Domestic Violence Victim Advocate (50273)

OUR MISSION

The Family Place empowers survivors of family violence by providing safe housing, counseling, and skills that create independence while building community engagement and advocating for social change to stop family violence.

Position Summary:

In this position as Domestic Violence Victim Advocate, you will collaborate with the 301st District Court to provide essential safety planning, advocacy, supportive counseling, and court accompaniment for survivors navigating the legal system in their most vulnerable moments. 

You'll serve as a trusted guide and support system, helping clients understand and navigate the court process, seek protective orders, complete intake paperwork for supervised visitation and scheduling, and access victim compensation through the Office of Victim Services. Attend hearings at the 301st District Court to identify potential clients who need advocacy services, provide crisis intervention and needs assessment in the court-based setting, and offer continued communication and support throughout the victim's involvement with The Family Place services. You'll coordinate with court staff to establish effective safety plans that prioritize victim protection, connect survivors to emergency shelter, housing, childcare, legal services, clinical resources, medical services, and transitional compensation, and ensure they have a safe place to wait for hearings with access to free childcare provided by staff and volunteers. Develop strong networking relationships with community agencies, provide ongoing training and consultation on advocacy to court staff and volunteers, and educate the community about the impact of family and sexual violence. 

If you have strong crisis intervention skills, understand the legal system and court processes, and want to be the steady, supportive presence that helps survivors navigate the justice system with dignity and safety, this is your opportunity to make an immediate difference at a critical intervention point. This position is Part-time, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 20 hours.

Key Responsibilities:

Court-Based Advocacy & Client Services

• Attend hearings at the 301st District Court; work and coordinate advocacy services with litigants as potential candidates; answer parental questions about FLP services.
• Communicate with appropriate Family Place and 301st District Court staff to establish current and effective safety plans, recognizing the victim's safety as the advocate's top responsibility and priority.
• Provide crisis intervention and needs assessment in a court-based setting.
• Accompany victims to court appointments as necessary and when requested by the victim.

Resource Coordination & Support Services

• Offer victims information, resources, and options regarding their identified needs (e.g., emergency shelter, housing, childcare, legal services, clinical resources, medical services, transitional compensation, etc.).
• Provide information about victim compensation through the Office of Victim Services to help with the application process and connections to other services that include residential and nonresidential services.
• Assist clients with understanding and navigating through the court process, seeking an order of protection, intake paperwork for supervised visitation and scheduling, securing free childcare with the use of staff and volunteers, and a safe place for survivors to wait for hearings.
• Offer continued communication and support throughout the victim's involvement with The Family Place identified services.

Program Monitoring & Quality Assurance

• Monitor the methods by which referrals for resources are given by agency service providers (e.g., crisis hotline, shelter staff, counseling center or outreach staff).

Training, Education & Community Collaboration

• Offer ongoing training and consultation on advocacy to agency staff, county court staff, interns, and volunteers.
• Develop strong networking relationships with agencies providing services to clients in need.
• Participate in community education opportunities concerning the issues affecting victims of family and sexual violence.
• Advise victims of the impact of domestic violence on children and support victim's efforts to have children assessed and treated as needed.

Professional Development

• Participate in employee staff meetings and trainings as scheduled.

Other Duties

• Perform other related tasks and duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Sociology, or any other related field of study; and 2-3 years experience in an advocate or case management role.  
• Bilingual skills (English/Spanish) may be required based on the position needs. 

Licenses and Certifications:

Valid Texas Driver’s License and a clear driving record.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the dynamics of domestic violence relationships.
• Knowledge of the best practices in the field of domestic violence
• Knowledge of the criminal and civil courts and familiarity with family law.
• Skilled in working with others to convey information effectively
• Skilled at building rapport with victims of violence or trauma.
• Skilled in managing stressful situations (redirection, escalating, grounding techniques)
• Ability to organize, prioritize and plan effectively.
• Ability to work with cross- functional teams.
• Ability to gather accurate program statistics.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to maintain client confidentiality.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills and organizational skills.
• Possess adequate personal health, social maturity, and emotional stability to fulfill job functions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient in MS Office (Word and Outlook) and data management environments.
• Possess dependable transportation and liability insurance coverage.

Mental and Physical Duties:

Limited physical effort is required associated with lifting and carrying objects (less than 25 lbs). Ability to travel to various locations for client needs.

Working Conditions:

Work may be performed, but is not limited to an office environment. Duties are usually performed seated with occasional periods of standing or walking. Work must be performed in the office or in a court setting due to confidentiality of client matters.

Essential Personnel Designation: Essential

Essential employees are required to report for all scheduled hours regardless of inclement weather, holidays, or facility closures unless explicitly notified otherwise by leadership. This includes all employees assigned to shelter locations or designated as residential staff. Essential employees who work when other operations are closed due to inclement weather will receive time-and-a-half pay. Refer to The Family Place Inclement Weather Policy for complete details.

More About US:

At The Family Place, we embrace and live our values: TEAM

• Together: We believe that collaboration is key to our success. Foster a supportive environment, build trust, act with integrity, and expect transparent communication.
• Excellence: We are known for our compassion and commitment to excellence, acting with urgency, and advocating for our clients and community.
• Accountable: Responsible for our actions and decisions. We accept responsibility rather than blame others. Builds relationships to drive results.
• Mission-Focused: Clients come first. Service is our passion, experienced with empathy and compassion.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability 
• Multiple Life, AD&D, and Hospitalization in life insurance options
• Retirement options through: 403b, agency matching, and HSA accounts
• Generous paid time off and holidays
• Professional development opportunities
• Benefits referenced above for Full-Time employees

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The Family Place reserves the right to revise or change job duties as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. Employment at will.

Salary : $18 - $27