POSITION SUMMARY

The Survivor Advocate provides trauma-informed advocacy, case management, and supportive services to survivors residing in Transitions Family Violence Services emergency shelter, scatter sites, and/or those receiving services through outreach programs. This position works closely with survivors to identify goals, increase safety and stability, connect to community resources, and support healing and empowerment. The Survivor Advocate partners with staff and local agencies to coordinate services and ensure survivors have access to housing, healthcare, legal assistance, financial resources, transportation, and other community support systems. Survivor Advocates work on a team to ensure services are responsive, confidential, trauma-informed, survivor-centered, culturally humble, accessible, and aligned with agency policies, funder requirements, and best-practice standards for domestic violence and crisis response services. This role requires skills such as problem solving, data entry, and effective communication

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities below are representative of the work required. Transitions may assign additional duties as needed to support agency operations, survivor safety, grant compliance, and continuity of services. 1. Direct Advocacy and Case Management

• Provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered advocacy and case management services to survivors in emergency shelter and outreach settings.
• Conduct needs assessments, safety planning, goal setting, and individualized service planning with survivors.
• Support survivors in accessing housing, healthcare, public benefits, transportation, employment, childcare, education, legal assistance, counseling, substance abuse treatment, mental health resources, and other community resources.
• Maintain regular contact with survivors to monitor progress, provide encouragement, and address barriers to stability and safety.
• Provide post-exit contact with participants as determined by program needs or funding contracts.
• Assist survivors with navigating systems and advocating for their rights and needs.
• Provide emotional support, crisis intervention, and referrals as needed.
• Support survivors in developing self-sufficiency, empowerment, and long-term stability.
• Demonstrate understanding of the impacts of trauma, domestic violence, oppression, and systemic inequities on survivors and families.
• Provide culturally responsive, inclusive, and nonjudgmental services to individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities.
• Promote survivor autonomy, dignity, and self-determination in all service delivery. 2. Emergency Shelter and Cross-Program Support
• Provide supportive services within the emergency shelter setting, including assisting with daily needs, conflict resolution, and community living expectations.
• Assist with housing intakes, orientations, exits, and transitions to permanent or transitional housing.
• Screen survivors to identify which housing services are appropriate to their needs.
• Respond appropriately to crisis situations while maintaining professionalism and trauma-informed care principles.
• Help maintain a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all shelter residents and program participants.
• Collaborate with Hotline Advocates, Housing staff, Counseling, Court Advocacy, and other program staff to ensure continuity of care and timely internal referrals.
• Monitor shared shelter spaces when assigned to help maintain a safe, clean, empowering, non-institutional, and trauma-informed environment.
• Respond appropriately to emergencies, conflicts, safety concerns, mandated reporting issues, and critical incidents in accordance with agency protocol, providing on-call assistance as needed. 3. Collaboration and Community Partnerships
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with community partners, including housing providers, healthcare organizations, legal services, schools, law enforcement, and social service agencies.
• Collaborate with other program staff to ensure continuity of care and appropriate agency or community referrals.
• Coordinate referrals and services to support survivors as they identify goals and needs.
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, case coordination, and community outreach efforts as appropriate.
• Advocate within systems to reduce barriers and improve survivor access to services.
• Provide program information and stories as needed by the development team to build donor support and pursue funding opportunities. 4. Documentation, Data Quality, Training, and Quality Assurance
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case notes, service records, release of information, and data entry in accordance with agency policies and funding requirements.
• Support quality assurance activities, data collection, report preparation, service-trend review, and documentation improvement efforts as assigned.
• Protect survivor confidentiality and uphold ethical standards in all interactions and documentation.
• Recommend and help coordinate ongoing training for the Survivor Advocate role, including crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, cultural humility, accessibility, confidentiality, survivor rights, documentation, and compliance requirements.
• Participate in team meetings, training, supervision, and ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Maintain current knowledge of domestic violence dynamics, coercive control, trauma-informed advocacy, crisis intervention, safety planning, community resources, confidentiality, and best-practice standards.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Public Health, Nonprofit Management, or a related field required; equivalent directly related experience may be considered in accordance with agency needs and grant requirements.
• Minimum of five years of relevant experience in crisis intervention, domestic violence services, human services, social justice, shelter operations, advocacy, case management, hotline services, or a closely related field preferred when degree requirement is not met.
• Demonstrated knowledge of trauma-informed care, survivor-centered advocacy, domestic violence dynamics, crisis intervention, safety planning, confidentiality, and culturally responsive service delivery.
• Experience supporting, coaching, training, coordinating, or supervising staff, interns, volunteers, or peer teams strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with community resources in Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, York County, and the greater Peninsula region preferred.
• Valid driver's license, acceptable driving record, and ability to meet agency background check requirements, including criminal records and CPS checks.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to provide calm, compassionate, and effective crisis response in high-stress, high-risk, and emotionally complex situations.
• Strong understanding of confidentiality, survivor autonomy, mandated reporting, professional ethics, trauma exposure, vicarious trauma, and boundaries in advocacy settings.
• Ability to lead with professionalism, emotional maturity, sound judgment, accountability, and respect for supervisory structure.
• Ability to work respectfully with survivors, staff, volunteers, community partners, and professionals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, identities, and lived experiences.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document clearly, communicate concerns appropriately, and represent the agency with professionalism.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, follow-through, time management, and ability to balance urgent crisis needs with administrative responsibilities.
• Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams/Zoom, case management/data systems, and standard office equipment.
• Ability to maintain cooperative working relationships, receive feedback, participate in supervision, and support a healthy team culture.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS AND EVALUATION

• Maintain case management coordination, documentation quality, survivor-centered response, confidentiality, and timely escalation of concerns.
• Meet established program expectations, key performance indicators, documentation standards, training requirements, and grant-related deliverables as assigned.
• Participate in monthly one-on-one supervision, coaching, performance development, and corrective action processes if needed.
• Employees are evaluated on an informal six-month basis and through an annual formal evaluation.

Continued employment is subject to satisfactory performance, available funding, agency needs, and compliance with agency policies.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work is performed in an office, shelter, crisis-response, and community-based human services environment and may involve exposure to crisis situations, trauma disclosures, urgent safety needs, and emotionally distressing information.
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, use a computer and telephone, communicate clearly, read and prepare documentation, and occasionally lift or move light materials typically associated with office or shelter operations.
• May require local travel, flexible scheduling, emergency response support, and occasional early evening, weekend, holiday, or on-call coverage based on agency needs.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Transitions Family Violence Services is committed to providing trauma-informed, survivor-centered services that promote safety, empowerment, dignity, healing, and hope. Transitions is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants with diverse backgrounds, professional experiences, and lived experiences to apply. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

$40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Education:

Bachelor's (Preferred)

License/Certification:

Driver's License (Required)

Work Location:

In person