ADVOCACY MANAGER

POSITION SUMMARY

The Advocacy Manager is an inclusive and collaborative leader who is resourceful, proactive, and comfortable working with diverse populations. This role provides guidance, coaching, training, professional development, and supervision for the advocacy staff working in our 24-hour hotline office. Motivating staff, prioritizing tasks, and creating a safe, structured, and supportive environment for residents and children in shelter are essential functions of the role. 

A qualified applicant will be able to model extraordinary advocacy skills in the following areas: crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, problem-solving, answering the crisis hotline, providing resource referrals, completing enrollment interviews, supplying basic needs, safety planning, monitoring the safety and security of the shelter, ensuring the cleanliness and sanitation of the shelter, and promoting scheduled activities for the residents. 

Managing operational and interpersonal functions and responsibilities will include but are not limited to recruiting and interviewing staff candidates, monitoring staff performance and providing regular and timely feedback, maintaining supplies inventory, completing quality checks on documentation and data entry, and ensuring we are meeting grant requirements and strategic goals for the department.

The Advocacy will report to the Chief Operating Officer.

SCHEDULE + BENEFITS

• This is a full-time, salaried position (starting at $50, 000)
• Tuesday through Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 9am-5pm

Qualified applicants for this position will participate in a regular on-call schedule, and there are times that a different temporary work schedule may be required depending on shift coverage. As a 24x7 operation, the hotline and advocacy office must always be staffed.

Newhouse pays 100% of employee health and dental benefits and matches 401(k) contributions 4% (following a 90-day qualifying period for enrollment). We offer an EAP (Employee Assistance Program), and a generous PTO package starting at six weeks of PTO per year and a two-week sabbatical after one year of employment. Newhouse also has an executive chef on staff and provides three hot meals to residents that shelter staff can also enjoy.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILTIES

Supervision of assigned staff members

• Ensure coverage of the 24x7 operation through proactive scheduling of staff and recruitment of additional staff as needed.
• Provide leadership, supervision, and evaluation in weekly one-on-one meetings to Advocacy staff.
• Schedule and lead monthly Advocate team meetings.
• Provide on-call phone services to address emergency situations when scheduled.
• Able to effectively organize and prioritize tasks, details, and assignments to meet deadlines.
• Must possess executive maturity, sound judgment, professionalism, and act as a team player.
• Work with limited supervision to improve processes, client experience, and overall client operations.
• Conduct annual performance appraisal with each assigned staff member, problem solve issues and addresses job related concerns.
• Train staff in current initiatives and oversee the implementation of processes.
• Address client concerns and crisis situations while providing guidance to staff.
• Possess cultural responsiveness and excellent interpersonal, communication, decision-making, and assessment skills. Actions, words, and behaviors are aligned and delivered in a trauma informed way.

Other Agency responsibilities

• Support volunteer program in interacting with residential and hotline program as well as during special events including awareness events and client social activities
• Attend meetings as scheduled (Treatment review, health + safety check-ins, consultation meetings) to provide trauma-competent perspective for interdisciplinary team and emotional support for client.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to support community referrals, as needed.
• Attend trainings as required by agency and licensing board (if applicable).
• Alignment and adherence to the Newhouse mission, vision, values, and organizational culture.
• Maintain accurate documentation ensuring that all notes and documentation are entered in a timely manner but no less than weekly.
• Create a safe, structured, and supportive environment for residents and children in shelter and in non-residential services
• Follows the employee handbook, direct services guidebook and uses the resident guidebook as a framework for expectations and engagement with clients.
• Demonstrated problem solving, conflict mediation, and crisis management skills.
• Ability to set appropriate boundaries be adaptable and flexible, and maintain calm demeanor in a fast-paced, high-stress setting/situations.
• Knowledge and understanding of domestic violence through educational and/or experiential learning.
• Highly motivated, resourceful, flexible, and possesses a positive attitude.
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with clients, employees, and other department staff.
• Knowledge and practice of non-violent methods of regulation and behavior correction.
• Willingness to explore community resources that are available to support families in shelter.
• Computer literacy, including MS Office, and the ability to use basic computer programs to enter accurate and timely information into shelter database.
• Experience with recruiting, interviewing, and delivering performance evaluations.
• Solution-focused attitude and practices

EXPERIENCE, ABILITIES + QUALIFICATIONS

• Comfortable in a high performing, fast-paced and quickly growing organization; demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals, meet deadlines and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Dedicated to the details and masterful at multi-tasking.
• Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to use outstanding interpersonal, political navigation, and written + verbal communication skills to build strong relationships and negotiate challenging situations.
• Proven history of self-directed work to improve processes and procedures and excellent understanding of business processes and operations.
• Integrity, honesty and high ethical standards.
• Keen interpersonal skills, utilizing Trauma Informed Care and Inclusive Culture of Belonging models.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s Degree or relevant experience without a degree
• 2+ years experience supervising staff
• Other degrees along with experience may be accepted in lieu of a human service-related degree, or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.