Victim Services Advocate

Salary: $53,934.40 - $86,278.40 Annually
Location : Leander, TX
Job Type: Full time
Job Number: VS.9/2024
Department: Police Department
Division: Police Criminal Investigations
Opening Date: 09/12/2024
Closing Date: 10/18/2024 11:59 PM Central
Summary
Performs mid-level (complex) work. Assist in the management of crisis response for victim and witness assistance program of the Leander Police Department and its daily operations. Works under minimal supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement.
The following 2 forms are required documents. The forms need to be completed, signed, and/or notarized where applicable. Once complete, the forms should be submitted with your application or if your application has already been submitted please email them to
Background Waiver
Once you have submitted all required forms, you will be sent an invitation link to create an account with Guardian Alliance; Complete the online personal history statement via the Guardian Alliance platform. You cannot proceed in the process without completing and submitting your personal history statement. A preliminary basic background check will be conducted and you will be notified if selected to continue to the written test.
Salary will depend on experience.
EOE.
Essential Duties & Required Qualifications
Duties and Responsibilities
• Assists in the operation of the crisis response for victim and witness assistance program.
• Provides training and performance monitoring of volunteer staff.
• Provides victims with written notification of availability of medical or emergency services, victim's compensation, referral to social service agencies, and victim's rights in compliance with Art. 56.07 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
• Assists victims of crime in receiving guarantees and rights as prescribed in the Texas Crime Victim Rights. Rights include receiving protection from harm and threats, maintaining victim referral information pertinent to their case, assisting victims in obtaining social services as needed, assisting victims with crime victim's compensation submissions, assisting victims with criminal justice information and referral to the appropriate services. Also includes interviewing and following-up with certain victims / witnesses and family members of victims on police requests and assisting with the processing of victim compensation claims.
• Assists in collection of data for statistical analysis to enhance the delivery of services or tracking of effectiveness; evaluates program for effectiveness and accomplishment of goals.
• Ensures effective and positive communications within the division and between other police department services, as well as a liaison between this department and a variety of external victim / witness constituent groups.
• Assists in development of and conducts public information and education programs.
• Assists in conducting police department training and education programs in the areas of crisis intervention, post traumatic stress, victim services program procedures, community resources and other relevant issues.
• Maintains on-call status and responds to emergency summons by the CID staff to provide services to the victims of violent crimes and or unnatural deaths outside normal working hours.
• Other duties may be assigned.
• Employee is required to work overtime as the need arises, may have to answer subpoenaed appearances in court on employee's day off or before and/or after a regularly scheduled work shift.
Required Education and Experience
• An associate's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, sociology, or a social or behavioral science, or related field.
• Minimum of One year of full-time work experience in crisis or trauma counseling, victim services counseling or victim services coordination.
Required Certificates and Licenses
• Valid driver's license from any State. Must be able to obtain a Texas driver's license with 90 days of hire.
Preferred Qualifications
• Two years of full-time work experience in crisis or trauma counseling, or victim services counseling or victim services coordination.
• Experience working with grant-funded programs.
• Experience working in the criminal justice environment.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of operations and functions of a victim services program.
• Knowledge of criminal justice field and familiarity with terminology associated with the criminal justice field.
• Knowledge of city and departmental policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of all appropriate laws, including city ordinances, and appropriate administrative laws.
• Skill and ability to train and motivate employees.
• Possess excellent customer service skills and phone etiquette.
• Displays willingness to make professional decisions. Exhibits sound and accurate judgment. Supports and explains reasoning for decisions. Includes appropriate people in decision making process. Makes timely decisions.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.

Physical Demands & Additional Information
Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to have normal speech, normal or corrected vision, and normal or corrected hearing. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and be able to lift, push, or pull up to 25 pounds with or without assistance, if required. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified in this position.
Job offer and continuation of employment with the City of Leander is contingent upon:

• Proof of education, certification(s) and experience as listed on the employment application based on the job posting requirements.
• Satisfactory results from a pre-employment criminal history background and driving record check.
• to work in the United States without sponsorship. *
• Compliance with the for male US citizens and immigrants, who are ages 18-25.

