JOB DESCRIPTION: BILINGUAL ADVOCATE (SPANISH) OR ADVOCATE (ASL)

THE ORGANIZATION:

Started in 2012, Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC) creates equitable healing and dignified experiences for survivors of crime by providing free, trauma-informed advocacy, therapeutic, and legal services in conjunction with strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and education to transform existing responses to harm. We are a growing DC nonprofit organization with a team of passionate and dedicated staff.

THE POSITION:
NVRDC seeks a qualified individual to provide advocacy and case management support to survivors, on-call support to NVRDC’s community-based crisis response as part of the DC Sexual Assault Crisis Response Program, and offer follow-up services for survivors.

This position reports to the Advocacy Manager and Advocacy Director.

This individual will be directly responsible for carrying out the mission of NVRDC and must be resourceful, highly organized, a team player, flexible, a critical and analytical thinker, self-reflective and self-aware, and open to growth and learning. The advocate will be committed to working with people from diverse cultural, linguistic, economic, educational and vocational backgrounds to demonstrate NVRDC’s dedication to social justice and access to justice for all victims of crime in DC.

BENEFITS PACKAGE:
This is a full-time, FLSA exempt, at-will position with an annual compensation range of $55,000-$57,000 contingent upon experience. NVRDC offers a competitive benefits package for paid time off, contribution for the cost of health care coverage, company paid basic life insurance policy, paid federal holidays, retirement plan options with a 3% match and vesting after one year, and professional development.

POSITION PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
The advocate is the lifeline of NVRDC and provides individualized support, assistance, advocacy, and referrals to survivors of crime in Washington, DC.
Advocacy Services:

• Work with NVRDC’s advocacy and legal teams to support the outputs of services specific to survivors accessing legal support and advocacy;
• Provide telephonic and in-person advocacy services in the community and/or hospital to survivors of sexual assault in fulfillment of the Sexual Assault Victims Rights Amendment Act;
• Work closely with the Metropolitan Police Department and partner agencies to facilitate open communication and a seamless referral process when survivors report to the police;
• Support outreach and training required for NVRDC’s services efforts;
• Implement NVRDC’s policies and practices in assisting survivors and coordinating with third parties; and
• Refer survivors to appropriate internal and external services to include: medical treatment, compensation assistance, legal support, therapeutic needs, shelter, and social and educational needs.

General Direct Services:

• Attend hearings virtually and in-person in the criminal legal, civil legal, and administrative justice systems to support and advocate for survivors, as needed;
• Assist survivors of crime with case management;
• Participate in education and training opportunities with partner agencies and members of the DC community;
• Maintain accurate and timely case records;
• Work closely with law enforcement agencies, attorneys, schools, health and welfare agencies to carry out the mission and objectives of NVRDC;
• Committed to an anti-racist, client-centered approach to advocacy and ability to work on delicate issues in a compassionate and sensitive manner;
• Manage a diverse caseload of clients for intake, assessment, referrals, and case progress;
• Attend training and webinars related to serving survivors of crime;
• Communicate and work well with staff and clients from a variety of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, and with various religious beliefs, lifestyles, sexual orientation, identities, age variance and differing abilities.
• Perform other duties as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:
The successful candidate for this position must possess a combination of education, direct services, or life experience that supports working with survivors of crime and a demonstrated commitment to both public interest work and assistance to underserved populations. This position requires a self-starter who works well independently and as a team player. The successful candidate will be able to exercise discretion and independent judgment in decision-making on matters significant to the organization, with little to no oversight. Specific skills and background include:

• Proficiency in American Sign Language (ASL); or proficiency in Spanish with the ability to speak, read and write in both English and Spanish;[1]
• Bachelor’s degree encouraged but not required; related degree field preferred (Criminal Justice, Sociology, Psychology, Women and Gender Studies, Social Work);
• 1-3 years of direct victim services experience, strongly preferred;
• Experience working with survivors of power based violence;
• Shift work or on-call experience a plus;
• Must be able respond across DC within 1 hour or being activated when on-call and available to work weekends and holidays;
• Extensive knowledge of victim services available within the District of Columbia, preferred;
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, anti-racist, anti-oppression, and/or ending power-based violence;
• Demonstrated desire to work with crime victims and ensure they receive the services;
• Experience working for marginalized communities and crime victims;
• Experience working in the nonprofit arena;
• Top-notch oral and written communication skills;
• A reputation for integrity, dependability, and professionalism;

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compliance with partner/affiliate policy may be required to fulfill core duties detailed in your job description. Such partners/affiliates may include but are not limited to District and Federal Court systems, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Metropolitan Police Department, DCFNE and the like. Such directives may include but are not limited to use of personal protective equipment, health testing (such as Tuberculosis screening), flu and COVID vaccine requirements, and other directives as determined by NVRDC’s Executive Director when necessary to keep staff, clients, and partners safe and healthy.

It is anticipated that this position will require a hybrid of in person work at the NVRDC office, in court, at the hospital, on-scene, at outreach events, staff meetings, trainings, fundraising events, partnership meetings, or other locations and telework.

Additionally, this position requires residency within the DC region as defined by the ability to consistently respond in person as part of the core job function of this role.

HOW TO APPLY:
Individuals of color, survivors of crime, and LGBTQ individuals are encouraged to apply. NVRDC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of an individual’s race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or status as a victim of sexual or domestic violence or stalking, or any other status protected by applicable federal and District of Columbia laws. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request. Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats.

This position is a Protection and Security Sensitive position in accordance with DC Regulation Rule 6-B406. All offers of employment are contingent upon the clear result of a background check and drug and alcohol screening. Disqualifying events pertain to ensuring compliance with serving minors, sexual assault survivors, and victims of crime. Background checks are conducted on all final candidates and up to an annual recurrence as determined by program compliance and the Executive Director.

NVRDC implements a redacted recruitment process for the hiring of positions. Identifiers of above statuses, and any other status protected by applicable federal and District of Columbia laws, are redacted prior to application review by the hiring team. There will be a rolling interview process, we encourage interested candidates to apply early.

Due to the volume of applicants, we will only contact individuals invited to interview.

Please follow these specific instructions for submitting your application:

• Apply through Indeed by submitting your resume and cover letter in PDF format, OR email your resume and cover letter in PDF format to careers@nvrdc.org. Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis.
• Use the subject line: “Bilingual Advocate Application, [your last name]”
• In the body of the email, copy and paste these questions and add your answer for each question below.
• Do you currently live in DC or within 20 miles of DC?
• Are you authorized to work in the United States?
• Will you now or in the future require work authorization?
• If offered the position, would you be able to start within approximately two weeks of receiving an offer?

NVRDC values and embraces diversity and equal opportunity and is dedicated to offering welcoming programmatic, attitudinal, and physical environments that enable diverse populations to freely access our facility and its services. NVRDC is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to the fair and equal treatment of all individuals with disabilities as prescribed by this law, whether they are clients, employees, or volunteers.

Candidates who make the final round of interviews will be subject to proficiency tests. ↑

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $57,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Application Question(s):

• Do you currently live in DC or 20 miles of DC?
• Are you authorized to work in the United States?
• Will you now or in the future require work authorization?
• If offered the position, would you be able to start within approximately two weeks of receiving an offer?
• Are you proficient in speaking Spanish or American Sign Language?

Work Location: In person