Manager - Legal Advocacy

FIRST UNITED is a registered charity that has been serving Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community for nearly 140 years. We offer responsive, low-barrier services to individuals who are low-income, underhoused or homeless. We provide essential services to meet the daily needs of community members and engage in systems change work to reduce homelessness and break cycles of poverty. If you’re looking for purpose-filled work and want to make a difference in the community, this might be the opportunity for you.

First United is seeking applications for the full-time position of:
Advocacy Manager 

Salary Range: $88,390 – 93,137
This position is full-time and primarily in-office in Vancouver, BC. First United offers a generous vacation, pension and health and welfare plan.

Each job within the First United Church Community Ministry Society should promote our accomplishment of our vision, mission, and values.

Reporting to the Director of Systems Change and Legal, the Advocacy Manager is responsible for the oversight of the advocacy program and management and training of its staff. Providing legal advocacy and representation to the Downtown Eastside community and others on a variety of issues generally encountered by low-income individuals and families.

Hiring, support, and management of advocacy staff

• In conjunction with human resources and the Director of Systems Change and Legal, responsible for hiring of advocates and staff.
• Train and supervise advocacy staff and students.
• Conduct regular performance activities with advocacy staff.
• Implement and maintain a client file management system and policies and procedures for advocacy work.
• Develop legal templates and resources to support advocates in providing one-to-one advocacy services.
• Maintain awareness of relevant case law and legislative developments and communicate to advocacy staff.
• Lead weekly case review conferencing for advocacy staff and students.
• Engage in monthly legal supervision and file review with Law Foundation legal supervisor.

Direct Advocacy Services

• Provide one-to-one advocacy services including referrals, information, summary advice, assistance with forms, and/or full representation regarding tenancy law and social benefits/income assistance, human rights and other matters as required.
• Engage in research that is directly related to the casework.

Community Outreach

• Deliver public legal education workshops and support advocacy staff in delivering public legal education workshops.
• Attend community events as required.

Advocacy Program Management and Reporting

• Provide regular updates on services provided, including case file types, numbers, and community legal needs to the Director of Systems Change or other Directors, as required.
• Identify and report on cases and patterns that invite deeper engagement with systemic legal issues or require legal representation beyond core services.
• Fulfil reporting requirements and deliverables for grants.
• Be part of the overall management team at First United, attend (or send delegate to) management meetings and training, and ensure alignment of Advocacy operations with the organization’s strategic direction.
• Other duties, as required.

• Understanding of TRC Calls to Action, MMWIG Calls for Justice, and principles of respectful relations.
• Good communication skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to motivate and support staff.
• Knowledge of the systemic barriers encountered by people living in the Downtown Eastside including personal and intergenerational trauma, and the criminalization and racialization of poverty.
• Knowledge of legal areas relevant to community practice in the Downtown Eastside.
• Knowledge of community services in the Downtown Eastside and legal services available to low-income people is an asset.

• Law degree or depending upon experience, a university undergraduate degree, para legal training diploma or continuing education training in poverty law.
• Experience as a legal advocate or lawyer is an asset.

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We are committed to becoming a more just, equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplace, which extends to how we hire. We are continually learning new and unlearning old practices while examining systemic causes of inequity, including colonialism.

We aim to be representative of the communities that we serve. We welcome everyone to apply, and we strongly encourage applications from members of communities that have been marginalized based on Indigeneity, race, colour, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. In order to achieve a representative team, preference may be given to people who are members of one or more of these groups.

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If you have any questions, please reach out to hr@firstunited.ca.

Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities.