Survivor Advocacy Adult Advocate -NTX

Job Description

Job Description

Unbound Now is ending human trafficking by identifying victims, supporting survivors, seeking justice, and leading system change. We are motivated by our faith in Jesus and work each day as individuals driven by hope, oriented towards service, and committed to excellence. To learn more about our values, please read our Statement of Faith. 

Job Title: Advocate

Job Status: Full-time, Exempt, Grant-supported (1 year, but plan to apply for continuance)

Job Location: Unbound Now local office, on-site

Job Summary: The primary function of the Advocate is to provide individualized crisis response and ongoing case management and support for survivors of human trafficking, using sound professional judgment and best practices to ensure high-quality services and maintain compliance with established program, state, and federal standards.

Compensation: Annual salary

Benefits: Unbound Now is proud to offer a premier benefits package that prioritizes the health and financial security of our team members and their families:

• 100% Employer-Paid Health Insurance: We cover 100% of medical premiums for both the employee and their family. 
• Employer-Paid Life Insurance: Fully covered for the employee at no cost.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with a 3% salary match (eligible after 90 days; 1-year vesting).
• Dental & Vision: Comprehensive plans available at the employee’s expense.

Schedule/Availability : 40-50 hrs/wk. Evening, weekend, and holiday calls required. Scheduling flexibility is needed.

Travel: Frequent travel within the immediate local area and occasional in-state or out-of-state travel required for survivor transportation, court accompaniment, or professional training.

Working conditions: Work is performed in standard office settings, hospital/court environments, partner agency facilities, other service-provider conditions, or other professional business environments. Extensive work is conducted within the community, including high-vulnerability locations. Duties occasionally require exposure to weather extremes, hazardous environments, noise, fumes, odors, bodily fluids, and high-stress situations.

Job Responsibilities:

• Respond to calls from law enforcement, CST care coordinators, and other referral sources when on call; arrive at the victim’s location within the required time frame.

• Meet immediate physical needs - clothes, food, toiletries, etc.
• Provide ongoing field-based advocacy, case management, and emotional support.
• Independently coordinate referrals, service planning, and documentation of services for assigned caseload.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments, develop service plans, and make independent decisions in the field regarding the safety and well-being of assigned clients.
• Provide transportation to appointments and services as needed and as feasible (if serving a youth, must have parent or guardian permission to transport to appointments and services)
• Meet with each assigned survivor every other week if in town; meet with survivors placed out-of-town monthly;  maintain communication through other means in between weekly meetings.

• In collaboration with the client, help create and update safety plans.

• Attend CPS case staffings and MDT emergency response meetings, and schedule staffings.

• Document all interactions with survivors and partner agencies within 72 hours.
• Build and maintain good relationships with organizations that provide services relevant to trafficking survivors.
• Alert the supervisor when difficult situations arise.
• Recognize red flag behavior and report to the supervisor.
• Convey a service-oriented approach: 
  • Communicate an eagerness to be helpful, starting with every referral, initial contact, and/or initial engagement and continuing through service delivery, with all stakeholders.
  • Provide those seeking assistance with help, even when they are ineligible for advocate services or are seeking something outside Unbound Now’s scope. 

• When referring someone, offer a warm handoff to others whenever possible. 
• Balance the limitations of the advocate role with being resourceful, including seeking help from others as needed. 
• Be consistent, reliable, and flexible. 
• Collaborate actively in support of partners’ objectives.

• Ensure case management in collaboration with ongoing system and service- or investigation-based case management, continuing case management beyond others’ eligibility parameters.
• Ensure that case management is carried out in a manner that is relationship-based, trauma-responsive, and survivor-centered.
• Commit to in-person meetings with your supervisor every other week. A Zoom video call supervision may occur once every 30 days.
• Participate in Unbound Now’s advocate resilience group.
• Apply specialized training and use professional judgment in determining the best way to serve survivors during a crisis and on an ongoing basis.
• Participate in weekly advocacy team meetings/case staffings.
• Submit expense documentation properly and within required time frames per the company expense policy, and follow all Ramp Monthly Closeout Instructions and Process.
• Submit travel reimbursements daily , adhering to all travel guidelines.
• Submit timesheet hours/grant allocations daily, adhering to grant guidelines (if applicable).
• Complete all Unbound Now required training on time.

*This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. The scope of the position may change as necessitated by organizational demands.

Working Relationships:

Reports to: Director of Survivor Advocacy

Works with: Unbound Now local office team, CST care coordinators, MDT partners, and other Unbound Now survivor advocacy teams

Supervises: None

Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field
• Experience working with victims of human trafficking, victims of child abuse and neglect, or persons experiencing homelessness and/or substance dependence, or experience in a related field preferred.
• Trained in trauma-informed care
• Preferred: 2-3 years of case management and/or crisis intervention experience
• Trained in the stages of change model and the use of motivational interviewing

Job Requirements:

• Mature Christian faith, as evidenced by participation in a local Christian church; commitment to the vision, mission, and core values of Unbound Now using the HOPE model. Active participation in staff devotions and consistent prayer support for the ministry, donors, and volunteers.
• Must be at least 23 years of age or older; pass employment eligibility verification (Form I-9); provide three references (supervisor, professional, personal); agree to and pass all required criminal background checks, including the DFPS criminal history check and the abuse and neglect registry check.
• Abide by all Unbound Now policies, state and federal regulations, MDT protocols, and organizational safety guidelines at all times, including the Abuse Prevention and Response Policy. Maintain strict adherence to administrative governance, including prompt completion of required annual/pre-service trainings, expense reviews, and daily timesheet/grant allocation logs.
• High level of emotional maturity, strong responsibility, and a strong service ethic with a commitment to excellence. Action-oriented, positive, innovative problem solver, adaptable, courageous, trustworthy, and tenacious in achieving goals, with a commitment to personal and professional growth, building trust with others, and maintaining absolute data security, survivor privacy, and confidentiality protocols.
• Demonstrated case management or crisis response experience with a high level of accountability, bringing frontline experience with a track record of success. Ability to operationalize advocacy strategies, support survivors and teams, achieve service objectives, contain field expenses within budget, and complete time-sensitive case documentation with excellence.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills with proficiency in technology, case management database software, and collaborating effectively across teams. Ability to inspire, engage, and mobilize regional partners, CST care coordinators, law enforcement, and community leaders in Unbound Now’s mission.
• Knowledge of human trafficking dynamics and Unbound Now's core programs and operations, with the ability to maintain a hope-filled posture in the fight against human trafficking, practice robust vicarious trauma mitigation/self-care, and serve as a collaborative brand steward across all field operations.
• Ability to manage client assistance resources, field spending, travel reimbursements, and grant-funded allocations responsibly within allocated budget guidelines. Valid driver’s license, reliable personal vehicle, valid car insurance coverage, and willingness to use personal vehicle for survivor transport and field travel. Full willingness to serve in an on-call rotation for 24-hour crisis response, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
  

Physical and Driving Requirements

• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be able to operate a personal or company vehicle as needed for work-related travel.
• Demands the ability to respond on scene during all hours of the night.
• Occasional physical demands may require the ability to lift or carry loads up to 50 pounds.
• Frequent demands require close visual attention to detail and prolonged periods of mental concentration.
• Ability to enter documentation into a case management software system.

Equal Employment Opportunity & Faith Statement: Unbound Now is an equal opportunity employer. As a faith-based non-profit organization, Unbound Now exercises its legal right under Section 702 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to hire individuals who align with our Christian faith, mission, and core values.