POSITION SUMMARY
The TAY (Transition Aged Youth) Program Director will lead the Alliance’s TAY Program, which supports teens and young adults who have experienced foster care with a range of legal and non-legal services to promote their independence and well-being. Advocates in this program help current and former foster youth aged 16-24 to overcome legal and other hurdles that they encounter on their path to adulthood, through individual advocacy, connection to resources, and case management. Life skills workshops and the development of innovative training tools are also dynamic components of this program that inform and empower youth to know and exercise their rights. The Program Director will lead and oversee this program, represent youth in legal matters, and work with our policy program to promote legislative and other reforms to remove barriers to employment, housing, education, and health for young people who are or have been in foster care. Examples of case work includes: housing advocacy, redressing identity thefts and consumer frauds, sealing juvenile records, dismissing juvenile citations, assisting clients in re-entering foster care, resolving credit and collections issues, and advocating for public benefits.
ABOUT THE ALLIANCE
We are a nonprofit organization that provides free, holistic legal services and advocacy to youth and families impacted by child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Los Angeles County and works to enact policy changes statewide. Our lawyers, advocates, and social workers, together with hundreds of pro bono attorneys and community volunteers, work together to ensure that those we serve have the tools to overcome barriers to stability and success and can access the education, healthcare, and financial supports they need. Since 1992, we have helped over 150,000 children and young adults.
WHAT YOUR IMPACT WILL BE
Reporting to the Vice President of Legal and Program Services, the TAY Program Director will:
- Lead and develop the Alliance’s TAY Program to advance wellbeing and opportunity for transition age foster youth across Los Angeles County.
- Advise, and represent transition age youth who have experienced foster care or guardianship and are in need of legal assistance to address barriers to independence, stability, housing, education or employment.
- Provide housing advocacy for TAY, including representing youth who are improperly discharged from their housing programs; analyzing youths’ eligibility for housing programs; conducting know your rights trainings; and working with stakeholders and community partners to identify systemic solutions to housing insecurity for young people.
- Provide direct representation as needed, in individual client cases including litigation, negation, mediation, and advice in Juvenile Court, the specialized court for Non-Minor Dependents, or other court or administrative agency proceedings.
- Supervise and collaborate with Transition Age Youth Program Staff: Attorney, Legal Assistant, Project Manager, and other staff as the program may require. Lead weekly and monthly program meetings to supervise program cases and goals.
- Review program data for continuous learning, development, and accomplishment of the program’s goals.
- Work with Pro Bono Director to develop, implement, and manage comprehensive pro bono legal support for this Program.
- Develop materials for, train, supervise, and provide technical assistance to student interns and to pro bono attorneys and firms.
- Assist with the supervision of Intake, identify legal issues and strategies, and train and provide guidance to student interns and staff.
- Work with Communications staff to develop and maintain youth focused materials.
- Serve as program representative at workgroups with Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services and Probation Department, minor’s attorneys, the Juvenile Court, and other advocates to ensure youth receive benefits and services to overcome barriers to housing, health, education, and employment.
- Conduct community outreach and trainings for TAY, and work with service providers and community partners, to maximize effective resources and supports for families and youth.
- Identify critical resources for TAY, caregivers, and children that will help provide stability and wellbeing.
- Support and engage with the Opportunity Youth Collaborative (OYC), a collective of public and private partners, led by the Alliance and focused on improving education and employment outcomes for TAY.
- Provide technical support and expertise to Alliance staff on transition age youth, and guidance on child welfare laws and agency regulations.
- Collaborate with The Alliance’s policy team to identify systemic issues impacting this population.
- Partner with the Development Department to complete grant applications and reports and manage grant funding.
- Complete additional administrative duties including data entry for program cases and training.
- Perform other duties as required
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS
- CA bar admission
- 5-7 years of experience in the legal field
- Previous experience directing a team
- Previous litigation experience, including case evaluation, legal research and writing, discovery, negotiations, mediation, and hearing or trial experience
- Demonstrated knowledge of basic poverty law such as housing, public benefits, or consumer law
- Demonstrated knowledge of juvenile dependency or delinquency system and/or demonstrated experience working with youth
- Ability to architect legal strategy and lead legal teams
- Prior experience supervising legal assistants, students, and client intake processes
- Excellent written and oral communication, active listening, and presentation skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with clients, attorneys, child welfare agencies, the judiciary, community partners, colleagues, and members of the public
- Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to work independently and manage competing tasks in a fast-paced environment
- A self-starter with a strong work ethic, dedication, and enthusiasm for taking on responsibility
- Demonstrated ability to work as team member with a pleasant and collegial approach
- Commitment to social justice
- Experience and comfort, building rapport and working effectively with youth and families.
This job description is of a general nature and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties of the position.
COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS:
This position would work typically from our Los Angeles office. However, due to Covid-19, this position will temporarily work remotely from home. This position may be asked to return to work in the office at any time at the employer’s discretion. In person presence will be required once or twice a week as needed to facilitate training and departmental activities.
Vaccination Requirement
The Alliance is committed to prioritizing and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our employees, their families, our clients, and members of our community against the COVID-19 coronavirus. In response to COVID-19 and the increased transmissibility with recent variants, and to support a safe environment for everyone, all new Alliance employees must provide original documentation confirming they are fully vaccinated, and or evidence of an approved qualifying medical exemption or religious held belief exemption at the time of hire.
SALARY RANGE
This is an exempt, full-time paid position, with target starting annual salary in the range of $80,000 -$100,000 DOE. Benefits include generous vacation and paid holidays; comprehensive health plans covering 100% of the employee cost of medical, dental and vision insurance; life insurance; flexible spending accounts for childcare and health expenses; generous retirement savings plan with company contributions to your 403(b) after one year of employment, and discounts on fitness memberships and other activities.
TO APPLY
Email resume and cover letter to Denise Velasquez, Director of Human Resources at dvelasquez@alliancecr.org. Due to a high volume of interest, we are not able to contact each interested applicant. If selected for consideration, candidates will be contacted to discuss our recruitment process and next steps. No calls please.
The Alliance for Children’s Rights is committed to building and supporting a culturally diverse and inclusive environment that values all staff members’ backgrounds and perspectives in our work. We strongly encourage individuals from all traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and prohibit discrimination against employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other unlawful basis.
