Temporary Managing Director, Houston

About KIND 

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied and separated children who are forcibly displaced from their countries of origin. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. 

Building on its extensive programming and successful model in the United States, KIND is expanding in the Americas and Europe to bring its experience to bear in working with unaccompanied and separated children. Our work focuses on addressing the legal and mental health needs of this population; building strong partnerships and engaging in training and capacity strengthening with governments, NGOs, and the private sector; and advocating for systemic and pragmatic reforms to advance the rights of unaccompanied and separated children.

Position Summary

KIND seeks a Temporary Managing Director, Houston to provide seasoned, disciplined, and effective management of the KIND field office, including performing independently in the areas of program and performance management, budgeting, employee relations, and development-support functions. 

As the head of KIND’s local office, the Temporary Managing Director, Houston is a critical member of the management team in KIND’s Legal Services division and is the senior representative of the organization at the local level – effectively engaging government, private sector partners, and community stakeholders to advance KIND’s mission. Managing Directors supervise Senior Attorneys and Managing Attorneys (formerly Supervising Attorneys) as well as other attorney and non-attorney staff as needed. The Temporary Managing Director will report to the Regional Director, Legal Services.

• Provides mentoring to KIND pro bono attorneys and as needed, limited direct legal representation to KIND clients. In the pro bono mentoring function, provide robust consultation and technical assistance to pro bono attorneys who have accepted a KIND case. In the direct representation function, perform ordinary functions of legal counsel including legal research and formulating the legal strategy for the case; conducting client interviews; appearing before immigration and/or state court or agencies, and drafting and filing court pleadings and applications for benefits.
• Mentors and/or directs representation responsibilities will be determined based on programmatic and institutional priorities in consultation with Legal Programs leadership.
• Serves as a member of KIND's Legal Programs management team, responsible for the overall management of field office including program quality and deliverables, staff performance, team cohesion and functioning, and integration with the Legal Programs department and organization at large.
• Monitors and presents changes in immigration law to multiple audiences, including legal services and pro bono partners, and other high-level internal and external stakeholders. Consults with and contributes thought leadership and information on local trends to support the work of KIND’s Training and Technical Assistance team and other internal stakeholders.
• Develops and implements effective management strategies to meet ambitious programmatic and funding deliverables and mission-critical priorities, including staff recruitment and development-support functions, employee engagement, and quality control of KIND’s legal services delivery.
• Oversees the provision of top-notch mentoring programs and direct representation services to clients in the released and detained context as relevant.
• Ensures data integrity and utilize case management databases and other technological tools to assist in creating more efficient processes and identifying training, recruitment, client needs/opportunities, and trends, in collaboration with KIND’s Data Strategy Team.
• Promotes volunteer support by actively developing and maintaining KIND’s relationships with law firms and corporate counsel with a robust presence in the respective city and/or region, in coordination with KIND's Senior Director for Pro Bono Partnerships.
• Serves as the field office primary liaison with KIND’s headquarters (including Legal Programs leadership, and Policy, Advocacy, Communications, Development, Human Resources, and Operations departments), working under the supervision of KIND’s Regional Director.
• Maintains internal and external stakeholder relations; serve as KIND leader in local coalitions of various stakeholders supporting unaccompanied immigrant children.
• Works with Legal Programs leadership, Development, and Finance to ensure compliance with all grant and funding requirements.
• Manages team or field office budget and, with assistance from other team members, track expenditures and identify budgeting priorities.
• Assists with special projects of local and national scope at the direction of KIND leadership.
• Participates in local coalitions of various stakeholders supporting unaccompanied immigrant children.
• Collaborates on social services programming for clients and pro bono attorneys in conjunction with the Social Services Team, including local field office Social Services Coordinator(s).
• As a member of the management team in the Legal Programs department, the Managing Attorney is expected to uphold the following leadership characteristics:
• Meaningfully contribute thought leadership and expertise to advance KIND’s mission and the strategic goals and objectives of the Legal Programs Team.
• Offer new insights into challenges and opportunities; evaluate conventional approaches and provide and encourage new ideas and innovations and explore and implement new or innovative programs/processes in collaboration with leadership.
• Partner with organizational leadership on conflict resolution.
• Deal effectively with pressure and remain optimistic and persistent, even in an uncertain and challenging environment.
• Together with other members of the management team, embrace leadership values and a work ethic that exemplifies authenticity, goodwill, transparency, and collaboration.
• Inspire and foster team commitment, spirit, trust, and employee wellness.
• Facilitate cooperation and motivate team members to accomplish group goals.

• J.D. and admitted to state bar.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience practicing immigration law, which should include representation of clients in humanitarian immigration claims such as asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U visas, and T visas.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working with children, preferably immigrant and refugee children, and/or working with survivors of abuse, human trafficking, or other trauma.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience supervising attorneys and non-attorney staff.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in program management, including experiences such as project management, tracking deliverables, hiring, planning, and development.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working with law firm attorneys and/or other legal volunteers.
• Experience working with children or individuals in detained settings is preferred.
• Experience working in a national or larger management structure is preferred.
• Strong record of cultural competence and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated effective and authentically engaged leadership; ability to critically assess challenges and propose and execute solutions, with appropriate consultation and visibility to leadership; excellent professional judgment.
• A deep understanding of and ability to work and lead effectively with internal and external stakeholders and participate in local coalition work.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suites (such as Teams, Excel, etc.). 
• Ability to work collaboratively and multi-task in our KIND environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to work on multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment. Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate as appropriate.
• Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles. 
• Committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as embracing transparency and authenticity in daily work life. 
• Be disciplined and nimble to ensure delivery on our core mission of access to justice and protection of children’s wellbeing and rights.
• Showing the ability to multi-task and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast paced environment.
• Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-home life balance. 
• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment.

Our Benefits

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with KIND paying 100% of the employee only portion of the premium for one of the two medical plan options, dental, and vision. 

- Pre-tax flexible spending account (FSA) for both medical and dependent care.  

- Pre-tax transit and parking spending account.  

- Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.  

- Employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance.  

For a complete list of benefits, please click here. 

Our Focus on Wellness

KIND recognizes that our ability to help our clients starts with helping our team members. KIND has prioritized wellness for employees through Mindfulness and Wellness Trainings, Wellness Platforms, Employee Assistance and Resilience Programs, Time Away and Office Wellness Activities. 

For more information regarding our Wellness initiatives please visit this link.  

Application Instructions

To be considered for this role, please submit an employment application at supportkind.org/join-the-team, along with your resume and cover letter.

KIND has an organization-wide commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We strive to create a work environment where everyone has a sense of belonging. Individuals from historically underrepresented or underserved communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer: KIND is committed to an ethical recruitment and hiring process and maintains a firm “no fees” recruitment policy. We will never charge a fee or ask for money as part of the application process. KIND also conducts all interviews via telephone or video conference, and at no time will KIND engage in a text or mobile app-based application or interview process. For more information, please visit the following website: https://supportkind.org/join-the-team/kind-employment-practices/.