Supervising Advocacy Specialist - Advocacy & Representation

Disability Rights Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s Protection and Advocacy system. The agency is charged with protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities and keeping them free from abuse and neglect. Employing a variety of means, our advocates and attorneys use individual casework and systems advocacy to achieve positive changes in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. We are seeking employees who value this work. In turn, we treat our employees well, offering a supportive environment, talented colleagues, excellent benefits, and generous leave.

Disability Rights Wisconsin arose out of the disability civil rights movement, demanding that the abuse of people with disabilities end and that people with disabilities be included in life, school, workplaces, and communities. Our core values include: Diversity, Dignity, Independence, Accessibility, Inclusion, Human Rights, and Liberation. We approach our work by recognizing the intersectional nature of oppression experienced by people with disabilities and work to address disability-related injustices at the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and more.

We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment at DRW where every person feels a sense of belonging.

Our Programs Include

• Protection & Advocacy for people with disabilities: addressing abuse/neglect, discrimination, access to services, education rights, institutional monitoring, and systemic reform.
• Disability Benefits Specialist: helping people access Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance.
• Family Care & IRIS Ombudsman: supporting people to remain in community-based settings.
• Victim Advocacy: advocacy and representation for crime victims with disabilities.
  
  

Position Information

Full Time Equivalent: 40 Hours/week

Reports to: Managing Attorney

Rate: $64,520 - $80,404 annually

Location: Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) has offices in Milwaukee and Madison. This position can be assigned to any of these office locations, depending on the applicant’s residence. This position is not eligible for fully remote work. DRW has a hybrid work policy.

Application Deadline: Applicants who apply by June 22nd will be given preferred consideration. Position will remain open until filled.

About This Position

The Supervising Advocacy Specialist oversees a team of Advocacy Specialists who provide individual and systemic advocacy for children and adults with disabilities. The Supervising Advocacy Specialist oversees case strategy development and workload management, as well as maintaining a limited advocacy portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of Advocacy Specialists- 40% 
• Assess and assign cases to team members
• Facilitate individual and team meetings and advise on casework and development.
• Attend and participate in staff and case-related meetings and present reports.
• Oversee the utilization of data tools to maintain accurate records of case progress.
• Provide overall supervision, including onboarding and coaching, performance reviews, recruitment, professional development, case monitoring, and workload management of Advocacy Specialists.
• Work collaboratively with external entities and internal stakeholders.
• Conduct individual and systemic advocacy – 20%
• Provide direct services to clients; conduct need assessments; refer clients to other service providers; coordinate with DRW attorneys to support clients through court proceedings. 
• Work collaboratively with external entities and internal stakeholders.  
• Provide documentation for grievances and appeals. 
• Coordinate with DRW attorneys on representation at administrative hearings.
• Support informal resolution and self-advocacy for clients. 
• Develop person-specific strategies and skills to empower client self-advocacy. 
• Administration – 20%
• Monitor and track information in notifications mailboxes and distribute correspondence as needed; Coordinate and implement team meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and updating investigation tracking documents.   
• Maintains accurate and complete client case files in compliance with DRW data reporting and confidentiality requirements and compiles and organizes statistical data. 
• Analyzing trends and outcomes to inform annual reporting, enhance organizational performance, and support continuous improvement. 
• Prepares reports on program activities. 
  
  

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Community Engagement – 20%

Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with other local, state, and federal agencies, stakeholders, and organizations responsible for investigating, preventing, or otherwise responding to incidents. 

Attend meetings with state officials. Represent DRW on task forces, coalitions, and committees concerned with relevant issues. 

Cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with private and public agencies, advocacy organizations, and facilities serving the disability community.  

Provide internal and external training and develop educational materials on relevant issues.

General –

Adhere to all DRW policies and procedures, including but not limited to work hours, timesheets, file maintenance, confidentiality, and security. 

Participate in DRW activities such as all-staff meetings and committees. 

May be other related duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or four years of paid work providing advocacy to vulnerable people may be considered in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.
• Experience with individual casework, which could include case management, advocacy support, investigation, negotiation, and/or mediation.
• Experience working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
• Computer skills, including email, word processing, and accurate case file maintenance.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team and manage your own workload, which includes prioritizing work and multitasking multiple cases simultaneously.
• Previous supervisory experience.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience/direct contact with persons with disabilities or social justice movements either in a paid or unpaid capacity. 
• General knowledge or ability to learn about resources relevant to individuals in Wisconsin’s disability-related services/legal rights, residential, prevention of abuse/neglect systems, including Family Care, IRIS, community-based mental health programs, and adult/child protective services. 
• Experience with case development, strategy, and workload management. 
• Ability to write and/or speak Spanish, Hmong, or ASL as well as English is desired. 
• Experience with Microsoft Edge, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook. 
• Personal or professional advocacy experience which may include providing outreach, training, and/or technical assistance. 
  
  

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Remaining in a stationary position, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods: 27 to 40 or more hours per week
• Moving about to accomplish tasks or moving from one worksite to another: 10 hours or less per week
• Repetitive motions that may include the wrists, hands, and fingers: 27 to 40 or more hours per week
• Operating motor vehicles: 10 hours or less per week
• Sedentary work that primarily involves sitting and standing: 27 to 40 or more hours per week
  
  

Benefits

Disability Rights Wisconsin places an unparalleled value on the well-being of our staff. The following benefits are offered for permanent employees who work 20 or more hours per week:

• Generous employer contribution for individual and family health insurance, plus a Health Reimbursement Account for uncovered health care costs.
• Employer-provided Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Contribution
• Flex Spending Account
• Access to affordable, quality:

• Dental, Vision Coverage
  
  

• Additional Life Insurance for the employee, spouse, and children
  
  

• Critical Illness Insurance
  
  

• Identity Theft
  
  

• Pet Insurance
• Public Student Loan Forgiveness:
  
  
Employment at our organization may qualify you for federal student loan forgiveness programs. We do not directly pay for – nor forgive – federal student loans. However, our status as a not-for-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) makes us an eligible employer. There may be other factors that determine whether one qualifies.

For more information, read the Federal Student Aid Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) page:

studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

Generous Paid Time Off Policies Include


• 10 Fixed and 4 Floating Holidays
• Leave time for:
  
  

• Medical and Caretaking
  
  

• Vacation
  
  

• Personal
  
  

• Bereavement Leave
  

Additional benefits include the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Commuter Choice, and Sabbatical Leave.

Equal Employment Opportunity Act (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA)

We are an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status, following Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Our organization is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment.