Program Specialist for Referral Management

If you are passionate about transforming communities with a mission-driven organization, then we have the opportunity for you!

Since 1939, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) has offered welcome and hope to refugees. LIRS has transformed lives with the support and hard work of people like you, to welcome the most vulnerable to the United States from sea to shining sea.

We help people seeking safety from persecution in their home countries and reunite families torn apart by conflict. We resettle refugees. We protect vulnerable children who arrive alone in the United States. We advocate for compassion and justice for all migrants.

Widely recognized for our expertise in implementing federal programs on behalf of refugees and migrants in the United States, conducts policy advocacy, and advances the protection and rights of vulnerable migrants.

Headquartered in the beautiful Inner Harbor of downtown Baltimore we provide services nationwide through a network of staff and affiliates. Attracting and retaining the best talent is vital to our continued growth and we are proud to offer an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision available the first day of employment, professional development, tuition reimbursement, generous paid time off including 20 days of vacation, 12 days of sick leave, 12 paid holidays PLUS the week between Christmas and New Years Day, 12 weeks of paid parental leave and up to 12 weeks of fully paid FMLA leave, company 403(b) contribution of 3%, an additional 7% match, Family Building benefits for reproductive procedures, adoption/foster care assistance, and an annual wellness benefit that can be customized to support your personal needs including funding enrichment classes, gym memberships, and healthy eating plans (to name a few) all in an inclusive and progressive environment!

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is a champion for all uprooted people. Please join us as we make a difference in the lives of newcomers.

Reporting to the Program Officer for HSPRS, the Program Specialist for Referral Management will engage collaboratively with the Children and Family Services unit in order to provide referral management to foster care and reunification affiliate staff and stakeholders. Serving as the liaison with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the specialist is responsible for creating and implementing referral assurance and placement of unaccompanied refugee minors and unaccompanied children in federal custody to affiliates, as well as, continue support of migrant and refugee care through technical assistance, integration of child welfare best practices and standards, and ongoing communication.

DUTIES

• Responsible for the development and implementation of the agency's referral strategy for 60+ case managers located nationwide .
• Ensuring the ratio of travel and local cases stays within the partner agencies' budgets.
• Assures home study and post release service cases for refugee and migrant youth to partner providers.
• Oversees the appropriate processing of accepted home study and post release services cases.
• Coordinates with governmental affiliates, LIRS partner agencies, and internal staff in the acceptance of referrals and placements of refugee and migrant youth.
• Identifies training needs and program challenges for the development of materials, resources, and tools to enhance the delivery of program services in accordance with recognized child welfare standards, LIRS best practices, and LIRS/ORR policies and procedures implementation.
• Serves as the main point of contact with the Office of Refugee Resettlement and ensures that the case acceptance strategy is in line with funder needs.
• Tracks and analyzes trends in home study and post release cases.
• Ensures partner awareness of and compliance with ORR policies and procedures related to the home study and post release services program.
• Maintain and organize collaborative peer to peer information resources to include webpages and data records.
• Provide support for projects that impact all programs across the family reunification and foster care programs.
• Creates reports and documents, such as those that reflect trends in practice.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Undergraduate degree or combination of education and 5+ years work experience coordinating case acceptance for ORR funded programs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills as well as strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate with stakeholders and partners.
• Deep knowledge and understanding of the UC Portal and Path.
• Detail-oriented, with the ability to multi-task, and work well under pressure.
• Strong organizational, analytical and critical thinking/problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work well as part of a team and independently.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with data entry, data management, and/or use of data management tools or software.
• Demonstrated research skills experience.
• Cross-cultural experience and cultural competency related to issues of diversity.
• Commitment to LIRS's core mission and values and an ability to model those values in relationship to colleagues and partners.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English strongly preferred.
• Experience with Apricot strongly preferred.

Special Position Requirements

• Must be able to pass an FBI background check as well as a CA/N check for every state in which they have resided in the last five years.
• Must be over 21 years of age.
• Occasional Travel Required, less than 10%

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.