Policy Manager

Background

Hackney Migrant Centre (HMC) delivers a free advice and support service for vulnerable migrants who have immigration, housing, welfare and health problems. We support visitors to secure their immigration status and move out of homelessness and destitution in the long-term, as well as assisting to address immediate issues, such as access to healthcare. HMC’s work is informed by a vision of a UK where no one is forced into destitution, exploitation or vulnerability as a result of their immigration status.

We have secured funding from Trust for London to employ an Immigration Advisor. The Immigration Advisor will provide immigration advice and assist visitors to make immigration and asylum applications. The postholder will work alongside external advisors to provide initial immigration advice on matters including human rights based applications, asylum, trafficking and family reunion. Advisors will work alongside Immigration Caseworkers and volunteers to coordinate and oversee the next steps for visitors after the initial immigration advice has been provided.

This role sits within the Immigration team, consisting of an Immigration Team Manager (part time), an Immigration Caseworker and a Long Residence Immigration Caseworker. HMC also benefits from two Housing & Destitution Caseworkers and the support of a Fundraising Officer and Volunteer & Participation Manager who are managed by the Operations Manager and CEO. HMC is supported by over 50 dedicated volunteers who work across the organisation. In addition, HMC works closely with a number of partner organisations to ensure visitors can access specialist legal advice and long-term support with immigration, housing, destitution, health and wellbeing. These include, Together with Migrant Children and Islington Law Centre.

We are keen to hear from applicants who have OISC Level 3 accreditation, the equivalent IAAS or a valid exemption. We will consider applicants with OISC Level 2 accreditation who can demonstrate experience of skills required below.

MAIN DUTIES

1.      Advice and casework

-          Provide high quality advice and representation for visitors with complex or urgent cases, specific vulnerabilities or those who would otherwise face particular difficulty in accessing representation from legal aid providers. For advisors with Level 3 OISC accreditation, this will be up to and including appeal-stage casework.

-          Assist in the supervising of the work of the Immigration Caseworkers and volunteers.

-          Provide training to HMC’s volunteers on immigration issues and maintain up to date resources.

-          Provide immigration advice and support to the Housing staff team where available housing options and routes out of destitution are dependent on future immigration applications.

2.      Collaborative working

-          Work with HMC’s existing external advice partners to ensure effective, co-ordination of advocacy and casework support on a wide range of issues.

-          Develop links and partnerships with other organisations to enable effective joint working.

-          Provide information, statistics and case studies to external and internal stakeholders to support campaigning, advocacy and research relevant to HMC’s visitor group.

-          Work closely with partner organisations to identify legal issues affecting HMC’s visitor group and, where appropriate, contribute to litigation and strategic policy work undertaken by external stakeholders to address these matters.

3.      Compliance and Regulation

-          Ensure HMC is meeting the standards required to maintain OISC accreditation.

-          Keep up to date with legislation and guidance required to provide immigration advice at OISC L3 or OISC L2 dependent on accreditation level and meet the relevant OISC competence requirements, including maintaining a Personal Competence record of personal objectives regarding training and development.

-          Ensure accurate record keeping using HMC’s case management system.

-          Work with the Immigration Team Manager to ensure an effective monitoring system for the work and outcomes of the Immigration Team for funding and reporting purposes.

-          Administrative tasks relevant to the post.

4.      OTHER DUTIES

The post holder will be expected to:

-          Implement sensitively HMC’s policies and procedures, especially with regards to confidentiality and equal opportunities

-          Work collaboratively with other HMC staff, volunteers and professional advisors

-          Participate actively in staff meetings, and other meetings as may reasonably be required

-          Attend HMC Trustees’ meetings as required

-          Support HMC's fundamental aim of providing a safe and caring environment for our visitors.

-          Work in line with the ethos of HMC.