Regional Director, North America Programs

POSITION SUMMARY:

HIAS seeks a Regional Director, North America Programs to oversee all components related to the programmatic success of HIAS’ global asylum and resettlement programs, which are based out of its North America operations. This role will lead strategic processes and provide leadership to Senior Directors responsible for HIAS’ direct services and affiliated – social and legal service agencies across the U.S., as well as oversee the Resettlement Support Center (RSC) in Austria, which provides support for U.S. bound cases located in Vienna and Israel. In addition, with a deep technical knowledge of the global resettlement landscape and processes, the Regional Director, North America Programs will serve as the lead on all of HIAS’ durable solutions programming and represent HIAS in global fora where resettlement expertise, both processing and integration, and an understanding of complementary pathways are required.

The Regional Director, North America Programs will supervise three direct reports and a staff of approximately 40-50, who are subject experts in overseas resettlement and processing, U.S. resettlement and network expansion, immigration legal services, reception and placement and long-term social and economic integration of refugees and asylum seekers. Working with the Development and Finance departments, they must ensure the effective oversight of all US based awards/grants being implemented by the team.

The Regional Director will be part of the Programs Leadership Team, working to support synergies across HIAS’ global programs, to ensure sharing of best practices, coherence across sector specific programing and generate new evidence in durable solutions programming and protection solutions. Furthermore, the Regional Director, North America Programs will create coherence of long-term strategy, development and structure as it relates to the legal and resettlement affiliate network and the U.S. Programs departments capacities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Oversees staff responsible for programmatic work in the United States, including federal, state and private grants that support resettlement, legal and social services work at HQ, as well as along the border and throughout the legal network; oversees the State Department’s RSC agreement with HIAS.
• Manages all of HIAS’ engagement on direct NGO referrals to various countries and any other partnership that has a durable solutions component, to include complementary pathways.
• Provides guidance to the Senior Director, Resettlement & Integration, the Senior Director, Legal & Asylum and the RSC Director in the planning, development and execution of applications for funding, needs assessments, developing program implementation plans, reporting and policy setting for program activities.
• Provides thought leadership to U.S. Programs as it implements systems to ensure that HIAS provides effective and high-quality services to refugees and other forcibly displaced populations, and ensures the division is able to fulfill the needs of changing populations and other programmatic shifts in new and existing programs.
• Works to diversify funding to support HIAS’ strategic direction and collaborates with teams across divisions to successfully broaden the partnerships and funding that supports HIAS’ U.S. programs and overseas durable solutions programming.
• Initiates and develops relevant interdepartmental collaboration and structures to support joint efforts and to enhance cross collaboration efforts between Legal & Asylum and Resettlement & Integration.
• Supports the development of a new direct social services department that will operate out of HQ offices in New York, New York and Silver Spring, Maryland.
• Supports the development of HIAS’ potential deployment schemes and global resettlement work.
• Represents HIAS at major durable solutions events and forums, and acts as the formal POC for the U.S. government, and with any other State with durable solution programs, on issues regarding overseas and domestic resettlement processing, reception, placements and integration of refugees and humanitarian parolees.
• Supports the steady growth of the HIAS legal network and provides guidance on the development of programming responsive to potential new policies that directly affect refugees, asylum seekers and asylees.
• Benchmarks monitoring protocols across programs to ensure high quality operations and appropriate frameworks in place.
• Coordinates with grants management staff to track program and system performance through assessments and performance measures.
• Identifies and manages human resources needs, supervises and evaluates direct reports and provides professional development opportunities that aligns staff with programmatic needs; reviews job descriptions and executes performance reviews among direct reports.
• Seeks and scopes potential opportunities to expand HIAS’ work in other areas within North America, and works with relevant divisions on strategic plans under the guidance of the Senior Vice President, Programs.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduate degree in Public Policy, Law, International Relations or a relevant field required.
• 10 years of relevant experience, with demonstrated knowledge of refugee resettlement and the U.S. asylum system; previous supervisory and administrative experience required.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; ability to develop written resource materials on refugee-related topics for funders and relevant stakeholders; ability to read, analyze and interpret reports and legal documents, and ability to disseminate new information from such materials.
• Substantive experience and knowledge of the global resettlement structure and dynamics, specifically as it relates to the U.S.
• Expertise in recent developments around complementary pathways and labor mobility, as well as a demonstrated track record in integration programing within the U.S.
• Able to engender the support of a strong staff so that they have the space to excel in their areas of focus.
• Adept at managing multiple budgets, some from federal agencies, required.
• Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills; ability to organize, coach and guide staff.
• Extensive experience with refugee resettlement programs and prior experience with federal grants and private foundations; familiarity with techniques and methodologies used in anti-poverty, employment and integration programs.
• Solid experience with resettlement processes overseas and familiarity with resettlement processes of countries beyond the U.S.
• Knowledge of Office 365 Suite.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 15% of the time.

SAMPLE HIRING PROCESS:

We are committed to a fair and respectful hiring process, and we do our absolute best to respond to every applicant. We prioritize communication and transparency with all candidates, even those who are not moving forward. Here’s a snapshot of our hiring process:

Step 1: Submit your application!

Step 2: Phone screen with a HIAS recruiter.

Step 3: Video interview with the hiring manager.

Step 4: Video interview with a panel of HIAS employees.

Step 5: Online reference check with SkillSurvey.

Step 6: Offer and background check with Shield Screening.

Step 7: Start your professional journey with HIAS!

Note: Some of our hiring processes may vary, and not all candidates will advance to each step.

ABOUT US:

Over one hundred years ago, the Jewish community founded HIAS (originally the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in New York City, the immigrant gateway to America. Supporting Jews fleeing persecution and poverty in Eastern Europe, our founders were guided by the traditions, texts, and history of the Jewish people – a history of oppression, displacement, and diaspora. HIAS has since helped generations of Jews facing violence because of who they were, and HIAS remains committed to helping Jewish refugees anywhere in the world. Today, our clients at HIAS come from diverse faiths, ethnicities, and backgrounds, as do our staff. We bring our experience, history, and values to our work across five continents, ensuring that refugees today receive the vital services and opportunities they need to thrive.

HIAS is a learning community, committed to diversity and inclusion. We do our work with integrity, accountability, transparency, and a commitment to the highest ethical standards. We seek employees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences to join our teams located in the United States and across the globe. People who identify as BIPOC, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ+ community, and people with lived experiences of forced displacement or immigration are all encouraged to apply. We are committed to building a diverse workforce that reflects our vision, mission, and values.

VISION:

HIAS stands for a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

MISSION:

Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

DIVERSITY:

HIAS is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, citizenship status, religious creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, familial status, pregnancy, childbirth, military status, protected veteran status, political orientation, or other legally protected status.