PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

• Assist in responding to inquiries from asylum seekers, including scheduling, coordinating, and conducting initial screening interviews.


• Perform in-depth, detailed interviews with potential clients, who are often victims of torture and human rights abuses, to ascertain their eligibility for asylum and representation through our program; and conduct related country conditions research.


• Assist in placing accepted cases with appropriate volunteer attorneys; communicate in a responsive and efficient manner with volunteer attorneys, other human rights organizations, and the public; and assist in the provision of support for volunteer attorneys.


• Contact volunteer attorneys and clients to obtain updates on cases; coordinate the case closure process; and serve as liaison among volunteer attorneys, clients, and in-house Refugee Representation team staff, as needed.


• Assist in managing the Refugee Representation teams administrative/clerical needs:
  
  
  
  5. compiling informational packets and case summaries;
     
     
     
     5. entering, updating, maintaining, and retrieving data relating to cases, clients, potential clients, volunteer attorneys, and other contacts in our database, and coordinating with the information services department on database and technology issues; and
     
     
     5. maintaining and organizing electronic and hard copy files, correspondence, and publications; coordinating meetings and agendas.
     
     
     
     
  
  
  
  


• Assist with recruiting, training, and supervision of non-legal interns, ensuring that these volunteers are meaningfully engaged.


• Conduct assessments of referred clients to determine their psycho-social needs and assist them with appropriate referrals.


• Develop and maintain a knowledge base of social services available to clients in assigned work areas.


• Establish working relationships and partnerships with local service providers and administrators to enhance the referral process.


• Complete referrals to services, assist families in completing intake requirements for these services, and follow up as necessary.


• Identify clients eligible for enrollment in donation-based programs, such as Family-to-Family, and administer and distribute donations received through those programs.


• Other duties as requested based on department and/or organizational need.

• A Bachelors degree and at least one year of post-college work experience in a related field, with previous experience working with asylum-seekers or refugees strongly preferred.


• Ability to work collaboratively, and preferably, prior experience working with attorneys, law firms, or other legal service providers.


• A strong record of intercultural responsiveness, sensitivity and awareness, and cross-cultural communication skills.


• Ability to communicate patiently, respectfully and empathically with individuals from a variety of backgrounds.


• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication, with advanced analytical skills.


• Superb organizational skills, including the ability to manage numerous tasks simultaneously, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.


• Good judgment and attention to detail.


• Capacity to prioritize duties, and work independently while functioning as a member of a team and across offices.


• Excellent computer skills, including knowledge of database, word processing, and spreadsheet applications.


• Fluency in Spanish required; fluency in additional languages, particularly French or Arabic, is highly desirable.