Action NYC Immigration Navigator

Make the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. Make the Road New York operates community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island and White Plains, Westchester County. With a membership of 27,000, MRNY tackles the critical issues facing our communities, including workplace justice, tenants’ rights, immigrant rights and civil rights, TGNCIQ justice, public education, health care access, and immigration reform. (TGNCIQ = transgender, gender non-conforming, intersex and queer). MRNY is a newly unionized workplace, currently negotiating its first Collective Bargaining Agreement.

MRNY is a multi-service organization. Our member-led organizing committees -- which work on the issues named above -- implement strategies to combat shared problems, and develop leadership and the capacity for civic participation. We also provide an array of high-quality bilingual services: We offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Spanish-language literacy, computer literacy, citizenship preparation, and in-school and after-school youth programs. We have a robust legal program that offers direct representation across a spectrum of practice areas, including employment law, immigration law, housing and benefits, and TGNCIQ civil rights; we also take on impact litigation as a strategy for achieving broad change. Our health program offers facilitated enrollment into health insurance programs and SNAP benefits, a community health worker home visit program, nutrition education and emergency food pantries, health care navigation, and more."

Current Opening:

We are hiring a full-time Action NYC Navigator to join and support our dynamic immigration team. The Action NYC team provides immigrants living in New York City with a range of free immigration legal services. Action NYC provides free comprehensive legal screenings to community members and provides application assistance for a wide range of cases, including green card renewals, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewals, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applications, family-based petitions, adjustment of status applications and citizenship applications.

The Navigator will focus on coordinating appointment slots for clients scheduled through internal and external referrals, conducting intakes with community members, escalating complex legal questions as needed, and offering general information about our services and practice areas to clients and community members. The Navigator will conduct comprehensive eligibility screenings, identify relief available to the client, and represent immigrant New Yorkers in their affirmative applications. Additionally, the navigator will collaborate on legal training and community workshops.The navigator will also assist with legal clinics, such as for TPS and DACA renewals. The navigator will be expected to incorporate new developments in immigration law into their practice by attending and participating in workshops and training.

MRNY staff are currently working under a hybrid model, which requires a minimum of two days per week in their designated home office. This policy is subject to change and/or modification. The position will primarily be based out of our Queens office but may include work in our Brooklyn office. The location of the Queens office will be changing in the near future as the organization is currently in the final stages of building a new Queens facility.

Key Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Coordinate the scheduling of appointments
• Conduct preliminary consultations with potential clients
• Analyze eligibility for relief including conducting necessary legal research
• Share information about our services and practice areas with community members
• Supervise volunteers at legal clinics
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records
• Assist with administrative tasks
• Collaborate with attorneys and other legal staff members
• Prepare and lead know your rights workshops as requested
• Attend team and department meetings

Requirements:

• Eligible to work in the US
• Required to be fully vaccinated with an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine prior first day of employment
• High school diploma or equivalent experience
• 2 years of experience working in a legal or customer-facing setting
• Spanish language fluency
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Experience with populations that make up major portions of Make the Road’s membership is a plus – such as documented and undocumented immigrants, individuals facing domestic violence, members of TGNCIQ communities, those who have experienced the criminal legal system, and youth
• Knowledge of immigration law
• Prior experience as an accredited representative is a plus
• Willingness to seek DOJ Accreditation
• Ability to work collaboratively

Job Competencies:

• Self-starter with strong organizational skills and strong attention to detail
• Be highly professional and team oriented with a passion for excellence and eagerness to help the department meet our goals.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and complete assignments under strict deadlines with minimal supervision in a fast paced environment.
• Ability to work under pressure required.
• Have a working knowledge of spreadsheets, Microsoft Office suite, and using our case management system, Salesforce, or a similar system.
• Flexible work schedule, some evenings or weekends required
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• High level of accountability and initiative; needs to be a self-starter and eager to do team work to support the organization as a whole
• Relevant lived experience, including, but not limited to, having been a member of a low-income, immigrant community

Salary and Benefits:

Starting salary is based on a scale set by a democratically-elected personnel committee and will depend on factors such as experience and education. MRNY offers an excellent benefit package including health insurance, 401K, and generous paid vacation, sick, personal days. The salary range for this position is from $49,023 to $66,370.

How to Apply

Please attach cover letter/resume and submit all documents to the Make the Road New York career center.

Make the Road believes that social change is best achieved through grassroots community-based organizing that flows directly from and engages the community demanding the change. As a membership-based organization, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, criminal history, or Veteran status. We strongly encourage those from historically excluded groups to apply.