NVE Victim Advocate Job Description

 

Job Title

Crime Victim’s Advocate

Department

Social Services Department

Reports To

Social Services Manager

Status

Permanent full time

Salary Range

$30/hr

Location

Eklutna

Summary: The Crime Victim’s Advocate is responsible for performing work related to the Tribal Crime

Victims’ Program (OVC). Duties include serving as a victim’s advocate, supervising and training supporting staff and volunteers, providing on-call response, assisting in emergency orders of protection, assisting with crime victims’ compensation, promoting public education and providing social assistance.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervises or carries out the day-to-day activities of the victim’s advocacy program, which includes planning, coordinating, administering, and evaluating programs, projects, processes, procedures, and standards; ensures compliance with Federal, State, and Tribal laws, regulations, codes, and/or standards.
• Manages a caseload and provides advocacy for assigned clients, which includes: receiving and documenting cases; disseminating information and referrals to community resources for counseling, medical care, legal assistance, emergency funding, and/or other applicable resources; documenting services rendered, including crisis intervention, safety planning, emergency advocacy, and other related services; and/or, performing other related activities.
• Provides victim advocacy training to Family Services Department staff and volunteers.
• Prepares for and responds to emergency on-call situations, which includes: training volunteers for on-call response situations; preparing schedules for on-call staff; performing crisis intervention at emergency situations at crime scenes, hospitals, or at the Police Station; disseminating information and referrals; locating shelters for victims; and/or, performing other related activities.
• Prepares a variety of curriculum and printed materials for the facilitation of the victim advocacy program, including training materials, forms, booklets, and manuals.
• Collaborates with State and Tribal Child Protective Services for services, including the reportof child abuse, providing information and assistance, and participating in applicable teams.
• Advocates for emergency orders of protection at court hearings. Coordinates the distribution of paperwork to applicable parties and assists victims in seeking longer-term orders through the Tribal Attorney. Forwards applicable paperwork to appropriate internal departments for processing and maintenance.
• Assists victims in applying for compensatory funding to pay for medical costs, moving expenses, counseling, lost wages, loss of support for victims’ children, funeral bills, and/or other related items.
• Monitors the progress of claims and intervenes when the process is delayed or blocked. Compiles statistical data on the success rate of filed applications and the amount of funding obtained for victims.
• Provides a variety of miscellaneous services to victims, which may include: escorting victims to court hearings and trials; explaining the criminal justice process; facilitating the completion of reports by victims; assisting officers with victims too traumatized to make a statement; consulting on difficult or unusual cases; serving as a liaison with CPS and shelters; and/or, performing other related activities.
• Supervises available staff and volunteers to include: prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff are trained; ensuring that employees & volunteers follow policies and procedures; maintaining a healthy and safe working environment; and, making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.
• Ability to travel to required trainings both local and out of state.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills and Specifications

• Knowledge of Protective Orders and Emergency Orders of Protection.
• Knowledge of social work practices.
• Knowledge of ethical work practices.
• Knowledge of victim’s rights and advocacy techniques.
• Knowledge of caseload management principles and practices.
• Skilled in providing crisis intervention.
• Skilled in managing and administering grants including grant reporting.
• Skilled in managing contracts.
• Skilled in showing empathy.
• Skilled in developing and facilitating training sessions.
• Skilled in managing a caseload.
• Skilled in preparing a variety of business correspondence and documentation.
• Skilled in reading, interpreting, applying, and explaining laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Skilled in preparing clear and concise reports.
• Skilled in applying independent judgment, personal discretion, and resourcefulness in interpreting and applying guidelines.
• Skilled in maintaining sensitive and confidential information.
• Skilled in gathering and analyzing information and making recommendations based on findings and in support of organizational goals.
• Skilled in operating a computer and related software applications.
• Skilled in communicating effectively with a variety of individuals.
• Knowledge of Indian Child Welfare program development.
• Knowledge of local and surrounding geography and culture.
• The ability to establish close liaison with child welfare service and enforcement representation.
• Ability to work flexible hours and weekends.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with the community members and staff.
• Ability to adhere to the personnel policies and drug and alcohol polices.
• Ability to manage a program budget.

Education and Qualifications

• A combination of education, training and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job may be considered.
• Previous work experience Native Alaskan tribes preferred.
• Must pass pre-employment criminal background check.
• Must have reliable transportation, a current driver's license, and liability insurance.

Working Conditions

Position requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, talking, seeing, hearing, and fingering. Work is typically performed in a standard office environment with exposure to criminal suspects and prison inmates.

Operates general office equipment including computer, MS Office Suite and Report Management System software, phones, copy machine, etc. Ability to be on call back status after regular business hours (in order to respond to request from Patrol Officers for the purposes of crisis intervention or victim counseling).

Work under stressful circumstances and use of good judgment in assessing victim’s needs.

This position is covered by the provisions of the Crime Control Act of 1990, Subchapter V - Child Care Worker Employee Background Checks (42 U.S.C. 13041) and the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act of 1990 (25 U.S.C. 3201-3210). As such, each applicant will be required, as a pre- condition to employment, to submit to a 5-year criminal history background check, including fingerprinting.

 

Except as provided by the Federal Indian Preference Act, Title 25 USC 45 – 46, there will be no discrimination in selection process for this position because of race, color, age, sex, national origin, physical handicap, marital status, political membership or non-membership in an employee organization. If the applicants have equal qualifications, preference will be given to Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. Applicants claiming Indian preference must submit verification of Indian certification by tribe of affiliation or other acceptable documentation of Indian heritage. All other interested persons are encouraged to apply

 

TO APPLY: Download the NVE Employment Application found on our website

 

Submit a complete application along with a cover letter and resume containing three professional work references.

 

If claiming Tribal hiring preference, please include this in your cover letter and provide a copy of a CIB or Tribal ID.

Complete applications may be submitted electronically to dharris@eklutna.org

Or Application materials may also be mailed to the following address:

 

Native Village of Eklutna

26339 Eklutna Village Road

Chugiak, AK  99567

(907) 688-6020