Lead a Movement. Transform a Field. Change Lives.
Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) is the nation’s premier fellowship program exclusively dedicated to expanding access to legal representation for immigrants. Founded in 2014, IJC was created to address one of the most pressing challenges in the U.S. immigration system: the lack of quality legal counsel available to individuals navigating complex, high-stakes proceedings.
As the first and only fellowship of its kind, IJC has redefined how the immigration legal services field recruits, develops, and sustains talent. Through its innovative fellowship model, the organization has trained and deployed more than 500 lawyers and advocates who have provided life-changing representation to over 135,000 immigrants nationwide. At the same time, IJC has built a growing pipeline of leaders committed to advancing immigrant justice for years to come.
Today, IJC is widely recognized as a national leader in field-building, talent development, and access to counsel. With a $15 million budget, a dedicated team of 35 professionals, a deeply engaged Board of Directors, and a strong financial foundation, the organization is well positioned for continued growth and impact.
The need for IJC’s work has never been greater. Millions of immigrants continue to face legal proceedings without representation, despite overwhelming evidence that access to counsel significantly improves outcomes. The next Chief Executive Officer will build on IJC’s proven success to deepen its impact, expand its reach, strengthen partnerships across the legal and nonprofit sectors, and elevate the organization’s role as a leading voice for immigrant justice nationwide.
This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead an organization with a demonstrated record of results and a powerful platform for change. The next CEO will help shape the future of immigrant justice by ensuring that more individuals and families have access to high-quality legal representation while advancing systemic solutions that strengthen the field as a whole.
The Opportunity
Immigrant Justice Corps enters its next chapter at a defining moment for immigrant justice in the United States. As immigrant communities navigate an increasingly complex legal and policy environment and face increasingly harsh consequences, demand for high-quality legal representation continues to outpace available resources. At the same time, the organizations, advocates, and communities serving immigrants face mounting operational, financial, and political pressures. Against this backdrop, IJC is uniquely positioned to build on its strong foundation, expand its impact, and strengthen the long-term capacity of the immigrant justice field through its nationally recognized fellowship model.
The next Chief Executive Officer will lead the organization through this consequential period, providing both strategic vision and operational leadership. Working closely with the Board and leadership team, the CEO will help shape IJC's next phase of growth, including advancing a diversified and sustainable revenue strategy that supports continued innovation and impact. This leader will bring sound judgment in evaluating funding opportunities, balancing organizational growth with IJC's longstanding commitment to mission integrity, independence, and service to immigrant communities. The CEO will steward a nationally respected institution while remaining deeply connected to the experiences of fellows, alumni, host organizations, and the immigrant communities they serve.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Field Impact
- Partner with the Board of Directors to define and execute a bold, forward-looking vision for IJC's next phase of growth and influence.
- Lead strategic planning efforts that engage staff, fellows, alumni, host organizations, Board members, and other key stakeholders.
- Position IJC to respond effectively to evolving legal, policy, and funding environments affecting immigrant communities and legal service providers.
- Drive innovation in talent development, legal services delivery, field-building, and organizational growth.
- Expand IJC’s reach and influence while preserving the quality, rigor, and impact that distinguish the fellowship model.
External Relations, Fundraising, & Advocacy
- Serve as IJC’s chief ambassador, spokesperson, and public advocate.
- Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major philanthropic investments while partnering with the Board and Development team to advance fundraising goals.
- Expand and diversify revenue streams across individual donors, foundations, law firms, corporations, and government funding sources.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with leaders across the legal, nonprofit, philanthropic, governmental, and advocacy sectors.
- Represent IJC in media engagements, conferences, coalitions, policy discussions, and other forums that advance access to counsel and immigrant justice.
Organizational Leadership & Culture
- Lead, develop, and inspire a highly engaged team of approximately 35 professionals, directly supervising the General Counsel, Chief Program Officer, and Chief Operating Officer.
- Foster a culture grounded in learning, transparency, collaboration, inclusion, accountability, and shared leadership.
- Ensure staff feel supported, heard, and connected to the organization’s mission and strategic direction.
- Build organizational systems and structures that support sustainable growth while maintaining operational excellence and mission alignment.
