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Overview

The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) is the largest membership organization of asylum seekers in the United States, with over 600,000 members from 175 countries. ASAP members gain access to critical resources and join a collective effort to build a United States that welcomes individuals fleeing violence.

The Role

The Senior Policy Counsel position will be part of the organization’s systemic reform team. ASAP’s systemic reform team focuses on engaging ASAP members in advocacy efforts, including speaking out to the media, meeting with government officials, and participatory litigation. The Senior Policy Counsel will join a team focused on making change through policy advocacy, strategic media opportunities, and high impact litigation. Both experience with direct representation of immigration clients and past policy experience is highly valued.

ASAP’s policy team advances ASAP members’ policy priorities, which you can read more about here. This team works with ASAP members to create ASAP’s policy agenda. ASAP is focused on advocating for solutions around both the work permit and asylum backlogs, as well as easier access to work permits for asylum seekers. The Senior Policy Counsel will also work to recruit new partners (e.g. city and state governments, business community) to advocate in parallel with ASAP members on access to work permits. The policy team also works closely with ASAP’s litigation team to assist on strategic litigation projects.

For this position we are looking for a candidate with at least 5 years of legal or policy experience specifically with asylum seekers or immigrant communities. We are looking for a candidate with excellent judgment who can manage relationships with ASAP members and other stakeholders on behalf of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Train and support ASAP members who have an interest in advocacy or media work around ASAP members’ policy priorities.
• Manage relationships with government officials, partner organizations, and ASAP members.
• Lead meetings with government officials, ASAP members and partner organizations.
• Represent ASAP in coalitions and engage partner organizations in advocacy campaigns.
• Provide support drafting and editing policy and communications documents.
• Review and analyze proposed legislation, regulations, and policies on policy issues of concern to ASAP members.

Qualifications

• A J.D. degree and prior admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction required;
• Fluency in Spanish (written and spoken) required;
• 3+ years related work experience, including legal or policy experience;
• Strong organizational ability and competence at maintaining systems and tracking documents;
• Commitment to ASAP’s mission, members, and member-centered advocacy style;
• Ability to exhibit trauma-informed, and culturally competent approaches to working with people with historically marginalized identities;
• Ability to take complex policy ideas and translate them into compelling messages;
• Strong planning and time management skills, with an ability to coordinate deliverables across multiple internal collaborators;
• Experience working with the media is a plus.

Salary & Benefits

The salary for this position is $80,000-$130,000, commensurate with qualifications. ASAP offers an excellent benefits package including health insurance coverage at no cost, 401K matching, generous paid vacation, personal, and sick days, and paid parental leave.

Location

Remote in any of the 50 U.S. states and D.C., excluding U.S. territories.

Note: ASAP is a 100% remote organization with no physical office locations. We are currently equipped to employ staff remotely throughout the 50 U.S. states and D.C. Unfortunately, we are not equipped to employ staff from U.S. territories or outside the United States.

Application Timeline

We are considering applications on a rolling basis.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit their resume at this link. If you have questions, please email hiring@asylumadvocacy.org.

ASAP is an equal opportunity employer. ASAP strongly encourages asylum seekers, immigrants, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color (BIPOC), Latinx people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, women, first-generation college students/professionals, and all marginalized individuals to apply, and recognizes the unique and valuable skills that such applicants can bring to this work.

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