Director of Social Work

Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) provides free immigration legal services and social services to individuals in immigration detention and to children and their families throughout Colorado. RMIAN believes that justice for immigrants means justice for all.  

Through the Social Service Project, RMIAN is one of few immigration legal services organizations in the country to offer integrated social service support. Founded and staffed by masters-level social workers, the Social Service Project assists particularly vulnerable detained adult immigrants, including people determined by the immigration court to be mentally incompetent to represent themselves; unaccompanied immigrant youth recently released from the custody of the Office of Refugee and Resettlement; and other youth and families who would benefit from expert guidance in navigating challenging new social structures.

 RMIAN’s social workers provide wrap-around support, including help dealing with the stress of detention, healthcare advocacy, support with aspects of legal case preparation, and planning for needed services upon clients’ release from detention. For non-detained youth and their family members, social workers provide therapeutic support, connection to mental health treatment, medical care, public benefits, and other assistance, as well as ongoing support throughout clients’ legal cases.

In addition to direct client services, RMIAN’s social workers collaborate with local and national partners to educate legal and social service providers, and advocate for positive systemic change for immigrant members of our community.

Position Overview

We are seeking the right person to lead the next chapter of the Social Service Project’s vital services during a period of transition, and to manage and support a strong team of three masters-level social workers. The Director of Social Work will direct program strategy; supervise members of the team; oversee day-to-day operations, including grant management, evaluation and reporting; liaise with community partners and funders; carry a very limited caseload; and participate on RMIAN’s Leadership Team to carry out the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.

 Ideal Candidate Profile

RMIAN is seeking candidates who possess a majority of the following qualities and experiences:

• Interdisciplinary social work experience: To be successful within a primarily legal services setting, the ideal candidate loves working across disciplines, and has direct social work experience with diverse populations, such as people experiencing stress and instability because of housing instability, immigration, mental health and medical needs, and criminal legal and family policing systems. A master’s degree in social work from an accredited program and a Colorado LSW (or commitment to obtain one) are required for this position; a Colorado LCSW and the ability to provide clinical supervision to other social workers are an additional bonus.
• A love of managing staff: This person has several years of management experience and truly enjoys helping their team members grow and develop. They have demonstrated skills with self-awareness and personal and professional growth, direct communication and feedback, empathy and active listening, coaching staff to solve problems, and expertise in time and case management. Additionally, this is someone who has knowledge of the specific well-being needs of the social work profession, including addressing vicarious trauma and burnout.
• Education and collaboration: This is someone who understands how to educate and train others on the value and process of social work, ideally including previous experience collaborating with attorneys. This person is both flexible and direct, and naturally gains the trust of others. They know how to engage people’s strengths toward a goal and to give clear action steps and coaching so they can collaborate effectively.
• Passion for social justice and immigration issues in the U.S.: Ideally, this person possesses some work or lived experience in the immigration space, but at a minimum, has been paying attention to the issues over the last few years, and is fired up to create change that is responsive to the needs of our clients, and is eager to learn about the legal processes and structures that impact individual case outcomes.
• Strategic thinking and thought leadership: The ideal candidate has some experience zooming out from day-to-day case management to see patterns and systems issues, and is creative in imagining ways to address structural problems, especially in collaboration with partners. This is someone who knows how to foster relationships with allies across the region to accomplish more together.
• Systems-thinker about client case management: Through their previous social work experience, this person has demonstrated a hunger to be organized, efficient, and effective in juggling multiple clients’ cases and demands, and has developed or strengthened systems that balance details and the big picture. This person can handle multiple tasks running in parallel and can triage to help the team meet time-sensitive deadlines while working toward larger goals.
• Demonstrated commitment to antiracism, and a track record of promoting equity, justice, and inclusion in previous organizations, both internally and externally. This person has shown cultural humility working with people with diverse identities and experiences, including experiences with legal and other systems of oppression.
• English and Spanish fluency are required, both oral and written.

 Position Responsibilities

The Director of Social Work is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Social Service Project, providing leadership and strategic guidance. To stay connected to the work, they maintain a very limited caseload of clients.

1. Program Leadership—Serve as a leader to the team, including facilitating team meetings, nurturing a culture of inclusivity and support, and identifying opportunities for professional development. Manage program contracts in collaboration with other organizational leaders. Oversee reporting requirements. Serve as a communicator and bridge between the program and the larger organization (particularly the Detention Program and Children’s Program). Identify and support related funding efforts. Guide and strengthen systems-building. Ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures. Guide social work-legal staff relationships alongside legal program directors.
2. Supervision of Staff—directly supervise three social workers (identifying support needs, training, reviewing work product, providing guidance on case management, and conducting annual reviews), and provide mentorship and case and clinical supervision. Provide effective oversight of social work practice and program obligations.
3. Partnerships and External Relations—serve as a public-facing representative on behalf of RMIAN’s Social Service Project, building and nurturing relationships with community partners, funders, and community collaborators. Support advocacy efforts as needed.
4. Client Case Management and Oversight—carry a very limited caseload, with a primary focus on being available to provide support to social workers and collaborating with attorneys. In collaboration with other members of the Social Services Project, gather, synthesize, and report program data in compliance with rigorous grant evaluation requirements. As needed, support clients’ legal cases by drafting personal declarations, writing post-release behavioral health plans, arranging forensic health evaluations, communicating with family and other support networks, and attending court hearings.
5. Organizational Contributions—Participate in RMIAN’s leadership team and other committees, as needed. Work within RMIAN’s mission, values and organizational commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Serve as a liaison between Social Service Project team members and leadership team.

Additional Requirements

• Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited program
• Colorado Licensed Social Worker (LSW) or commitment to apply for the Colorado LSW within the first year of employment at RMIAN.
• Ability to pass required background checks
• Access to reliable personal transportation
• Proof of vaccination against COVID-19, or proof of eligibility for exception

 Location

This position is based out of RMIAN’s office located in Westminster, Colorado. RMIAN’s operations are currently operating on a hybrid remote/in-person model requiring at least two days a week of work in RMIAN’s office or other work-related locations.

 Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. Salary is commensurate with experience; the range is between $80,000 and $95,000. RMIAN offers a phenomenal benefits package, which includes:

• Generous paid time off with 15 days of vacation in the first year of employment and an additional 2 days for each additional year of employment, 10 sick days, 11 Federal holidays, plus, an annual week-long end of year office closure;
• Excellent health insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);
• Dental and vision insurance (90% covered by RMIAN);
• Life insurance, professional liability insurance, and short-term disability insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);
• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s Simple IRA retirement plan (RMIAN matches 4%);
• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s flexible spending plan; and
• Eight-week sabbatical after five years of employment.

 If this position calls to you, please submit your resume and a brief note about what interests you in the position to hr@rmian.org.

 Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled; applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

 RMIAN is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.