Position Objective:
To ensure professional services to undocumented and unaccompanied children through assessments and recommendations related to placements, transfers and releases to sponsors.

Qualifications Include:
1. Commitment to LIRS's core mission and values and an ability to model those values in relationship with colleagues and partners; commitment to refugees and immigrants
2. Master's degree in social work and a minimum of two years' demonstrated child welfare, case management, social service and/or mental health professional experience or a bachelor's in social work and equivalent professional work experience.
3. Knowledge and experience in work with refugee or immigrant children or cross-cultural experience
4. Professional interviewing skills
5. Ability to foster teamwork and collaboration among various service agencies
6. Fluency in Spanish
7. Knowledge of Microsoft Office software and database management
8. Ability to manage complex projects with a high degree of independence
9. Demonstrated creativity and initiative
10. Willingness and ability to travel

Responsibilities Include:
1. Implement assessment and placement activities with a holistic professional child welfare approach for children in federal custody.
2. Ensure complete assessment information is made available to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for release or placement recommendations under the direction of the national agency.
3. Review family reunification packets from ORR-contracted facilities to ensure completeness and make release recommendations to ORR.
4. Track and manage various types of complex special needs cases including referrals for suitability assessments, follow-up services, long-term foster care, residential treatment and trafficking cases.
5. Act as liaison among local facilities' staff, child, federal ORR/Division of Unaccompanied Children's Services
(DUCS) staff, national LIRS and United States Conference of Catholic Bishops staff, legal representatives for children in custody, Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement, relevant consulates, and others regarding assessment of children's placement or release.
6. Make regular visits to ORR-contracted facilities, meet with individual children as needed, and make recommendations for treatment or other services.
7. Maintain knowledge of the continuum of care options available throughout the country.
8. As part of a national team, consult with other field coordinators on special cases, provide operational support, and develop and share effective strategies and best practices.
9. Assist ORR or ORR-contracted facilities with rapid response on special cases as required.
10. Assist with training and technical assistance to local providers to support smooth field placements, transfers and releases.
11. Ensure clear and consistent communication with the LIRS national office and ORR, including regular conference calls and other coordination meetings necessary to ongoing case management and program development.
12. Ensure projects and assignments are completed within established guidelines and agency standards.
13. Provide statistics and assist with writing reports on activities and recommendations for ORR as required.
14. Utilize DUCS Tracking Management System (TMS) for processing releases and transfers as well as other functions that are incorporated into the system.
15. Monitor changes on the ground; identify new trends and effectively communicate those trends to LIRS.
16. Assist in the identification of social and mental health services for children in custody.
17. Where appropriate, monitor trends in immigration proceedings for DUCS children in the region.
18. Organize and participate in local and regional meetings with agencies and providers in the region to address current and future issues affecting the program operations.
19. Provide on-call assistance in emergency situations.
20. Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Reporting Relationship:
The field coordinator-Houston reports to the regional supervisor for the eastern region.

Supervisory Relationships:
The field coordinator does not currently supervise any other positions.

Salary and Terms:
This full-time position, based in Houston, is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. The salary, in grade level 22, is negotiable and commensurate with experience. An excellent benefit package is offered.

How to Apply:
Send cover letter, including salary requirements, with résumé to...
hrmail@lirs.org (preferred)
Human Resources Department
LIRS
700 Light Street
Baltimore MD 21230
Fax: 410/230-2844
No telephone inquiries, please.

This announcement is subject to change.

Please visit the LIRS website-www.lirs.org-for any revisions before sending in your materials.