Policy analyst Jobs in Lowell, MA

The ideal candidate will have a genuine commitment to working with and serving immigrant communities. The ideal candidate will possess a willingness and aptitude for engaging with stakeholders with compassion, a solutions-oriented mindset, and clear, effective communication. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the City of Somerville's commitment to equity, inclusivity, and support for its immigrant communities. The Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst will be instrumental in shaping and implementing policies that reflect the city's values and support its diverse population.

Statement of Duties

Under the direct supervision of the Director of the SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA), the Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst will provide critical constituent support related to immigration matters to advance the well-being of Somerville community members. This position requires coordinating access to external legal services for immigrant residents, serving as the point of contact for SOIA's legal services partners and vendors, and serving as the City's subject matter specialist on immigration policy developments at the federal, state, and local level. The Legal Services Coordinator and Immigration Policy Analyst will work with City staff in multiple departments to advise the Administration on the development and implementation of City of Somerville policies to improve the well-being of immigrants. The Coordinator also shares policy information with Somerville constituents, and manages and coordinates referrals and access to local resources and City vendors. The role requires a thorough understanding of immigration law and policy, strong analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Essential Functions :

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Legal coordination :
• Write the Request for Proposals (RFP) for immigration legal vendor(s) in collaboration with the Director of SOIA and the City's Procurement Department, oversee the RFP process, and manage the legal vendor(s) relationship(s).
• Triage constituent requests for immigration legal and other related services and resources, including but not limited to referrals to contracted external legal providers, legal clinics advocacy, and resources for workers' rights.
• Coordinate referrals to external legal services and / or external City vendors for other legal matters that impact immigrant community members, including family law, tax law, workers' rights, and other areas that immigrant community members identify as needs / priorities.
• Develop and manage relationships with a wide range of legal service and policy partners, including contracted legal service providers, attorneys, legal clinics, and legal aid and immigrant advocacy organizations at the local, state, and national level.
• Identify new opportunities for collaboration to expand legal services for immigrant constituents
• Develop and manage in-take processes for contracted external immigrant legal services.
• Partner with the City's Law Department to review processes, policies, and legal updates.
• Partner with the City's Intergovernmental Affairs Office to leverage advocacy opportunities at the local, state, and national level.
• Community engagement with constituents and stakeholders :
• Engage with immigrant communities, local organizations, and other stakeholders to understand needs and concerns regarding immigration policies.
• Communicate directly with constituents interested in learning about immigration law and general processes that impact them, as well as to share legal resources. Follow up with constituents as needed. Communication may be in-person, by phone, or by email to understand their needs and goals. The Coordinator will in no way provide legal guidance or support, but rather will provide access to resources and share general information.
• Identify and provide constituents with information, resources, and / or referrals in response to their concerns.
• Communicate across City departments and local community partners about available contracted legal services and supports through SOIA.
• Participation and representation in various groups :
• Represent the City of Somerville in local, regional, and national coalitions and working groups on immigration policy and advocacy.
• Facilitate, coordinate, and participate in meetings with such coalitions and working groups as assigned to accomplish Mayor's strategic goals for the SOIA Department.
• Research :
• Regularly research news, laws, policy, advocacy opportunities, and informational campaigns impacting the immigrant community in Somerville. Leverage research tools and sources including legal databases, newspaper articles, newsletters, government websites, published reports, and professional networks.
• Policy analysis and recommendation :
• Analyze local, state, and federal immigration policies to assess their impact on the Somerville community.
• Develop and recommend local immigrant-related policies and procedures that align with the City's goals and legal requirements.
• Work closely with the SOIA Multilingual Public Information Coordinator to design and implement information campaigns to share policies, leveraging existing campaigns and resources from local and / or national organizations.
• Work closely with the SOIA language justice staff to determine language access (translation and interpretation) needs for public campaigns and resources and ensure all public communications are available in priority languages.
• Training and education :
• Provide training and educational sessions on immigration law and policies for city staff, community members, and partners.
• Coordinate with partner organizations to provide training and educational sessions.
• Event planning :
• In coordination with other members of the team and external partners, plan and organize community clinics and related events that provide Somerville's immigrants with access to legal services and critical information on immigration policy.
• Data management :
• Maintain accurate records and data related to referrals from SOIA to legal aid, observing the highest standards of confidentiality and best practices for data protection.
• Maintain accurate records on the impact of related policies, initiatives, and community outreach efforts.
• Work with the SOIA Director to manage the Immigration Legal Services budget, including approving legal services quotes and ensuring that approved services stay within the budget.
• Reporting :
• Prepare reports and presentations on immigration trends, policy impacts, and departmental activities for city leadership and other external stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications :

Education and Experience : Bachelor's degree in Law, Public Policy, Political Science, or a related field and a minimum of four (4) years of experience working in immigration law, policy analysis, or related fields; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. A Juris Doctor (JD) degree or graduate coursework in Immigration Studies is preferred. Experience in legal coordination, advocacy for immigrant rights, or working directly with immigrant populations in Massachusetts is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills :

Knowledge : Comprehensive understanding of immigration law and policies at local, state, and federal levels. Familiarity with the legal and procedural frameworks governing immigration issues. Knowledge and empathy for immigrant and refugee experiences.

Ability : Ability to analyze complex legal and policy documents, identify key issues, and propose effective solutions. Proven ability to solve problems independently and collaboratively, exercising sound judgment and discretion. Uses initiative and discretion to accomplish routine assignments with minimum supervision. Ability to identify and develop attainable action plans to achieve goals and benchmarks, overcome challenges, and leverage opportunities.

Skill : Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate legal concepts and policies effectively to diverse audiences and in plain language. Strong public speaking skills and ability to effectively represent the City's position on issues impacting immigrant communities. Strong interpersonal skills and cultural humility to interact sensitively and responsively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and communities. Strong organizational and time-management skills to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively. The employee must possess a high level of accuracy and attention to detail, be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), Zoom, and familiar with legal research databases. Proficiency in a second language commonly spoken among immigrant communities in Somerville (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Cantonese, Nepali) is advantageous.

Work Environment

This position is based in an office in a professional setting. The work environment involves everyday comforts and discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements such as when traveling for work-related business or attending outdoor events. There may be noise and activity in the office area. The employee may be required to adjust their schedule and / or work outside of normal office hours to attend evening meetings, support emergency needs, or complete urgent work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position's essential functions.

Physical Skills

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing.

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, setting up presentation equipment, operating a personal computer and / or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading print and digital documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours : Full-Time

Salary : $82,806.06annualized, plus benefits

Union : Non-Union

FLSA : Exempt

Date Posted : January 7, 2025

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or [email protected].

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees :

Overview of Total Rewards :

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.