Ascend Resident – In-House Immigration Leader
About the Role
The Ascend Residency is a paid leadership role within Alma's peer community for in-house immigration professionals. Each month, one Resident shapes the community conversation, surfaces what matters to the field, and makes Ascend materially more useful for immigration operators across companies.
This is not an ambassador title. It is a substantive working role for someone with real judgment, real credibility, and a perspective worth sharing.
What You'll Do
Design and host 1 webinar on a topic the immigration community is actively wrestling with (Alma handles promotion and logistics)
Design and host 1 sponsored in-person event (Alma funds and supports)
Recruit 5+ quality Ascend members from your network
Publish 3-4 original posts or insights on policy, compliance, AI tools, vendor strategy, or program design
Create 1 durable resource (framework, template, playbook, or briefing) aligned with Alma
Spark and sustain peer conversations across the community
What You'll Receive
$8,000 honorarium, paid at end of the residency month; 10 hours/week (~$200/hour)
Production, scheduling, logistics, and promotion support from Alma
Sponsored in-person event designed with you and funded by Alma
Permanent recognition as an Ascend Resident and entry into the Ascend Alumni network
Priority consideration for future speaking, editorial, and community partnership opportunities
Who This Is For
In-house immigration program managers, directors, and leads
Global mobility professionals with meaningful immigration program ownership
Practitioners who manage stakeholders, policy, compliance, vendor relationships, and program design
Operators with a clear view on where immigration practice and technology are heading
Who This Is Not For
General HR or People Ops professionals without direct immigration program responsibility
Community managers or marketers seeking visibility opportunities
Professionals adjacent to immigration who do not actively run or advise on the program
Anyone looking for a light ambassador role rather than a substantive leadership commitment
How to Apply
Applications take approximately 20 minutes. Please respond to the following:
What are the 2-3 highest-leverage contributions you would make during your Residency month, and how would you judge whether they were useful?
What topic would you choose for your webinar or live exchange, and why is it timely for in-house immigration leaders right now?
What is one example of the kind of framework, post, briefing, or resource you would create for the community library?
Who are the immigration professionals you would want to bring into Ascend, and why would they trust your invitation?
Selection Process
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Selected Residents are confirmed 4-6 weeks before their start month. Residency can be repeated for exceptional contributors.