Assistant Director of Advocacy

Reporting to the Director of the SHARPP Center for Interpersonal Violence Awareness, Prevention, and Advocacy, the Assistant Director for Advocacy is responsible for the development, administration, evaluation and continuous quality improvement of power-conscious and trauma responsive advocacy services to students, faculty, and staff at the University of New Hampshire. The Assistant Director directly supervises the Survivor Advocate, a full-time professional staff member, and provides leadership for the SHARPP Center’s Direct Services team, including developing and facilitating the 30+-hour training for new Confidential Advocates as required by New Hampshire law.

This position will require some evening and weekend work throughout the academic year.

Duties/Responsibilities

Program Leadership (45%)

• In partnership with the Director, create and implement policies and practices regarding the delivery of advocacy services to UNH community members in a way that adheres to best and promising practices, New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV) program standards, and grant funding requirements.

• Oversee the provision of advocacy services provided by staff and volunteer advocates, ensuring the use of ethical, legal, and best practices

• Identify, develop, and implement methods to evaluate advocacy services, including NHCADSV client feedback surveys.

• Participate in regular NHCADSV Direct Services Coordinator and Shelter Manager cohort meetings to obtain important program standards information and statewide trends and resources

• Serve as the manager of the SHARPP Center’s confidential client records and database:

  • Oversee the entry and verification of all of the SHARPP Center’s client services data as required by NHCADSV program standards & funder requirements.

  • Ensure accurate and timely entry of all advocacy services into Vela client database.

  • Train and supervise SHARPP Center staff in their use of the client services database.

  • Generate monthly, quarterly, and yearly data reports to capture and represent the SHARPP Center’s advocacy work as required by campus, state, and federal requirements.

Advocacy Services (25%)

• Provide one-on-one, remote and in-person advocacy to students, faculty and staff who have experienced interpersonal violence at all UNH campuses:

  • Assess and identify culturally relevant and appropriate services based on individual needs and experiences

  • Provide general emotional support and validation, trauma education, and crisis counseling as needed

  • Collaborate with survivors to create individualized emotional and physical safety plans.

  • Accompany survivors to meetings, appointments, and proceedings related to university conduct, civil, and criminal justice processes, including protective order hearings and Title IX investigations

  • Provide accompaniment, transportation, and/or and support to survivors during medical examinations, such as sexual assault forensic exams at local hospitals.

  • Identify and facilitate appropriate referrals to university and community-based resources.

• In rotation with SHARPP Center Director, serve as Final Support Staff on the 24/7 helpline providing support to survivors, student advocates, and on-call staff who need consultation regarding highly complex matters.

Staff & Student Development (15%)

• Supervise the Survivor Advocate, on-call Staff Back-Up advocates, student graduate or undergraduate intern(s), and/or other advocacy services staff.

• Develop agenda and facilitate biweekly case review meetings with SHARPP Center staff.

• Oversee recruitment, training & retention of student volunteers to comply with NHCADSV Program Standards & NH 173-C and to ensure ongoing success of 24/7 helpline coverage

  • In conjunction with Survivor Advocate, ensure ongoing training and volunteer record management compliance with NHCADSV Program Standards/funder requirements.

• Oversee the onboarding, training, and ongoing professional development of new professional staff with regards to the provision of advocacy services

Community Collaboration and Engagement – (15%)

• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with campus & community stakeholders to facilitate ongoing referrals and resource-sharing, inform campus/community policies, and develop relevant SHARPP Center practices & procedures.

• Serve as a content expert for the university community regarding interpersonal violence and trauma responsive services.

• Assist in the development and implementation of training/development of campus and community partners regarding interpersonal violence and trauma responsive services as required by NHCADSV standards or as requested by program/department.

• Support projects, events, and initiatives within the UNH Division of Student Life as needed

• Assist with community engagement efforts coordinated by the Assistant Director of Engagement and Prevention, such as:

  • Facilitating interactive community tabling, SHARPP 101 and SHARPP Jeopardy presentations

  • Creating and implementing new survivor-centered and trauma-informed engagement efforts & activities

  • Designing and implementing advocacy-related materials such as social media posts, website content, resource cards, and brochures

  • Assisting with SHARPP Center events and initiatives such as Take Back the Night and End-of-Year Celebration as needed

Requirements

Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree social work, psychology, criminal justice or related field.

• 3-5 years of professional experience in interpersonal violence response, trauma-informed care, or related field, preferably in a campus setting.

• Master’s degree in counseling, social work, or other clinical field

Required Licenses & Certifications:

• Current New Hampshire clinical licensure (LCMHC, LMFT, LICSW) or eligibility for licensure within 90 days of hire

• Experience providing crisis counseling, support, and/or advocacy services to diverse populations

• Confidentiality under NH RSA 173:C (30+ hours of training by a New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence crisis center) or ability to obtain within 30 days of hire

• Valid driver’s license

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

• Strong organizational, planning, analytic, and problem-solving skills; demonstrated flexibility and adaptability in response to change

• Excellent judgment; ability to deal with sensitive issues, maintain confidentiality, and navigate clients experiencing emotional escalation

• Ability to balance multiple projects and priorities while maintaining a positive outlook and working effectively in a collaborative environment.

• Ability to work some nights and weekends

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with college students

• Experience supervising others

• Working knowledge of interpersonal violence, Title IX, Clery Act, and other related statutes