Position Summary
ACAM has convened community partners with demonstrated expertise in targeting, engaging, and serving diverse demographics to launch a citizenshipprogram with the short-term goal to create pathways to citizenship with navigation and barrier removal services and the long-term goal of increasing the number of eligible people in the greater Houston area who successfully apply for U.S. citizenship.ACAM seeks a Naturalization Programs Manager tolead theinitiative through building and stewarding relationships, advancing programmatic and policy efforts that increase naturalization outreach, and increasing community education and successfulapplication rates. The program will provide grassroots outreach, education, and culturally competent navigation through a continuum of new and existing naturalization and barrier removal services for the nearly 300,000 lawful permanent residents (LPRs) that live in Greater Houston. The Naturalization Programs Manager will serve in a critical role to develop organizational and network capacity to use a wholistic ecosystem building approach that goes beyond the activities of a single organization to create a vibrant interconnected system to facilitate the successful civic, economic, and cultural integration of our immigrant friends and neighbors.
Essential Job Functions
Program Development and Execution
- Serve as the lead project organizer for program partners and key stakeholders
- Develop and implement a cross-sector, strategic and robust plan to scale targeted outreach, barrier removal and navigation to increase citizenship efforts in the City and Greater Houston area
- Train and track local community-based organizations and Community Navigator teams around citizenship
- Establish systems to evaluate effectiveness of the citizenship efforts across the Greater Houston Area
- Stay apprised of relevant immigration law and policy to connect local programmatic, communications and policy efforts with national efforts to increase access to citizenship
Program Partner Collaboration and Coordination
- Cultivate partnerships and opportunities with key service providers, community-based organizations, and other local organizations or institutions, to nurture collaboration that enhances outreach, education, and culturally competent navigation services
- Build relationships with local stakeholders in the community (CBOs, small businesses, financial institutions, libraries, schools, community centers, etc.) to assess current efforts and identify opportunities to increase efforts around citizenship
- Identify strategic opportunities to increase programmatic capacity for citizenship and advance citizenship policies and partnerships
- Provide monthly continuous quality improvement (CQI) sessions for partner agency staff, including peer-review of program files, policies and procedures
- Offer technical assistance for program staff as they seek to understand and meet program expectations
- ·Host and record onboarding trainings and follow up with monthly trainings for Citizenship Program Navigators and other trainings (outreach techniques, navigation services, N-400 applications, etc.)
- Regularly update and disseminate a referral resource guide that contains resources for citizenship information, preparation, and legal assistance services to partners
Program Reporting and Evaluation
- Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports and dashboards for internal and external stakeholders and provide technical assistance to program partner staff
- Work alongside program staff to fulfill reporting obligations for funders
- Maintain electronic and hard copy files for the project to be used for tracking and reporting purposes
- Ensure program partners follow reporting protocols; monitor subrecipient case management records.
- Use program data to improve programming and services
- Work collaboratively to update, improve and maintain the database systems and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Nonprofit Program Management
- Organize meetings, maintain required correspondence, retain required records
- Generate reports for all relevant stakeholders, funders, and nonprofit organizations
- Represent ACAM in the community through the Education & Outreach Program
- Participate in the yearly Coalition for the Homeless Point in Time Homeless Count
- Other duties as assigned
Education/Training
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Applicable experience in nonprofit governance, administration, procurement, grants management and compliance
Experience
- Minimum 3 years of progressive experience in grants management including subrecipient monitoring
- Experience with providing assistance with the N-400 Naturalization and application and ancillary forms and requests for evidence
- Knowledge of classes English (reading, writing, speaking), Civics (US History & Government) of the citizenship test and the Naturalization Interview
- Experience in the immigration policy field, preferably at the state and local levels
- Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with other staff and other organizations; demonstrated ability to work with groups and individuals across the political spectrum
- Mandatory proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office
- Proficient research, data management, and statistical analysis skills
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, along with facilitation skills
- Solution-oriented mindset; demonstrated ability to take initiative, critically analyze issues, and advance innovative solutions
- Paralegal experience preferred
- Department of Justice (DOJ) accreditation is a plus
- Citizenship instruction experience is a plus
- Strong ability and track record of building and managing relationships with relevant partners (government, CBOs, academic institutions, small business, nonprofits etc.)
- Bilingual proficiency in English/Spanish is a plus
- Regional travel required, must have valid driver’s license and auto insurance
- Candidates must successfully pass a pre-employment criminal background check
Compensation
- $60,000-$70,000, based upon experience
- Medical, dental, vision provided; pension after six months.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ACAM is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Board of Directors and its agents, officers and staff members shall not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, disabling condition, age, color, religion, national origin, military status, or any other legally protected status outlined by federal, state, or local laws in making decisions regarding staff members or volunteers.
This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. ACAM makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
ACAM is committed to fostering and celebrating a culture of diversity and inclusion. The collective sum of individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that all employees, board members, and ministry leaders invest in their work represents a significant part of our organizational culture, reputation, and achievements. ACAM embraces each difference in age, race, ethnicity, disability, family or marital status, gender, language, national origin, political affiliation, religion, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics. ACAM also strives to cultivate a culture of equity. ACAM believes equity “is advanced through the implementation of policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages that prevent differential outcomes based on the differences among people. Candidates must share this commitment to a continuous reevaluation of organizational norms, and to eliminating policies, practices, and systems that perpetuate inequity, so that all people are fully welcomed, valued, respected, and heard.
Application Instructions
To apply, email your resume and cover letter to Sarah Malcolm, Director of Resiliency Programs, at smalcolm@acamweb.org.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Ability to Relocate:
- Houston, TX 77024: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person