*The City of Leander participates in E-Verify! Information from each new employee's Form I-9 will be provided to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to confirm work authorization.
The City of Leander is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information in employment.
Applicants should communicate requests for disability-related accommodations during the application process to our Human Resources Department at or 512-528-2708. Deaf and hard of hearing applicants may contact our office via Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or 1-800-735- 2989 (TTY/TDD).
Your well-being and that of your family matters to you, and so it's important to us too. To support you and your loved ones through life's many challenges, we offer our full time employees access to a wide array of benefits including health, dental, vision, life, disability, accident, cancer, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, employee assistance, paid holidays, paid sick leave, paid emergency leave, longevity pay, golf course discounts as well as generous retirement and deferred compensation programs and social security participation.
Medical
We offer two types of medical plans (a traditional PPO plan and a high deductible health plan) so that you can choose the one that best fits your needs. The premium you pay is based on which plan you select and who you cover. Covering just yourself? The City currently pays the entire employee-only premium for either plan. Covering qualified dependents in your family? Currently, we'll pay your employee premium and split the remainder of the spouse/child/family premium with you - we pay 60%; you pay 40%. That generous cost share reflects our philosophy that our employees and their families should have the best health care we can afford to provide.
Dental
Dental plans include a DMO option (no cost for employee-only coverage) and two more traditional plans whose premiums are also affordable. You can choose to cover yourself or any qualified dependents and choose which plan best suits your dental needs. Currently, for the DHMO option, we pay the employee premium and split the remainder of the spouse/child/family premiums with you - we pay 50%; you pay 50%. Under the more traditional plans, although we don't pay the entire employee-only premium, we still split the incremental dependent premiums with you 50/50.
Vision
Access to $10 eye exam co-pays and up to $150 frame and contact lens allowances make vision insurance a popular benefit among employees. Cover yourself for just a few bucks a pay period or all of your qualified dependents for not much more.
Life/AD&D
Your basic employee $15,000 term life insurance policy is paid for by the city. Accidental Death & Dismemberment under the plan would pay an additional $15,000 to your beneficiary if you die in an accident. More life insurance coverage is paid for by the City and provided through our Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) program. If that's still not enough coverage, you can purchase more life/AD&D coverage for yourself and your qualified dependents. Over the age of 65? These coverages are subject to an age reduction schedule.
Disability
Both short and long term disability plans which provide up to 60% income replacement are available to purchase at competitive rates.
Accident & Cancer
Need extra coverage for off-the-job medical injuries or a cancer diagnosis? Supplemental plans that pay cash for some of life's most unexpected events are available for purchase.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Want to set aside some pre-tax dollars for health care expenses or dependent care expenses? If you select the traditional EPO medical coverage, you can set aside pre-tax money for medical expenses through the City's Section 125 medical FSA plan, which is managed by an outside carrier. You can do the same for dependent day care expenses, regardless of which medical plan you select.
Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
The high deductible health care plan has its own provisions for pre-tax health savings (HSA) so you can set aside money for your qualified health care expenses. The City will add $1000 to your health savings account to get you started each plan year.
Employee Assistance Program
We know that sometimes your needs are much different than a doctor visit or a prescription, so the City pays for a generous employee assistance program through Alliance to help you or any household member with counseling, legal referrals or simply a safe ride home.
Holidays
The City has thirteen designated holidays each year.
Vacation Leave
Most full time, regular employees (excluding firefighters on a 24 hour shift schedule and department heads) accrue 3.69 hours of vacation time each pay period and are eligible to use that time after just six months of employment. The longer you work for the city, the more vacation time you receive, with those accrual rates going up at 4, 9 and 14+ years of service. Never use your vacation time? Don't worry; you can bank up to two times your annual accrued hours before you stop accruing.
Sick Leave
As a full time regular employee (excluding firefighters on a 24 hour shift), you accrue 3.69 hours of sick leave each pay period, which you are eligible to use after your first pay period with the city. You can also continue to build your sick leave balance up to 480 hours for those unexpected emergencies.
Emergency Leave
The City allows up to five days of paid leave (or two 24 hour shifts for 24/48 hour fire department) for regular employees in the event of the death of an immediate family member (as defined in city personnel policy).
Longevity Pay
Regular full-time employees after they've been employed for one year or more are eligible for an annual payout of $5 for every month of City service. So, while that first year $60 check might not seem like a ton of money, that $1500 check (minus taxes of course) for your 25 years of service which is paid around Thanksgiving will likely help you feel very thankful for a little extra cash for Christmas shopping.
Retirement
All regular full-time employees participate in our Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Your 7% investment each payroll period is matched 2 to 1 by the City and is vested at 5 years. You can retire at age 60 with 5 or more years of service or younger if you have at least 20 years of service. You can also receive service credit for certain types of military service. The City's TMRS plan is one of the most generous retirement plans around.
Deferred Compensation
If saving 7% with a 2 to 1 match through TMRS isn't enough to meet your financial goals, you can stash even more on a pre-tax basis through the City's 457 plan. Start or stop saving at any time - up to $18,000 annually if you're under 50, and up to $24,000 if you're older.
Social Security
City of Leander employees also participate in the social security system under FICA regulations.
Golf Course
We have a gorgeous golf course. Want to learn how to play? As a City employee you can play for 50% off. Check it out!
01
Are you authorized to work in the United States?

• Yes
• No

02
Do you currently have any outstanding warrants?

• No
• Yes

03
Have you ever been convicted, plead guilty (nolo contendere), or received court-ordered community service/probation or deferred adjudication for a Class A misdemeanor or a felony?

• No
• Yes

04
Have you during the last ten (10) years, been convicted, plead guilty (nolo contendere), been on community service/probation or deferred adjudication for a Class B misdemeanor in this state, other state, or while serving in the military.

• No
• Yes

05
Have you ever been convicted, plead guilty (nolo contendere), been on community service/probation or deferred adjudication for in any court for an offense involving family violence?

• No
• Yes

06
Have you engaged in the use of marijuana, within the three years preceding the application submittal,except under the care of a physician?

• No
• Yes

07
Have you ever had Involvement in the illegal delivery or furnishing of any controlled substance or drug to another and receivedpayment?

• No
• Yes

08
Have you engaged in the use of any drug, narcotic, or controlled substance, not including marijuana, within the past 5 years, except under the care of a physician?

• No
• Yes

09
Do you have a valid, current, Driver's License?

• Yes
• No

10
In the last 3 years have you had more than 5 moving violations, preventable collisions, or a combination of each?

• No
• Yes

11
In the last 5 years have you been convicted of reckless driving?

• No
• Yes

12
In the past 3 years has your driver's license been suspended?

• No
• Yes

13
Do you have an associates degree in social work, counseling, psychology, sociology, or a social or behavioral science, or related field?

• Yes
• No

14
Do you have a minimum of 1 year of full-time work experience in crisis or trauma counseling, victim services counseling or victim services coordination?

• Yes
• No

15
Are you able to maintain an on call status as required for this position?

• Yes
• No

16
Have you read the entire job description?

• Yes
• No

17
Do you acknowledge understanding that additional documents (referenced in the job posting) need to be submitted with the application?

• Yes
• No

Required Question