"Program Director in the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice"

Job Details

The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is seeking a Program Director for the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice.

The Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice provides vital advocacy and training to benefit immigrants and build the capacity of the legal community to serve immigrant clients in Maryland and nationally. The Center currently trains and supports law students to provide zealous representation for immigrants, especially in cases involving asylum, enforcement abuses, and the minimizing of the lasting effects and racial inequities of disproportionate criminal enforcement. Primarily through its two law clinics, it provides direct representation to people in the immigration agencies and courts and in the federal appellate courts to advance the law. It supports a Citizenship Initiative to promote naturalization so that Maryland's immigrant community can have more stability and more of a political voice to advocate for itself.

The Center is hiring for a multi-pronged initiative to strengthen Maryland's legal community and immigrant support systems by training and supporting immigration and pro bono attorneys to employ new strategies to respond to extraordinary enforcement; supporting Special Immigrant Juvenile efforts for foster children and naturalization workshops; providing emergency financial support for litigation and other client needs, as appropriate; and providing thought leadership by convening symposia and strategic gatherings regionally and nationally.

The Center is currently led by a Faculty Director and includes two clinics, each led by its own faculty Clinic Director and staffed by law students. The Immigration Clinic works on systems-related policy projects and represents low- and moderate-income immigrants in matters relating to immigration status, usually before the immigration agencies or in the immigration trial courts. The Federal Appellate Immigration Clinic represents immigrants who are appealing decisions to the Board of Immigration Appeals or in the federal courts. The Center is also host to a Legal Fellow who works under the supervision of the Center Faculty Director to represent clients in immigration proceedings. As part of its new initiative, the Center will be hiring this Program Director position, a Staff Attorney and a Practitioner-in-Residence.

Job summary

The Program Director reports to the Faculty Director of the Chacón Center and is primarily responsible for overseeing and implementing the Center's new initiatives, as well as managing the Center's administration. The Program Director will supervise the Staff Attorney and spearhead the Center's new initiatives, including the training, recruitment, and mentoring of attorneys to increase legal capacity to represent immigrants, as well as efforts to support naturalization and immigration representation for foster care youth in Maryland. The position will coordinate with Center faculty to plan thematic convenings of thought leaders and advocates. The position also oversees Center budgeting, grant reporting and development. The work requires the application of a high degree of technical skill, project management, and knowledge and independent judgment.

Primary duties of the Program Director
The position is in person in Baltimore with flexibility for some remote work.

Center training and legal initiatives

Has primary responsibility for the Center's new initiative to expand training for attorneys, including:

• With Center faculty, choosing training topics, identifying subject matter experts as trainers, and identifying and coordinating with community partners;
• Planning and managing training events;
• Developing and coordinating ongoing remote mentoring of trained advocates;
• As appropriate, recruiting pro bono and other training participants and overseeing the development of templates and models by the Staff Attorney.

Works with and oversees the Staff Attorney to support the organization and staffing of naturalization screening events and workshops, in conjunction with community partners; recruiting and supporting pro bono attorneys; developing a referral network and/or overseeing direct representation in select cases.

Oversees the work of the Staff Attorney to develop infrastructure to ensure children in the Maryland foster care system have legal representation to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.

Develops and implements programming to support resilience and wellness among Center alumni and other immigration legal practitioners in Maryland.

Tracks and strategizes about Center involvement in legislative advocacy for immigrants in the Maryland General Assembly.

Center administration

With the Faculty Director, manages administration of the Center and its new initiatives.

Oversees budgeting and accounting of Center funds, including administering the Center's purchasing card, in consultation with the Faculty Director.

Manages Center events (symposia, panels, trainings, workshops, and graduation event).

Contributes to Center communications, including alumni newsletters, event announcements, web page and social media.

Coordinates with the student Immigration Law and Policy Association to support events, including educational travel.

Organizes the workflow related to administration of the Center and supervises the Center's work-study student.

Works closely with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations to maintain databases of program alumni, strengthen relationships with graduates of the programs, and identify opportunities for alumni engagement and philanthropic support.

Coordinates with Center faculty to plan and is primarily responsible for managing Center symposia and other convenings.

Oversees Center's efforts to collect data and metrics to report to funders of the Initiative and lead preparation of annual reports and other funder communications (in collaboration with development colleagues).

Performs other duties as assigned to support Center goals and initiatives.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

J.D. from an ABA accredited school. Must be barred in Maryland or another United States jurisdiction and be in good standing.

Five to nine years of experience in legal practice. Knowledge of and experience in immigration legal practice is preferred. Knowledge of removal defense practice and the naturalization process are a plus.

Experience in professional administrative and/or program/practice management preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced working knowledge of the legal system and fundamental legal principles.
• Ability to handle multiple ongoing tasks that require daily or weekly updating and attention, including time and task management, establishment of deadlines, and prioritization of responsibilities.
• Excellent strategic and analytical thinking skills with an ability to both independently and collaboratively solve problems and make decisions.
• Ability to establish goals, structures, and processes necessary to implement a mission and strategic vision.
• Leadership, coaching, teambuilding, and interpersonal skills to strengthen and cultivate relationships with coworkers, students, alumni, and members of the public.
• Ability to network and interact, as well as support effective partnerships with key groups and individuals.
• Ability to prioritize ongoing and new projects as well as conduct research and information gathering.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written communications, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to create and manage a budget.
• High level of competency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Powerpoint, excel, and word documents.
• Knowledge of the local MD/DC immigrant legal services landscape are a plus.

This is a full-time two-year appointment with the possibility of renewal for an additional year subject to performance. Extensions beyond year three are contingent on receipt of additional external funding and continued satisfactory performance. This position is in-person in Baltimore, with the opportunity for remote work consistent with University policies and subject to approval of supervisors.

Payroll title: Research Associate
Annualized salary: $91,212 – $98,731, dependent on selected candidate's qualifications.

Interested applicants should submit (a) a cover letter, (b) resume, (c) the names and telephone numbers of at least three references. Deadline to apply is March 29, 2026, though applications will be considered on a rolling basis.