- Partner with senior leadership and the Board to oversee organizational performance, risk management, compliance, technology, and continuous improvement efforts.
Fellowship Excellence & Talent Development
- Champion the continued excellence of IJC’s fellowship model, including recruitment, training, mentorship, development, and deployment of fellows.
- Maintain a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing emerging immigration advocates and attorneys.
- Ensure IJC remains a best-in-class training and leadership development organization for early-career legal professionals.
- Strengthen alumni engagement and support long-term career pathways that retain talented advocates within the immigrant justice field.
- Model the commitment to mentorship, coaching, and professional development for fellows and alumni that has defined IJC since its founding.
The Candidate
The ideal candidate will be a respected and credible leader in immigrant justice who combines deep subject matter expertise with exceptional executive leadership capabilities. They will bring a demonstrated commitment to the rights, dignity, and humanity of immigrants, along with the strategic vision, fundraising acumen, and organizational leadership experience required to guide IJC through its next phase of growth and impact.
Mission Commitment & Sector Leadership
- Demonstrated and enduring commitment to immigrant rights, access to justice, and social change.
- Deep understanding of the immigration legal services ecosystem and the challenges facing immigrant-serving organizations, including funding, capacity, staffing, supervision, policy, and service delivery.
- Direct experience representing immigrants, supervising immigration legal services, or possessing similarly credible lived or professional experience within the field.
- Recognized leader within immigrant justice, legal services, or related social justice communities, with an established reputation for collaboration and thought leadership.
- A personal connection to immigration issues, whether through lived experience or sustained professional engagement, is highly valued.
Executive Leadership & Organizational Management
- Significant senior leadership experience within nonprofit, legal services, public interest, educational, or mission-driven organizations.
- Demonstrated success leading complex organizations, managing budgets and operations, and developing high-performing teams.
- Experience leading organizational growth, strategic planning efforts, transformational initiatives, or periods of significant external change.
- Experience in immigration law, legal services, public interest law, fellowship programs, higher education, or workforce development initiatives.
- Proven ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and respond thoughtfully to feedback from staff, boards, funders, and community partners.
- Track record of building inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing organizational cultures.
External Relations, Fundraising, & Communications
- Demonstrated success or transferable skills in securing philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, law firms, corporations, and public-sector funding sources.
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate persuasively and authentically with diverse audiences, including staff, fellows, funders, policymakers, media, and community stakeholders.
- Experience serving as a public-facing organizational leader, spokesperson, or advocate; media and crisis communications experience is a plus.
- Proven ability to build trust-based relationships and mobilize stakeholders around a shared vision.
Talent Development & People Leadership
- Passion for developing the next generation of immigration advocates, attorneys, and social justice leaders.
- Experience teaching, mentoring, coaching, training, or supporting early-career professionals.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire teams with empathy, patience, emotional intelligence, and accountability.
- Commitment to fostering environments where individuals feel a strong sense of belonging, agency, and professional growth.
- Appreciation for the challenges facing emerging professionals and a leadership style that balances high expectations with meaningful support.
Personal Attributes
- Person of unquestioned integrity, credibility, and authenticity.
- Visionary and strategic thinker who can translate ideas into measurable action and results.
- Deeply collaborative leader who values partnership, shared decision-making, and continuous learning.
- Resilient, adaptable, and effective in navigating uncertainty, complexity, and external pressures.
- Humble, self-aware, and receptive to feedback.
- Passionate about advancing immigrant justice and motivated by the opportunity to lead lasting systemic change.
Strongly Preferred Qualifications
- J.D. or other advanced degree in a relevant field.
- Prior CEO, Executive Director, or comparable executive leadership experience strongly preferred.
- Experience working with immigrant-serving organizations and diverse communities.
- Familiarity with government funding, contracting, compliance, and regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrated success scaling organizations, expanding programs, or leading transformational growth initiatives.
Compensation
This position offers a competitive salary and includes a comprehensive benefits package. We actively welcome all candidates from a wide range of backgrounds who have the skills to fulfill this role. Our anticipated compensation range is $340,000-$375,000.
Contact
For inquires, to apply, or to provide recommendations, please send an email to: [email protected].
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Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis. Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.
