Access Specialist

POSITION TITLE

Access Specialist

Access Specialist Coordinator

Omaha, NE

• Pay rate starting at $22.50 per hour, commensurate with experience.
• Excellent benefits include:
• Unlimited paid time off (including employee birthday); 9 paid holidays with year-end holiday break
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance; 403b retirement plan with an automatic 5% contribution; and FMLA
• Employee Wellness Program (including enriching snacks, support groups, and engaging activities)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (includes life event referral program, 5 free counseling sessions, financial and legal resources, and employee discount/savings program)
• Yearly stipends for employee development opportunities
• Relocation assistance; travel and expense reimbursement

In 2022, Immigrant Legal Center and Refugee Empowerment Center merged, and the combined nonprofit organization is now CIRA, the Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement. Our comprehensive team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate legal representation, refugee services, and social work services.

We take on the most complex immigration cases, resettle refugees from around the world, and ensure all clients have access to much-needed resources. Operating in 6 different offices from Council Bluffs to Scottsbluff, our team of more than 100 full-time employees helps communities welcome immigrants and refugees as they build their lives here. We assist with all forms of family and humanitarian-based immigration, and we never turn any family away due to inability to pay.

An Access Specialist is an integral part of CIRA’s legal team. The core functions of this position are (1) client intake and referral, and (2) client outreach and education. The ideal candidate for this position has exceptional interpersonal and customer service phone skills, is passionate about providing compassionate legal support services, and is fluent in Spanish and other languages in addition to English (written and orally).

This role has expanded to meet emerging community needs. You'll conduct phone and in-person intakes with individuals referred by partner nonprofits who've unexpectedly lost immigration protections due to policy changes. Working closely with our lead attorney on the referral program, you'll help organize documentation, coordinate with panel attorneys, and maintain program data. Travel may occasionally be required to conduct live intake events hosted by partner organizations when technology presents a barrier to accessing the program.

• Screen participants through intake calls or in-person intake to determine eligibility for legal immigration services
• Conduct conflict of interest checks and collaborate with a CIRA attorney to select individuals for consultations and specialty clinics
• Obtain and summarize eligibility and case information from prospective clients for legal representatives
• Document all actions in CIRA’s case management system and maintain the waitlist for legal services
• Schedule consultations with CIRA representatives as assigned from the waitlist
• Relay eligibility, legal facts, and advice provided by attorneys to clients, and follow up with written materials if applicable
• Adapt to changing procedures and processes

• Engage in community outreach and maintain communication with service providers across the state about service needs and case referrals
• Collect information on unmet needs within the immigrant community and identify ways to enhance access to CIRA’s services
• Track and report on client outreach activities
• Educate clients and the public about CIRA programs, resources, and services
• Develop and nurture positive relationships with social service organizations, including nonprofits, schools, and state agencies that serve immigrants

• Fluency in English and Spanish is required
• Minimum 1 – 3 years of call center, customer service, client communication, nonprofit, social work, or equivalent combination of experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job is…