Community and Legal Advocacy Manager

Job Title: Community and Legal Advocacy Manager

Reports to: Deputy Director

FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt, Regular

Department: Community Programs

Job Classification: 5 – Program Manager

SUMMARY

The Community and Legal Advocacy Manager develops, implements, and oversees integrated community-based education, prevention, and legal advocacy services that support survivors of domestic violence and related forms of abuse. This position coordinates community education and prevention programming, survivor support services, and legal advocacy services, including protection orders and family law support.

This position leads and supports a multidisciplinary team of advocates, educators, and legal advocacy staff to ensure high-quality, trauma-informed, survivor-centered services. The Community and Legal Advocacy Manager collaborates with internal leadership and community partners to ensure programs align with the organization’s mission, best practices, and contractual requirements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Functions as a YWCA leader by actively promoting the YWCA’s mission, inspiring a shared vision, modeling the YWCA’s ethics and values, encouraging others to be their best, and embracing innovation.
• Sets and models standards for and monitors the conduct of supervised programs to ensure that position competencies and YWCA policy, ethics, and values are fully implemented.
• Actively participates in Leadership Team meetings, staff meetings, and scheduled internal trainings.
• Ensures compliance with continuing education requirements for self and supervised staff.
• Works with Human Resources and agency leadership to recruit, interview, hire, train, coach, support, discipline, and evaluate program staff.
• Partners with agency leadership to develop, evaluate, and support assigned program areas to ensure program goals are consistently met.
• Partners with program staff to develop work plans and identify priorities in alignment with the agency's strategic plan and program goals.
• Partners with program staff, including the development, implementation, and evaluation of program curricula, structures, participant feedback, and outcomes for community education, prevention programs, and survivor support groups.
• Coordinates the topics and activities of education sessions, support groups, prevention programs, and advocacy trainings to ensure adherence to best-practice models.
• Designs, coordinates, implements, and facilitates domestic violence advocacy trainings and public education presentations for community members,professionals, students, and new staff.
• Identifies target audiences within the community and collaborates with community partners and host sites to provide education and prevention programming.
• Develops new outreach, education, and training materials as needed.
• Oversees day-to-day operations of legal advocacy services for survivors, including protection order assistance, family law advocacy, and legal system navigation.
• Ensures that all legal advocacy services follow organizational policies, confidentiality standards, applicable laws, and trauma-informed and advocacy-based counseling principles.
• Provides supervision and support to legal advocacy staff and coordinates with attorneys or legal partners as applicable.
• Partners with program staff to address critical client situations and concerns related to legal advocacy services.
• Collects, tracks, and documents program data; prepares reports for funders and internal leadership as required.
• Evaluates program success and makes adjustments based on best practices, program goals, participant feedback, and data outcomes.
• Ensures all services adhere to Advocacy-Based Counseling (ABC), Trauma-Informed Care, and applicable WAC and RCW requirements.
• Assists the leadership team with developing, tracking, and implementing annual program budgets.
• Ensures staff have the tools, resources, and supplies needed to deliver services effectively within budget constraints.
• Assists in recruitment, training, support, and supervision of volunteers and interns as assigned.
• Participates in agency and community work teams, committees, task forces, or event planning as requested.

This is a general description of the position's responsibilities; other duties may be assigned.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Commitment to YWCA vision, mission, and values
• Ability to understand and apply the principles of Trauma-Informed Care and Advocacy-Based Counseling
• Ability to ensure safe practices across education, advocacy, and legal service programs
• Ability to read, understand, and apply legal, contractual, and governmental regulations
• Ability to work effectively with diverse people and communities
• Ability to collaboratively and effectively lead and supervise skilled professionals
• Ability to train, coach, support, and evaluate staff
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills
• Ability to make sound ethical and practical decisions
• Ability to manage crisis, mediate conflict, and maintain professional boundaries
• Strong organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to present and facilitate trainings and educational sessions for diverse audiences
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

As a supervisor, this position is responsible for supervising in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. These responsibilities include staff development, training, supervision, consultation, and performance evaluation. This position designs and develops the roles of supervised staff and directs and redirects their work as needed. This position resolves staff conflicts and/or challenges as they arise.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work, law, public administration, education, or a related field; two to four years of related experience and/or training in domestic violence advocacy, community education, legal advocacy, or human services; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Supervisory experience preferred.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to transport oneself within 100 miles; valid driver’s license and insurance if driving
• Acceptable criminal history record
• Willingness and ability to work evenings as necessary
• Minimum of fifty hours of domestic violence advocacy training within three years prior to taking the position
• Completion of Domestic Violence Victim Service training within the first year of employment

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. To request accommodation, please contact Human Resources.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is frequently required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The work environment has moderate noise levels.