Civilian Advocate for Victims of Sexual and Domestic Violence

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst the Commonwealths flagship campus is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1450acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College Hampshire College Mount Holyoke College and Smith College) which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

Under the general supervision of Director of Sexual Support & Advocacy Services provides services for victims/survivors and their loved ones impacted by sexual and relationship violence and stalking as part of crisis team. In addition to providing services onsite the Civilian Advocate provides services at area police departments and on campus. Works with Northwestern District Attorneys Sexual and Domestic Violence Unit and Victim Witness Advocates to support victims involved in criminal justice processes and consults with legal system personnel (i.e. prosecutor parole officer advocates) to gather or share information for safety planning and to discuss progress of the legal case in the criminal justice system.

This is a grantfunded position dependent on funding availability.

Essential Functions

• Provides crisis intervention; police legal medical and academic advocacy; safety planning and support to survivors of sexual and domestic violence and stalking in addition to their loved ones. Provides assistance to navigate police legal and/or campus conduct processes and partners to referrals for wraparound services. Complies with all relevant regulations policies standards and protocols including those regarding privileged communication mandated reporting of abuse data collection record keeping and security related to use of technology including cell phone and computers.
• Builds and maintains effective working relationships with broad constituents including collaborating police departments SAFEPLAN Advocates Hampshire County Court human service providers and campusbased departments. May serve on relevant committees and teams. Provides outreach to community and campusbased programs to inform providers educators and survivors about CWC services.
• Coordinates and provides trainings related to sexual and domestic violence to partners and CWC staff. Maintains current knowledge of relevant legal processes. Functionally supervises advocates regarding legal advocacy as needed.
• Assists with coordinating and facilitating grant related meetings including Sexual Response Team (SART) and partner meetings; reviews evaluates and revises interagency protocols. Compiles data and prepares reports including tabulating statistics on sexual and domestic violence calls and reports. Participates in site visits and program development as needed.

Other Functions

• Performs related duties as assigned or required. Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX Clery and other compliance requirements.
• Demonstrates capacity skill and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
• Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with university policy.
• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace. Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public universityrelated information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge Skills Abilities Education Experience Certifications Licensure)

• Bachelors degree and 1 year of related experience to include familiarity with criminal justice and/or legal system.
• Proven ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders such as police courts and social service agencies; ability to foster and maintain positive collaborative working relationships.
• Experience facilitating workshops and/or trainings.
• Demonstrated experience providing services to diverse cultural and/or linguistic communities.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously meet time sensitive deadlines and prioritize workload with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and in general strong comfort with the use of emerging technologies.
• Drivers license and access to a vehicle required.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge Skills Abilities Education Experience Certifications Licensure

• Masters Degree in a related field
• Extensive experience successfully working with police and courts
• Experience to include crisis intervention safety planning and advocacy
• Experience and training with domestic violence or sexual organization
• Bilingual
• Demonstrated skills facilitating workshops or professional trainings on issues related to sexual and domestic violence including training police personnel.
• Developed selfcare strategies and capacity to sustain providing services to trauma survivors.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Must drive and travel to other workrelated sites.
• Work in a crisis response environment.

Work Schedule

• 37.5 hours per week Monday Friday.
• Some nights and weekends required.

Salary Information

Level 26

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Upload your resume along with your completed application. Our team will check references at the final stage of the interview process. Please be prepared to provide contact information for at least three 3 professional references.This position will remain open until filled or the advertised closing date whichever occurs first.Early submissions are recommended.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race color religion caste creed sex age marital status national origin disability political belief or affiliation pregnancy and pregnancyrelated condition(s) veteran status sexual orientation gender identity and expression genetic information natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment admission to and participation in academic programs activities and services and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities women persons with disabilities and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes rules and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.