About Acacia Center for Justice:

The Acacia Center for Justice is a new non-profit created through a collaboration between the Vera Institute of Justice (“Vera”) and the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (“CAIR”) Coalition. The CAIR Coalition is a non-profit organization focused on providing legal assistance to adult and child immigrants detained by the government in the Capital Region. CAIR adheres to the fundamental belief that all people – no matter their story – deserve to be free, safe, supported, and have access to a just legal system.

The objective of the Acacia Center for Justice (“Acacia”) is to expand on Vera’s work over the past twenty years in providing legal support and representation to immigrants facing deportation through the development, coordination and management of national networks of legal services providers serving immigrants across the country. Acacia’s goals are twofold: to support immigrant legal services and defense networks to provide exceptional legal services to immigrants and to advocate for the expansion of these programs and the infrastructure critical to guaranteeing immigrants access to justice, fairness and freedom. Acacia will focus the collective power of both Vera and CAIR on delivering accountable, independent, zealous and person-centered legal services and representation to protect the rights of all immigrants at risk of deportation.

Who you are

The Government Contracts Procurement Manager is part of Acacia’s Development and Acquisitions team and reports directly to Acacia’s Chief Strategy and Program Innovation Officer, with dotted-line reporting to Acacia’s Chief Program Officer.

The Government Contracts Procurement Manager identifies and manages the process of pursuing major contracts, grants, foundation, and comparable acquisitions and growth opportunities, with particular (but not exclusive) focus on the federal contracting space. Examples of such opportunities include those that maintain Acacia’s current portfolio of immigrant legal defense programs and those that extend or innovate from that portfolio consistent with Acacia’s strategic growth framework. Once such opportunities are identified, the Government Contracts Procurement Manager plans, organizes, and is the primary manager responsible for a start-to-finish, team process to successfully pursue those opportunities.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Research and identify major federal contract, grant, foundation, and comparable acquisition and growth opportunities that are consistent with and support Acacia’s strategic growth framework, including, e.g., sources sought, market research, Requests for Proposals, and Requests for Applications.
• Assess and report to appropriate internal Acacia stakeholders the cost-benefit and strategic alignment of provisionally identified acquisitions and growth opportunities, with particular care to flag any provisions, conditions, or requirements that may present strategic, operational, resource, or legal concerns.
• In coordination with appropriate internal Acacia stakeholders, map and calendar a year-by-year schedule for the deliberate and appropriately-paced pursuit of identified acquisitions and growth opportunities.
• Once a decision has been made to pursue a particular opportunity, evaluate the staffing and resources required to pursue the opportunity, and create, manage, and coordinate a start-to-finish team process to successfully do so.
• Lead drafting, writing, editing, and finalization of written applications and responses to identified acquisitions and growth opportunities.
• Serve as the primary liaison among internal Acacia stakeholders – including Programs; Technical Compliance; Learning & Development; Budget and Resource Management; Research, Evaluation and Data Analysis; Legal; and Strategy & Innovation Staff – to gather, coordinate, and implement feedback in the pursuit and implementation of identified acquisitions and growth opportunities.
• Serve as the primary point of communication with potential funders / partners during the application and award phase of identified acquisitions and growth opportunities.
• Support other Acacia staff in ongoing development, implementation, and reporting of deliverables, metrics, or other contract, financial, or program data that may be required by a particular acquisitions and growth opportunity.

Required Skills/Qualifications

• A demonstrated commitment to Acacia’s vision, mission, values, and overarching goals.
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to produce polished, clear, succinct, and compelling written work products in the pursuit of identified acquisitions and growth opportunities.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to hear, coordinate, and integrate the input of multidisciplinary team members and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and assemble the resources and team needed for complex acquisitions and growth projects and to timely, thoroughly, and successfully complete such projects.
• Strong proficiency with budget and financial aspects of acquisitions and growth opportunities, including the ability to understand, assess, and convey the immediate and longer-range budget and finance impacts of pursuing (or not) particular opportunities.
• The ability to understand, critically assess, and inform internal Acacia stakeholders on the pros and cons of pursuing particular acquisitions and growth opportunities within Acacia’s overarching strategic growth framework.
• Excellent attention to detail, ability to multitask, and strong decision-making skills, with the ability to both listen and act decisively as execution of a project plan may require.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and competing deadlines.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant field, including, e.g., an M.B.A., Accounting, Public Policy, Marketing, Communication, Non-profit Management, or comparable advanced degree.
• Specific expertise in the federal contracting space, with prior experience coordinating and / or managing a team in (successful) pursuit of federal contracting opportunities.
• Specific knowledge and / or experience in the legal services field, including (preferably) legal services for immigrants.
• Specific knowledge and / or experience at the state or private sector contract, grant, foundation, or comparable acquisitions and growth space, including (preferably) in connection with legal services for immigrants.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (or comparable demonstrated knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience).
• Six years of experience in a relevant field.
• Experience successfully managing complex projects from start to finish, including successfully leading team coordination and communication.
• Experience in pre- and post-award management of contracts, grants, foundation awards, and comparable growth and acquisition opportunities, including budgeting and financial reporting for projects with complex service and compliance requirements.

Compensation and Benefits:

Acacia has established an internal compensation philosophy that centers equity and pay transparency. The salary for this position is set at $118,200. The listed salary is just one component of Acacia’s total compensation package for employees. Supporting Acacia staff—both personally and professionally—is our priority. Please note, some benefits are not offered to temporary employees.

• Medical/Dental/Vision- Some plans at $0 cost to the employee
• Employee Assistance Program
• 20 days per year of vacation time
• 12 days per year of sick time
• 4 personal days
• 12 observed holidays, including the last week of December
• 4 Acacia Wellness Days
• $2000 Professional Development Stipend
• Home office set-up stipend
• Internet Stipend
• Student loan repayment assistance.
• Gym Reimbursement
• 403b with 5% company contribution

Applicants are required to submit a brief cover letter concisely explaining how they meet the Required Skills / Qualifications (and, if applicable, the Preferred Skills / Qualifications). Failure to do so may slow consideration of your application.

People of color and those who have been impacted by the criminal justice system are strongly urged to apply.

To Apply:

Please upload a resume and cover letter at the link provided or email hiring@acaciajustice.org with Subject: ATTN: Human Resources / [Job Title], Acacia Center for Justice

Equal Opportunity Employment:

Acacia is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and support their retention and advancement within the organization. We are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs, or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging.

As a federal contractor, and in order to ensure a healthy and safe work environment, Acacia Center for Justice is requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine before their start date. Employees who cannot receive the vaccine because of a disability/medical contraindication or sincerely-held religious belief may request an accommodation (e.g., an exemption) to this requirement.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties, responsibilities and requirements but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function within our organization.

Acacia Center for Justice is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.

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