Senior Advisor, Integrated Strategy in Washington, District of Columbia at National Immigration Law Center

About the Organization

Founded in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is a leading non-profit organization (501(c)(3) in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. NILC’s mission is grounded in the belief that everyone living in the U.S. regardless of race, gender/gender identity, immigration status, or economic status should have equal access to justice, resources, and educational and economic opportunities that enable them to achieve their full human potential. Together, NILC and the affiliated NILC Immigrant Justice Fund (IJF), a 501(c)(4) organization, work to advocate more directly for federal immigration reform policies. NILC is committed to advancing its mission — which intersects race, immigration status, and class — through a racial, economic, and gender justice and equity orientation.

About the Position

This position is a 2-year term limited role, renewable based on funding.

NILC is seeking an -experienced strategist to lead our organization through strategic growth and rapidly changing high impact advocacy. This leadership position requires a proven track record of C3 and C4 strategy development and implementation, campaigning, managing and developing staff, managing complex coalitions, and driving measurable impact. Working in close partnership with the EVP of Advocacy and members of the senior leadership team, this role will develop and implement structures and systems that translate organizational vision into integrated advocacy strategies, campaigns, and execution plans across NILC and IJF. The successful candidate will build alignment across departments, coalitions, and partners to advance immigration goals and objectives in a rapidly evolving landscape. This role will integrate Advocacy-wide initiatives, clarify and focus strategy, and enhance and streamline functional area workflows. They will also play a key role in strengthening organizational sustainability by supporting fundraising efforts, cultivating strategic partnerships, and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

This role is not a member of the Bargaining Unit.

The Senior Advisor, Integrated Strategy will be responsible for providing leadership and driving success in the following key areas:

Specific Position Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Development

• Partner with the EVP Advocacy and members of the senior leadership team to translate organizational vision into integrated advocacy strategies, campaigns, and implementation across NILC and IJF.
• Develop and partner with Advocacy leadership to implement appropriate workflow structures, cross-departmental alignment initiatives, and align the team around priorities
• Provide leadership and vision for organizational strategy, growth, and long-term sustainability
• Lead strategic planning processes and highly adaptive and integrated strategy across multiple departments focused on results by converting priorities into quarterly and annual plans, milestones, and decision frameworks
• Support the development and implementation of c3/c4 strategy and programming across multiple workstreams
• Monitor progress against strategic goals and provide regular analysis, recommendations, and reporting to executive leadership, including recommending structures and processes to scale initiatives effectively.

Coalition & Partner Engagement

• Build and maintain coalitions, including full integration of internal and external work at the intersection of immigration and democracy
• Foster alignment and collaboration among senior staff and leadership
• Lead cross-functional teams in strategy development and integration and manage relationships with consultants, vendors, and external partners
• Represent the organization in high-level strategic discussions and decision-making forums

Campaign and Program Strategy Alignment

• Ensure alignment across departments, working groups, and leadership teams by maintaining a clear strategic framework and shared priorities.
• Support rapid-response strategies and pivot programs as needed to meet changing circumstances
• Strategy support for electoral strategy, issue campaigns, and partnerships work

Fundraising & Financial Oversight

• Support fundraising strategy and execution across c3/c4 structures
• Help develop compelling fundraising materials and donor communications
• Help build and maintain relationships with philanthropic partners and major donors

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Provide coaching and technical assistance on strategy integration to staff and partner organizations, with a focus on developing capacity in strategic analysis and work execution
• Drive internal system improvements and standardization of templates, processes, and workflows to increase efficiency and quality
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and adaptive strategy design and implementation

Supervisory Responsibilities

· Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains staff.

· Acts as a coach and mentor including providing constructive and timely feedback to foster a collaborative environment that develops strengths, improves weaknesses, and encourages creative problem-solving.

· Actively manages direct and indirect reports using applicable performance management software including documenting regular check-ins, goal progress, and any other relevant information in the system for performance and coaching purposes.

· Directly and indirectly manages employees with the possibility for additional staff.

· Handles discipline and performance issues in accordance with organizational policy.

· Manages outside consultants, third party administrators, and vendors.

Shared Organization Responsibilities

· Champions NILC & IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income by demonstrating a commitment to human rights, and racial, economic, and social justice

· Attends and actively participates in NILC meetings at the organization, department, project, and individual level

· Develops relationships and supports NILC and IJF colleagues across all teams, recognizing that each individual brings a unique background and perspective to the work and assuming good intent from each other.

· Follows through on commitments acting with a clear sense of ownership individually and collectively by taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures, establishing clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results, and designing feedback loops into work.

