Immigrant Liaison

City of Whitewater•Whitewater, WI

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Immigration Liaison supports immigrant and newcomer residents by helping them access employment, small business opportunities, housing stability, City services, youth programs, public safety resources, and other community supports. The position strengthens trust between residents, City departments, and community partners, with special collaboration across Police, schools, housing providers, libraries, employers, and local nonprofits. The position identifies barriers to access, connects residents with appropriate resources, and supports City efforts to promote economic mobility, community inclusion, and public safety. This is a grant-funded, limited-term position anticipated to last up to one year. The duration of employment is dependent upon continued grant funding and program needs. This position is not guaranteed to continue beyond the grant-funded term.

Requirements

Associate degree or higher in social work, human services, public administration, community development, education, criminal justice, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience.
Experience working with immigrant, refugee, newcomer, or multilingual communities is strongly preferred.
Experience with community outreach, resource navigation, case coordination, public service, or partnership development is preferred.
Knowledge of social services, workforce programs, housing resources, educational systems, community resources, and public-service systems.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with individuals from varied cultural and educational backgrounds.
Professional proficiency in English and Spanish sufficient to communicate verbally and in writing with residents is required.
Ability to navigate complex systems involving housing, education, business licensing, benefits, and community resources.
Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to use trauma-informed approaches when appropriate.
Ability to build productive partnerships with nonprofits, schools, law enforcement, employers, governmental agencies, and community organizations.
Ability to remain neutral, de-escalate conflict, establish professional boundaries, and interact effectively with individuals experiencing stressful or sensitive circumstances.
Demonstrated professionalism, integrity, sound judgment, reliability, and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
Proficiency with standard office technology and the ability to learn City databases and other technology used in the position.
Ability to learn and comply with City policies, records-retention requirements, public-records requirements, confidentiality requirements, and applicable laws and regulations.
Ability to attend occasional evening or weekend meetings, programs, and community events.
Ability to travel locally between City worksites and partner organizations.
A valid driver's license or other reliable means of transportation is required when travel is necessary to perform assigned duties.
Regular and reliable attendance is required.

Responsibilities

Assist residents in understanding credential evaluation processes, gathering documentation, and locating affordable credential evaluation resources.
Maintain resource information regarding local employers, workforce programs, training opportunities, and pathways for individuals with international education or experience.
Deliver or coordinate job-readiness workshops, including resume preparation, interview preparation, workplace expectations, and referrals to workforce-development resources.
Develop partnerships with employers and workforce organizations to identify and reduce unnecessary barriers to employment for immigrant and newcomer residents.
Provide navigation assistance regarding business licensing and permitting processes and refer residents to appropriate City, county, state, federal, or nonprofit resources.
Connect residents with nonprofit organizations, community development financial institutions, lenders, technical-assistance providers, and other small-business resources.
Coordinate or support entrepreneurship opportunities, community markets, vendor opportunities, and other initiatives that reduce barriers to small-business participation.
Develop relationships with financial institutions and community partners to improve access to appropriate banking and financial resources.
Provide or coordinate educational information regarding tenant rights, responsibilities, housing resources, and available community supports.
Support communication and referrals between landlords, tenants, and appropriate service providers when cultural or communication barriers arise.
Coordinate access to qualified immigration legal services, legal clinics, and other legal-resource providers through universities, nonprofits, legal-aid organizations, and other partners.
Assist residents in locating appropriate resources for essential documentation, including consular identification, birth certificates, and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) information.
Provide information, referrals, and navigation assistance but do not provide legal advice, determine legal status, or represent individuals in legal or immigration proceedings.
Coordinate enrollment and resource events with interpretation or language-access support for available public and community programs.
Maintain and update multilingual information regarding City services, healthcare resources, adult education, libraries, and other community resources.
Connect families with emergency assistance and other resources available through governmental agencies and nonprofit partners.
Assist residents in understanding how to access programs and services but do not determine eligibility for benefits or make eligibility representations on behalf of another agency.
Assist families in navigating school enrollment requirements, records, forms, transportation questions, and referrals to appropriate school personnel.
Coordinate educational opportunities for parents and caregivers regarding school expectations, special education resources, family engagement, and other relevant topics.
Partner with Parks & Recreation, schools, employers, and community organizations to connect youth with employment, recreation, mentoring, and enrichment opportunities.
Collaborate with the Police Department and qualified community partners to provide educational and non-enforcement information sessions, including information regarding individual rights and available resources.
Connect victims of crime with appropriate victim compensation, domestic violence, trafficking, advocacy, and other support services.
Support language access in public safety interactions by developing or identifying practical communication resources and coordinating qualified interpretation when appropriate.
Support City efforts to reduce exploitation, increase appropriate crime reporting, and strengthen trust between vulnerable communities and public safety agencies.
Use sound judgment and appropriate boundaries when handling sensitive matters and refer legal, law-enforcement, clinical, or other specialized issues to qualified professionals.
Conduct outreach and participate in community meetings, events, workshops, and other activities to build relationships with immigrant and newcomer residents.
Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with City departments, schools, nonprofits, faith communities, employers, housing providers, healthcare organizations, law enforcement, and other community partners.
Identify recurring barriers, service gaps, and emerging needs affecting immigrant and newcomer residents; communicate findings and recommendations to the City Attorney and appropriate City departments.
Assist in developing policies, procedures, programs, and partnerships that improve access to City services and community resources.
Provide routine language assistance within the scope of the position and coordinate qualified interpretation or translation services when appropriate.
Maintain appropriate records of resident contacts, referrals, outreach activities, partnerships, and program outcomes in accordance with City policies and applicable law.
Prepare reports, summaries, resource materials, and other information to evaluate activities, identify service gaps, and support program planning.
Safeguard personally identifiable, confidential, and sensitive information and comply with City policies regarding records retention, access, disclosure, and confidentiality.
Understand and follow applicable public-records requirements and consult with the City Attorney or other appropriate staff when questions arise regarding disclosure or retention.