Program Coordinator, K-12 School Project

Jewish Family Service of San Diego•San Diego, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Coordinator keeps day-to-day operations running for Jewish Family Service of San Diego’s school-based immigration legal services program for immigrant families in San Diego K-12 schools. The role is often the first point of contact for families and school partners, coordinating clinic scheduling, school logistics, referrals, program data, and interpretation support so attorneys, paralegals, and social workers can focus on serving families. The coordinator responds calmly, warmly, and urgently to people who may be in crisis and ensures families and schools receive clear next steps. The position supports weekly school clinics, parent workshops, legal consultations, intakes, follow-up appointments, and family meetings across school clinics, the JFS office, and phone or video. It provides general program information and basic eligibility screening but routes legal questions to legal staff. The role also maintains program records and reporting data, helps coordinate practical assistance for families, and provides interpretation during client meetings at walk-in clinics and detention center visits. As capacity allows, the coordinator may support immigration legal case preparation under attorney supervision. This is a full-time, fully onsite position, working 37.5 or more hours per week. The role reports to the Staff Attorney and pays $23 to $30 per hour. Travel to school sites is required; the position also requires meeting partner school district background-clearance and TB-screening requirements and immigration detention facility security and visitor-clearance requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of administrative, scheduling, front desk, or customer service experience; experience in a social service, school, healthcare, or legal setting is ideal.
Valid driver’s license, access to a reliable vehicle, and auto insurance for travel to school sites.
Calm, warm, and professional presence when working with people who are frightened or in crisis.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple calendars, deadlines, and competing priorities.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
Fluency in at least one language spoken by program clients, with the ability to interpret accurately in legal settings; Spanish is strongly preferred.
Ability to accurately enter and maintain data and protect confidential client information.
Ability to take initiative, use good judgment about urgency, and work effectively under pressure.
Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Ability to obtain fingerprint-based background clearance and TB screening required by partner school districts after a conditional offer of employment.
Ability to meet immigration detention facility security and visitor-clearance requirements.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and Zoom or Teams, and comfort learning case management and scheduling systems.

Nice To Haves

Additional language fluency, including Haitian Creole, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, Farsi/Dari, French, or Portuguese.
Associate’s degree or some college coursework.
Experience working with immigrant families, children, or schools.
Experience interpreting in legal, medical, or social services settings.
Experience in a nonprofit or legal services setting.
Experience coordinating events, workshops, or community programs.

Responsibilities

Serve as the first point of contact for the program’s phone line, email, and walk-in inquiries, responding patiently and with cultural sensitivity and a trauma-informed approach.
Receive and log referrals from partner schools and route urgent matters, such as a parent’s detention, to the program attorney the same day.
Schedule legal consultations, intakes, follow-up appointments, and family meetings across school clinics, the JFS office, and phone or video; manage shared team calendars.
Coordinate logistics for weekly school-based clinics and parent workshops, including room reservations, materials, sign-in, interpretation needs, reminders, and communication with school liaisons.
Maintain the school partner contact list and serve as the day-to-day logistics contact for school staff and administrators.
Provide general program information and screen for basic eligibility, referring legal questions to the attorney or paralegal without providing legal advice.
Send appointment reminders and follow-up communications in families’ preferred languages, and prepare mailings and correspondence.
Enter and maintain accurate client, referral, and service data in the case management system, and compile program data for funder and internal reports.
Support program social workers in coordinating practical assistance for families, including food, diapers, and referrals to other JFS services.
Maintain organized physical and electronic files, office supplies, and clinic materials in accordance with confidentiality and record-keeping policies.
Interpret during client meetings at walk-in clinics and detention center visits, ensuring accurate, confidential, and culturally responsive communication; translate program materials as needed.
As capacity allows, support immigration legal cases under attorney supervision, including case preparation, gathering supporting documents, and completing forms.
Provide general administrative support to the Keeping Families Together team and other Immigration Legal Services programs as needed.

Benefits

Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees.
Generous employer 401(k) contributions.
Employer-covered life insurance.
Paid vacation time and sick leave.
15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays when they fall on a normally scheduled work day, and floating holidays.
2 Wellness Days to support employees’ mental wellness.

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