Language Justice Specialist - City of Somerville

Statement of Duties:

As the Language Justice Specialist (LJS), you will work with the Deputy Director and Language Justice Coordinator in the City of Somerville to advance language justice goals for the City of Somerville, including the development and roll out of the 5 - year Language Access Plan. You will:

• Advance training and knowledge of language justice concepts, protocols, and procedures for providing language access services;
• Triage and oversee daily language access service needs city-wide;
• Provide logistical and technical support for language access services city-wide; and
• Develop language access resources for both internal and public stakeholders.

You will approach this work with a deep commitment to equity, access, partnership, innovation, visibility, integrity, and commitment to excellence.

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

You will work closely with the Deputy Director & Language Justice Coordinator to develop and implement the City of Somerville’s Language Access Plan and oversee day-to-day language access operations. This work is fast-paced, dynamic, equity-driven, and deeply collaborative. In this role you will:

Provide Training, Consulting, and Coaching:

• Serve as an internal expert on language justice best practices and guidelines, including: translation and interpretation services, plain language standards, strategies and resources for multilingual outreach, creating welcoming environments for linguistically diverse populations, and equitable civic engagement
• Coordinate collaboratively across various departments to ensure language justice is integrated into city events, opportunities, processes, and communications
• Provide individual and group coaching and consultation to City staff about language justice concepts and guidelines
• Conduct training with City staff on language access topics including: how, when, where, and why to provide language access services; plain language; language access resources and protocols; interpretation via Zoom, creating a welcoming environment, and others
• Assist in developing training curriculum and implementation plan
• Track employee training attendance
• Research training opportunities and resources
• Identify gaps in staff knowledge and work with the Deputy Director and Language Justice Coordinator to develop strategies to close gaps
• Prepare reports and conduct audits to track compliance with language justice policies and language access service usage across City departments

Manage Language Access Service Requests:

• Manage interpretation and translation request tickets on a daily basis
• Review all requests for compliance with communications and language justice standards
• Provide feedback or gather additional necessary information or context for requests from requesting staff
• Triage requests and determine whether to assign requests to internal staff or language access vendors
• Request quotes from vendors for translation and interpretation projects
• Monitor project deadlines
• Manage Interpretation at Events
• Attend and serve as the logistical and technical point-person for interpretation for City events
• Create customized interpretation plans for all City events where interpretation is offered
• Share and coordinate interpretation plans with interpreters and City staff
• Implement interpretation protocols at virtual and in-person events
• Transport and manage distribution of interpretation equipment at City events
• Welcome event attendees and lead by example to create a friendly and inviting atmosphere for linguistically diverse constituents
• Maintain upkeep and inventory of interpretation equipment

Develop Language Access Resources:

• Research, develop, and disseminate language justice resources such as one-pagers, resource sheets, and guides to advance institutional training and knowledge of language justice concepts, practices, guidelines, and protocols
• Assist with development of internal training materials
• Assist with development and dissemination of public-facing language justice resources such as Know-Your-Rights materials, language access resource sheets, and how to file complaints

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:

As the Language Justice Specialist, you have a genuine commitment to working with and serving immigrant and linguistically diverse communities. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the City of Somerville's commitment to equity, inclusivity, and support for its immigrant communities through language justice. The Language Justice Specialist will be instrumental in shaping and implementing policies that reflect the city's values and support its diverse population.

Education and Experience:

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as public policy, linguistics, sociology, racial and ethnic studies, social justice, and anthropology
• In lieu of secondary education, a minimum of two (2) years’ experience doing language access work, working in multilingual environments, working in the field of immigrant’s rights, interpreting (providing language access services), and/or designing and facilitating workshops and trainings.
• Strong background in community organizing, community engagement, communications access and/or similar qualification, especially with immigrant or linguistically diverse multilingual populations.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill:

You possess knowledge, abilities, and skills in the following areas:

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Knowledge: You are knowledgeable about language justice concepts and practices; you have an understanding of challenges facing linguistically diverse communities; and you are familiar with strategies for clear, effective, and accessible multilingual communication.
• Communication: You are a clear and effective communicator (written and oral) with a range of audiences; you are able to develop and adapt communications for diverse audiences and purposes; you exhibit empathetic listening skills.
• Student Mentality: You are open to learning from others even when this tests your prior knowledge; and you are able to receive feedback and take necessary action on feedback.
• Project Management Skills: You are skilled in organizing and facilitating workshops, presentations, trainings, community events, virtually and in-person; you are able to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and balance short and long term responsibilities
• Initiative: You are able to learn independently, self-start, take initiative, and adapt to changes and challenges.
• Relationship Building Skills: You are skilled at fostering collaboration and building trust with internal and external partners; you possess a high level of emotional intelligence; you are able to work cooperatively on a team.
• Strategic Planning: You are an analytical and strategic thinker and you approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset; you identify and develop attainable action plans to achieve goals and benchmarks, overcome challenges, and leverage opportunities.
• Computer and technological skills: You are proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams), Outlook 365 Suite, Zoom, and the internet; you are able to learn new systems with ease.

Work Environment:

This is an office-based position in a professional setting. On-site work is required. Travel to other City office buildings and community locations is required regularly. The work environment involves everyday comforts and discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally pleasant. Employee will be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings, support emergency needs, or complete urgent work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. Work may require some agility and physical strength, such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain, or standing or walking most of the work period. Work requires lifting of objects such as interpretation equipment, office equipment, and computer paper (up to 30 lbs).

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, setting up presentation equipment, operating a personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading print and digital documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Hours: Full-Time, work hours are flexible, but include evening and weekend work as needed
Salary: $66,244.85 annualized, plus benefits
Union: Non-Union
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Date Posted: August 14th, 2024

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completition of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) union positions vary by contract
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.

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