Victim Advocate (Social Services Specialist II)

• Provides culturally sensitive and survivor-centered education on the rights of survivors, the different forms of intimate partner abuse, the cycles of violence, and stages of behavioral change, etc.
• Conducts safety planning by helping to brainstorm safety strategies, key contacts, and resources for potential emergency situations
• Supports survivors in navigating through complex legal processes by explaining their rights and resources available to them
• Refers them to relevant pro-bono or low-cost legal resources; and may accompany them to court to provide moral support during hearings
• Provides coverage for 24-hour crisis hotlines and after hours on-call support on a rotational basis and will participate in events held in the evenings and on weekends, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including listening and communication abilities
• Knowledge and experience of intimate partner violence issues, trends, and interventions including policy and interventions related to domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking
• Have case management experience
• An ability to organize information, manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines, and efficiently and succinctly document services provided
• Possess the ability to demonstrate understanding and acceptance of diversity
• Possess the ability to make sound judgements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus two years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Responsible for providing coverage for 24-hour crises lines as well as responding to requests for hospital accompaniment, on a rotational basis. Schedule includes some evening and weekend hours to meet program needs.

This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in social work (MSW) or other related field, experience working with victims of domestic and sexual violence, and children exposed to domestic violence.
• One year of professional experience as a victim advocate.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to include effective presentation and group facilitation skills.

• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
• Ability to use automated technology to access, input, retrieve, and process information.
• Must be able to transport self to different worksites or locations, as needed. May be required to lift up to 15 lbs.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.