· Learns quickly when facing new situations by experimenting to find fresh solutions, taking on the challenge of unfamiliar tasks, and extracting lessons learned from failures and mistakes.

· Acts with integrity by following through on commitments, being direct and truthful, keeping confidences, and showing consistency between words and actions.

· Commits to centering NILC’s values of racial justice & equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships & collaboration, encouraging respect & personal well-being, and striving for transparency, integrity, and honesty in all decisions and actions

In recognition of the fluidity of the work and ecosystem that NILC operates in, other duties may be assigned depending on organizational need.

What We’re Looking for in This Role

· Commitment to NILC & IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income and a demonstrated commitment to human rights, racial, economic and social justice, and equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice for all

· Collaborative, proactive, and action-oriented working style with a strong service mentality promoting mutual accountability and inspiriting trust and confidence from colleagues, other NILC team members, and NILC leaders alike

· Demonstrates sound judgement in decision-making, high integrity, and utmost respect for confidentiality

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills: ability to read, analyze, interpret, as well as create and update substantive written materials, demonstrated ability to engage in courageous conversations, ability to make complex advocacy issues accessible to all audiences

· Self-starter with a strong strategic ability to move daily tasks forward in alignment with NILC’s broader organizational needs and goals

· Expertise in managing projects in progressive movement organizations

· Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and work collaboratively with teams in a mission-driven, culturally diverse organization committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion

· Capacity to make difficult decisions with sound judgement in decision-making relating to organizational positions, coalition decisions, and allocations of resources. Ability to prioritize department resources among competing demands

· Ability to formulate clear strategy and plans to accelerate strategic framework into operational day-to-day advocacy, partnerships, and campaigns work

· Uses knowledge of advocacy and how strategies tactics play out in the advocacy space

· Excellent communication skills both orally and in writing with demonstrable success creating compelling proposals to secure grant funding, presenting complex programmatic information clearly and persuasively

· Recognizes each team member's unique background and perspective to achieve team goals in a positive and motivating working environment

· Develops team through coaching, feedback, exposure and stretch assignments

· An inclusive and responsive management style that places deep value on diverse perspectives and emphasizes the development and growth of team members and encourages learning and continued improvement

· Proficiency with in-office and virtual environments and software such as MS Office, internet research, and virtual collaboration tools.

Qualifications Required

· Advanced degree in relevant field (Political Science, Public Policy, Latin American Studies, or related) or significant and relevant experience working in strategic advocacy/nonprofit strategy

· 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in nonprofit, advocacy, or political organizations, with at least four (4) years supervisory experience

· Proven senior leadership and strategic expertise, with a track record of delivering measurable organizational outcomes.

· Extensive C4 advocacy and campaign expertise, with a proven ability to develop and execute effective advocacy strategies.

· Experience leading multi-issue coalitions, building alignment among diverse stakeholders to advance shared goals.

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience in immigration law or policy work strongly preferred

· Experience in nonprofit organizations

· Proficiency in non-English languages spoken by Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, African, Caribbean, or Arab communities preferred. Fluency in more than one language desirable.

At NILC, we know that talented people may have different backgrounds or experiences, and if your education and experience doesn’t exactly align with the above that’s okay! NILC believes that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. NILC’s goal is for our people to reflect the communities in which we live and serve and to ensure representation of people of color, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in our organization. We encourage you to apply and let us know in your cover letter why you are qualified and the right fit for this role and NILC.

Work Environment:

Location & Travel:

NILC's offices are located in Washington, D.C. For this role, up to 30% of overnight interstate travel may be required; travel is typically quarterly to the NILC Washington, DC office or another location withing the US for 3-5 nights.

Remote work locations are as follows: (Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin). To be considered, applicants must live in one of the work locations.

Compensation & Benefits:

NILC’s compensation and benefits philosophy is to provide a competitive offering in the nonprofit sector and ensure equity across the organization. The salary range for this role is $172,000 - $215,000.

NILC provides an incredible benefit package that includes employer-paid healthcare coverage (100% for employees and 75% for dependents), employer-supported dental and vision coverage, a 403(b)-retirement plan including an automatic contribution from NILC, paid parental leave, monthly cell phone and wellness stipends, pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits (FSA), and employer-paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance. NILC also provides a generous paid-time-off policy, 15 holidays and 22 days of paid time off annually (increased to 32 after 2 years of employment).

NILC is also a qualifying public service employer, which means all full-time NILC employees qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. To learn more about the program, please visit https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

This position is a 2-year term limited role, renewable based on funding.

Physical Demands:

· Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods

· Communicating with others to exchange information.

Repeating motions, like typing or answering a phone, that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.