stipend of $2,500 and, from 2025- 2027, an annual wellness stipend of $2,500.ILRC also offers a sabbatical program: employees are eligible to apply for an 8-week sabbatical after five years of service and a 12-week sabbatical after ten years of service.

Applications:
This position will remain open until it is filled and is currently available. We will consider applications on an ongoing basis beginningimmediately.To ensure consideration of your application,pleasesubmita cover letter explaining your qualifications for the position, your salary requirements, a current resume, and the contact information for three professionalreferences, one of which must be a supervisor.

The ILRC is an equal opportunity employer and does not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious beliefs, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability age, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.Pursuant tothe San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and other similar state laws and local ordinances, ILRC will also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records.