Associate Director Education and Advocacy at Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson and Affiliated Organizations

Nogales, Arizona, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

23 Jul, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

24 Apr, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Community organizing, Public policy, Advocacy, Project management, Team leadership, Bilingual communication, Strategic planning, Catholic social teaching, Relationship building, Program evaluation, Documentation, Cross-cultural communication, Interpersonal skills, Conflict resolution, Public speaking

Industry

Religious Institutions

Description

Kino Border Initiative / Iniciativa Kino para la Frontera Job Description / Descripción de Puesto Job Title: Associate Director for Education and Advocacy Status: Full time Exemption Status: Exempt Department/Location: Kino Border Initiative (KBI) / Nogales, AZ Primary Function: Under the direction of the Director of Education and Advocacy in leading the department, with a particular focus on leadership formation, binational relationship‑building, and coordination of key programs that are grounded in accompaniment, Catholic Social Teaching, and migrants’ lived experience. The Employee shall be a minister of the Gospel and Catholic Teaching both academically and behaviorally while at work and in his/her personal life, “…Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received.” (Eph. 4:1) Essential Duties and Responsibilities: * Recognize and support the unique Catholic Mission of the Diocese by speaking, acting, and instructing consistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The employee may not espouse, in word or deed, any doctrine inconsistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. * Give evidence of living Gospel values by being an active member of a faith community and being open to the importance of a personal faith journey; strive to model the teaching of Jesus by attitude and example. * Listen attentively to migrants to understand how US and Mexican policies have affected them and allow that listening to influence education and advocacy priorities, tactics, and practices. * Support the Director of Education and Advocacy in managing, implementing, and evaluating the strategic priorities for the Education and Advocacy Department, ensuring that programs align with KBI’s mission, vision, and strategic plan. * Lead specific education and advocacy projects as delegated by the Director, including planning, implementation, monitoring, documentation, and reporting. * With the Director of Education and Advocacy, lead, organize, and accompany education and advocacy staff, interns, and volunteers to support their professional development, reflection on practice, and active engagement in creatively and faithfully advancing KBI’s mission, vision, and strategic plan. * Encourage and maintain a supportive and successful collaboration between Education and Advocacy staff, other departments in the organization and external collaborators. * Work closely with the Director of Education and Advocacy as a thought partner to provide analysis and recommendations on tactics or approaches for KBI’s response to emerging challenges and opportunities at the border and in the region. * Cultivate relationships with strategic individuals and organizations in the US and Mexico who hold political, or social influence, and invite them to leverage their power to advance migration with dignity. * Collaborate with key partners to coordinate advocacy, education, and communications efforts. / * Coordinate and participate in binational coalitions and networks (including faith‑based, grassroots, and academic partners) that advance KBI’s advocacy agenda. * Represent KBI and migrants in selected public spaces (such as presentations, workshops, webinars, conferences, and meetings with allies) and, whenever possible, prepare, accompany, and prioritize migrant leaders as spokespeople. * In collaboration with the Education and Advocacy team, host visits and immersion experiences at KBI’s Migrant Outreach Center so that these encounters spur solidarity, reflection, and action. * Support the Director of Education and Advocacy in overseeing or coordinating the KBI–FIRRP Legal Defense Partnership and other legal/protection collaborations to ensure that the work responds to the needs of KBI and the migrants we accompany. * Support on‑the‑ground abuse documentation in both the US and Mexico through intake interviews, filing complaints, and monitoring treatment of migrants, and help train staff and volunteers in documentation practices that follow KBI protocols. * Contribute to administrative initiatives, including evaluation processes. * Coordinate and plan with the Director of Education and Advocacy and the administration team to ensure that education and advocacy programs have adequate and qualified staff and volunteer resources. * Perform other duties as assigned. Physical/Mental Requirements: Requires coordination and manual dexterity, normal mental and visual ability; ability to lift as required in a normal office environment. Position is hybrid, with a preference for 3 in-person days a week in Nogales, Sonora. The position requires extended periods of desk work (sitting, using a computer), participation in meetings (in person and online), and occasional standing and walking during visits, immersions, and on‑site accompaniment activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Required Activities: Walking; sitting; standing; stooping; reaching; talking; handling; hearing; carrying; and keyboarding. Occasional travel within the US and Mexico may be required for meetings, conferences, coalition work, and visits with partners. Some evening and weekend work may be required to accommodate visits, delegations, community events, and urgent advocacy needs. Basic Qualifications: * A working knowledge of, and a strong commitment to the mission of fostering lay leadership in the Catholic Church; must also be a practicing Catholic in full communion with the Church. * Excellent communications skills, verbal and written; excellent human relations interpersonal skills. * Exercise courtesy to fellow employees, parishioners, and the public * Must be a self-starter; well organized; perform multiple tasks simultaneously and work with a sense of urgency. * Ability to maintain confidentiality. * Professional bearing; clean and neat personal appearance * Ability to work comfortably in a Catholic‑inspired organizational setting that is inclusive and welcoming to people of diverse beliefs. * Ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment, and adapt to evolving needs and opportunities in a binational context. * Possess strong interpersonal communication and organizational skills. * Must possess an immigration status that allows the individual to move easily across the U.S. - Mexico border, or the possibility of obtaining the corresponding visa. * Ability to successfully pass a background, criminal history, and credit history check. Education and Experience: * Bachelor’s degree or higher in public policy, political science, law, education, social work, religious studies, Latin American studies, international affairs, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience. * At least five years of experience in non‑profit social services, community organizing, education or ministry, preferably with migrants, border communities, or other vulnerable populations. * At least two years of experience managing projects, programs, or teams. * Experience in advocacy or community organizing related to migration or other social justice issues, preferably in the US or Mexico.. * A deep personal commitment to accompaniment of migrants and to work towards humane and just migration policy. * Preferably, have familiarity with the US–Mexico border region, contemporary migration issues and trends, and US/Mexico immigration policy, or willingness and ability to learn these quickly. * Experience working with vulnerable populations. Other/Preferred Skills: * Fluent written and verbal communication in English and Spanish is required. Covenants of Employment: The Kino Border Initiative is a Roman Catholic religious organization and that all employees are expected to respect and conduct themselves in accordance with the values, teachings, and morals of the Roman Catholic Church and by Arizona state law. Under the “Zero Tolerance Policy”, no one will be knowingly assigned or retained to serve the KBI when that person is determined to have engaged in the abuse of a minor or to have violated boundaries in dealing with minors.

Responsibilities

The Associate Director will support the Director of Education and Advocacy in managing strategic priorities, leading specific projects, and coordinating binational coalitions. They will also foster relationships with key stakeholders and accompany staff, interns, and volunteers to advance the organization's mission.