Job Opportunities

BILINGUAL EDUCATION ADVOCATE, NASSAU COUNTY (PART TIME)

The Long Island Advocacy Center (LIAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of students and individuals with disabilities.

We are seeking someone, for a part time position (20 hours/week), with working knowledge of the Committee on Special Education (CSE process) and/or prior experience working with youth who are involved in the Juvenile Justice System and/or at risk of dropping out of high school.

The New York State Education Department reports that the following groups of students are the most vulnerable and at-risk on Long Island: youth involved in the Foster Care system, youth who are experiencing homelessness, youth who come from low-income families, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities.

The education advocate will provide information to at-risk youth and their families regarding their educational rights.

Assistance and advocacy will be provided to families regarding school problems such as truancy, discipline, suspensions, residency, Special Education services, English Language Learner services, and dropout prevention.

The education advocate will empower families as they navigate school meetings and conferences, including principal meetings, Committee on Special Education meetings, Manifestation Determination Reviews, and other school meetings as appropriate.

The Education Advocate position includes the following responsibilities:

• Interviewing youth and families regarding the youth’s school experiences, (i.e. past school attendance, performance/grades, difficulties, areas of strength, previous or current support, and/or interventions provided by the school district) to determine:
• If the student has a current educational disability.
• If the information suggests a suspected disability.
• How to best advise the family of their rights and next steps.
• Reviewing school records to inform parents of their legal rights regarding education.
• Providing direct advocacy to families whose children receive Special Education services, 504 accommodations,  or require advocacy to receive the education to which they are entitled.
• Attending school-based meetings with families to advocate for their children’s educational needs. 
• Participating in and/or attending conferences, workshops, and informational sessions regarding trends in education.
• Maintaining basic reporting statistics to produce periodic required reports to satisfy grant funding requirements.
• Refer clients to other community-based agencies, as appropriate.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree. 
• Advocacy, education, legal, or social work experience.
• Strong interest in advocating for the rights of students.
• Knowledge of Google/GoogleWorkspace applications.
• Professional and interpersonal skills to effectively engage and communicate with parents, youth, educators, and other community agencies.
• Bilingual (Spanish)

Required Skills:

• Bilingual.

To apply:

Interested candidates must submit a resume, cover letter of interest, two professional references, and a writing sample. Please send all application materials to info@liadvocay.mbbrwf6zo2-pxr4k15pv6gn.p.temp-site.link with the subject line: Bilingual Education Advocate- Nassau County P/T.

Salary: $26,000-$28,500 with generous benefits package, after a probation period, including 403(b) Plan.

People of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, and candidates representing marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Executive Director

Job Title: Executive Director

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Salary/Compensation: $88,000-$94,000 Commensurate with experience. 

Supervisor: President of the LIAC Board of Directors

Agency History and Mission: The Long Island Advocacy Center, Inc. (LIAC), is a private, not-for-profit agency, incorporated in 1981 as a 501(c)3. LIAC’s vision is that individuals with disabilities and their families will lead independent, self-directed lives with the support necessary to provide quality of life.

LIAC’s mission is to protect the legal rights of students and individuals with disabilities by empowering families and enabling them to understand and advocate for their rights.  LIAC is able to do this by representing the families of students whose education rights have either been violated or not implemented to the extent of the law. 

Role: The LIAC Executive Director will be a dynamic leader, with responsibility for ensuring the agency achieves its mission.  This role includes three broad categories of responsibilities: strategic vision and planning, advocacy and communication, and agency management and administration.  The successful candidate will collaborate with the LIAC staff and Board of Directors.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Vision and Planning

• Partner with the LIAC Board of Directors to formulate and articulate a strategic vision 
• Develop and manage plans to operationalize LIAC’s vision and priorities
• Implement all policies adopted by the Board of Directors
• Ensure LIAC engages board and staff as needed in annual identification of strategic policy and funding priorities

Advocacy and Communication:

• Develop, conduct and direct all community outreach and public relations activities
• Establish, cultivate and maintain relationships and communications with policy makers, supporters and other stakeholders
• Articulate the vision, mission and priorities of LIAC to external audiences including legislators, potential funders and other stakeholders

Management and Administration

Support the Board of Directors in fulfilling its governance and fiduciary responsibilities:

• Schedule, organize and support all board meetings
• Assist the Board in structuring its work and activities effectively
• Assist in recruiting new members
• Collaborate with Board to support agency activities

Ensure effective management and execution of all LIAC activities

• Develop and execute an annual work plan based on LIAC strategic priorities
• Supervise all staff, including hiring, firing and compensation, with board approval as needed. Oversee onboarding and training of all staff 
• Maintain all agency records
• Issue all fiscal and program reports to all funding services
• Oversee all office operations
• Create and update all LIAC policies 

Raise and manage LIAC funding

• Generate all agency grants and proposals
• Responsible for fundraising efforts
• With CFO, develop an annual budget for board approval
• Oversee fiscal management and disbursements of agency funds including, invoicing, accounting and internal/external financial reporting
• In partnership with the Board Treasurer, ensure LIAC maintains appropriate financial controls and the Board of Directors has the information needed to perform its fiduciary oversight responsibility

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s Degree and at least 5 years of progressively increasing responsibility including management experience.  Preference may be given for a JD or MA in a relevant field

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience advocating for students and/or individuals with disabilities
• Understanding of fiscal management of a not-for-profit
• Excellent organization, communication and interpersonal skills
• Management experience is preferred, however there is flexibility and room for growth for emerging leaders
• Ability to work independently to pro-actively bring strategic insight to the Board to assist in fulfilling LIAC’s mission
• Broad understanding of the special education systems and the various systems that work with ‘at-risk’ youth
• Must have a car for transportation between offices and to community meetings and events

Please email a resume and cover letter to sburger@THELIAC.org by October 15, 2025.  Resumes without cover letters will not be considered. 

People of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, and candidates representing marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.