Victim Witness Advocate I - Time Limited

Victim Witness Advocate I

The Sonoma County Office of the District Attorney is seeking a motivated and dedicated service-oriented individual to join their Victim Services Division as a Victim Witness Advocate I. Starting salary up to $42.89/hour ($89,516/year) and a competitive total compensation package!

The District Attorney's Office is currently recruiting to fill a Victim Witness Advocate I - Time-Limited position that is currently funded through March 31, 2027.

The District Attorney's Office is looking for a Victim Witness Advocate I, who will act as a liaison between the Deputy District Attorneys and victims of crime to ensure their voice is heard and rights are upheld. The Advocate will have daily contact with victims to provide regular court updates, refer them to community resources, and accompany them to court proceedings. The Victim Witness Advocate I assists with general information to help the victim of a crime better understand the criminal justice process and assists with submission of California Victim Compensation Applications by compiling of restitution documents. Additional responsibilities include:

• Managing an independent caseload
• Advocating for victims of crime and providing referrals for crisis intervention services to address immediate needs
• Prioritizing multiple case assignments in a fast-paced environment
• Observing and listening to the needs of victims
• Engaging with a diverse population, underrepresented communities, and immigrants
• Representing the District Attorney's Office at community events and outreach activities

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• Experience managing a client caseload, advocating for clients, and providing service referrals to clients
• Some experience working with individuals who have sustained significant trauma or crisis situations
• Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Bilingual skills in English/Spanish, English/Mandarin, English/Korean, English/Punjabi, English/Triki, or English/Polynesian is desirable, but not required

Please note: This position requires completion of a 40-hour advocate training and a series of comprehensive trainings by a staff member which includes shadowing. This position also requires attending outreach events and potentially working some weekends and after normal business hours.

What We Offer

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Victim Witness Advocate II ($40.11 - $48.76/hour)
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Education: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, significant coursework in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, criminology, or a closely related field, would provide such opportunity. Experience: Experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, two years of responsible public contact experience involving law enforcement, supportive counseling or similar work in a public or private agency that provided knowledge of community social service resources, would provide such opportunity. Experience dealing with the criminal justice process is highly desirable. License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position. The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver's License. Background Requirements: Incumbents must pass a criminal background investigation.

Knowledge of: the laws and procedures of criminal justice agencies as they affect the responsibilities and rights of victims and witnesses of crimes; personality development, group and family dynamics, human motivation and behavior patterns sufficient to gain rapport with hostile and uncooperative, or traumatized individuals; rules of professional confidentiality concerning victim and advocate, as well as of attorney/client work product; psychological dynamics of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault; the principles, practices and techniques of interviewing; the needs, problems, attitudes and behavior patterns of emotionally vulnerable individuals; community resources available to victims and/or witnesses; child abuse reporting laws; domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse laws. Ability to: develop and maintain the confidence and cooperation of emotionally vulnerable individuals; establish and maintain effective working relationships with victims and/or witnesses and their families, departmental staff, law enforcement officers, attorneys and community agencies; effectively interview victims, families and other individuals to obtain information on a variety of complex and sensitive subjects; provide psychological and emotional support to reduce stress associated with being a victim or witness of crime; initiate and maintain computerized case files to document case activities; relate to a wide variety of individuals from different socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups; analyze situations accurately and to take effective action; adjust to workload changes and meet deadlines under pressure; train and supervise volunteers and intern; speak in public before a variety of groups and organizations.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate