Program Director, Housing Rights

Asian Law Caucus • San Francisco, CA

58d • $130,000 - $174,709 • Hybrid

About The Position

Asian Law Caucus seeks a full-time Program Director for its Housing Rights Program. This integral position is responsible for directing the Housing Rights program; providing direct legal services, engaging in impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community outreach, collaborating with community partners, including tenant unions and associations, with an opportunity for expansion. Deep experience and a strong commitment to advancing tenants’ rights, housing affordability, community development, and/or economic justice are highly desired.
The Housing Rights team adopts a multi-pronged approach to housing security and anti-displacement, which includes providing holistic, community legal services to low-income residents in gateway communities for new immigrants, where tenants face displacement due to gentrification and other economic pressures, discrimination and harassment, and other intimidation tactics. Through its housing clinics, serving California tenants, with a focus on San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties, Asian Law Caucus provides legal advice, brief representation, and full-scope representation to individuals and families who face eviction and other issues that threaten their housing. The program also outreaches to community groups to provide know-your-rights education and support local, grassroots efforts to implement just and equitable housing policy. The staff works closely with tenants and grassroots advocates to use impact litigation, narrative change, and policy advocacy to effect systemic changes in buildings, neighborhoods, and communities and advance the rights of low-income, immigrant communities.
At this critical moment when immigrant communities are under attack the Asian Law Caucus (ALC) seeks an experienced manager, with impact litigation and/or policy experience, to serve as Program Director for our Housing Rights Program. The incumbent will play a significant role in advancing ALC’s mission protecting low-income immigrant communities, particularly Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities, including Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities. They will provide vision, leadership, and mentorship to a team of attorneys and community advocates working in ALC’s Housing Rights Program and will provide strategic thought partnership with the Executive Team, other Program Directors, and the rest of the management.
The Program Director should bring a leadership style that is grounded in principles of equity and inclusion and can partner with ALC’s management and staff to build connectivity and cohesion across the organization.

Requirements

• J.D. and California bar membership required
• Minimum of eight (8) years relevant experience in housing law and/or eviction defense, fair housing, and/or community development and housing affordability, and/or economic justice issues, with a direct legal services, policy advocacy, and/or litigation approach, ideally with familiarity with community lawyering and/or practicing in a nonprofit organization
• Experience working with external co-counsel or in a coalition setting comprised of multiple organizational partners and demonstrated ability to resolve conflicts constructively
• Excellent research, analytical, written, and oral communication skills with the ability to tailor the message to the audience
• 3 to 5 years of experience managing and supervising staff, and managing a team
• Ability to conduct long-term visioning and strategic planning, both for the program and the organization
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to work independently and in collaboration with other attorneys, community advocates, and community-based organizations
• Demonstrated commitment to building power for and with grassroots communities
• Experience working with AAPI, AMEMSA,.and other community members, and commitment to advancing the rights of low-income, people of color, immigrant, tenant, or worker communities
• Problem solver and team player with a sense of humor and grace under a pressure
• Ability to think creatively, be strategic, and exercise good judgment in changing environments and among varied community stakeholders

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with the intersection of tenants’ rights and housing security and other issues such as employment, immigration, national security, and civil rights, is a plus
• Non-English language skills in AMEMSA and/or Asian languages (for example, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese. Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Khmer, or Urdu) are a plus, but not required, and/or previous experience working with clients who require interpretation and/or translation

Responsibilities

• Serve as leadership/management team member, contributing to organizational strategy and decision-making
• Lead, manage, and mentor team members with clear accountability and effective work plan implementation
• Recruit, hire, supervise, including staff attorneys and community advocates
• Develop and manage program budget and resources that aligns with the program's goals and the organization's mission
• Lead, model, and promote a healthy culture of collaboration and accountability for the organization and for the team
• Develop and oversee the implementation of program goals and integrated advocacy strategies in collaboration with the Executive Team as well as the Policy Director and Communications Director
• Develop and lead impact litigation to expand tenants’ rights in addition to preventing evictions and homelessness/housing instability
• Engage in policy advocacy to secure affordable housing, community development, and economic justice in collaboration with the Policy Director.
• Execute narrative shifting strategies in collaboration with the Communications Director and team to staff to develop stories with ALC clients and their communities
• Identify intersecting work with other programs and collaborate on strategy and execution
• Develop and consistently maintain technical expertise on housing issues that impact our clients and communities
• Develop community engagement strategies, in collaboration with the other Program Directors, and ensure successful execution
• Establish and deepen relationships with grassroots partners, advocacy and legal organizations, and government officials; and oversee the program’s engagement with coalition partners.
• Be an ambassador for the program and the organization, and effectively communicate ALC’s breadth of work in various fora, including conferences, coalitions, and meetings
• In partnership with the Chief Development Officer, engage with funders, including providing regular written analyses and identifying new opportunities
• Work closely with the Development staff on grant proposals, reporting, and fundraising events
• Perform other duties as needed
• All ALC staff are expected to participate in regular check-in meetings with their supervisor/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required. This includes two (2) annual retreats, an anniversary celebration dinner, and meetings as needed in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Benefits

• generous vacation and paid holidays
• medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage (ALC pays 100% of premiums for employees and 75% for qualified dependents)
• a flexible spending account (FSA)
• a 401K retirement plan with employer non-elective contribution and match

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree