Who we are

The mission of the Berkshire Immigrant Center (BIC) is to advocate for the rights of all immigrants by helping them navigate the complex U.S. immigration system with affordable legal services, local resources, and education. Founded in 1997, BIC is the only nonprofit agency providing comprehensive legal services to the 10,000+ immigrants and refugees in Berkshire County. BIC currently has six employees and is constantly expanding its team of vibrant, engaged, and diverse advocates.

The Opportunity

The last few years have seen exponential growth among Berkshire County’s immigrant and refugee population. BIC is an award winning non-profit, which provides a myriad of legal, social, and advocacy services and works with numerous local government agencies and organizations in its efforts to support the journey of these families and unlock the incredible cultural and economic potential their presence brings to our community. We need a dynamic and courageous leader to shepherd BIC through this exciting period of growth.

The Executive Director is the public face of BIC: a leader that will spearhead our efforts to increase and sustain the scope, breadth, and visibility of our services as well as expand and formalize our local, regional, and national partnerships. A staunch advocate with a curious, entrepreneurial spirit, and a strong connection to the immigrant experience.

This is a full-time, hybrid, non-exempt position based out of Berkshire County, MA. The new Executive Director will receive a budget during the first year of the role to facilitate the exploration of our beautiful and vibrant Berkshires community and to build relationships to support BIC’s efforts. The salary range for this position is $72,000 - $78,000. The ED reports to BIC’s supportive, diverse, and growing Board of Directors.

BIC’s competitive benefits package includes a health insurance reimbursement plan for medical, dental and vision coverage options, organization-wide holidays, paid time off, and enrollment in MA’s CORE Retirement plan with employer matching.

Who you are

You are a passionate advocate. Your personal experiences as an immigrant or in close proximity to the immigrant experience gives you insight into the unique strengths and challenges of this community. You are a storyteller. Your words, whether addressing a small gathering of neighbors or a large conference of peers, motivates and creates awareness of the urgency and importance of BIC’s mission, centers the stories of clients, and your community. You have an unshakeable commitment to equity, empathy, and diversity. Your multiple years of public service or non-profit managerial experience allow you to anticipate challenges and think of creative, forward looking solutions. Finally, you are excited to grow with our team and help it to strategize and scale up where needed.

How you’ll bring our organization’s vision to life

• Engage nonprofit and community partners to advance BIC’s mission through collective impact
• Collaborate with the Development Director and board on fundraising efforts through events coordination, donor cultivation, grant writing/reporting and stewardship
• Lead public relations leveraging radio, TV, and press interviews
• Develop and implement a communications plan for the organization to remain connected to the community, paying close attention to the organization’s social media presence and identifying key messages and images, as well as writing and approving content for newsletter and other communications
• Manage the organization's finances through budgeting, banking, incoming payments, and expenses tracking
• Oversee the organization’s human resources including payroll, benefits, and retirement vendors to disburse payments and reimbursements
• Supervise and support the professional development of all full-time and part-time staff, volunteers, and interns
• Ensure that all BIC operations abide by Federal and State Nonprofit 501C3 regulations
• Prepare a monthly report to the Board of Directors and attend all Board and executive committee meetings.

Qualifications

• Three years of management level experience in a non-profit or other areas of the public service sector or relevant, equivalent experiences
• Relevant Bachelor’s Degree or foreign equivalent, Master’s degree preferred
• Living in the Berkshires or willing to relocate within enough proximity to join in-person meetings and community events
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Zoom, Word, Excel, and Quickbooks
• Commitment to organization and client confidentiality 
• Completion of a COVID-19 vaccine regimen and booster, if eligible
• Proactive, positive, and energetic work ethic
• Fluency in a second language besides English preferred; Spanish, Portuguese, or French a plus

To Apply (by January 16th, 2023)

Please submit a resume and a cover letter that includes answers to the questions below. E-mail both documents to board@berkshireic.org.

1. The new ED must have a deep understanding and commitment to the immigrant and refugee community. How has your work and/or personal experiences shaped your understanding of the immigrant experience?
2. BIC is experiencing an exciting period of growth, and the new ED will lead us through the complexities of an expanding organization. Tell us about a time when you’ve navigated complex change. What key skills and experiences did you utilize and what was the outcome?

The Berkshire Immigrant Center is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer with a long-standing commitment to celebrating diversity. BIC is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all.