Job Abstract

The District Attorney's Office Victim Services Division assists victims of crimes and/or their families in dealing with the financial and emotional aftermath of crime. As a Supervising Victim Advocate working in the criminal justice system, you will have an exceptional opportunity to make a positive impact in the community.

Under the direction of the Victim Services Manager, the incumbent will serve as one of two first-line supervisors overseeing approximately eight victim advocacy staff while independently assessing and coordinating the service needs of crime victims/witnesses in the most complex and sensitive cases.

The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor's degree with a major in criminal justice, social welfare, behavioral science, or a related field, and will have experience with supervision, training, and evaluating staff.

Additionally, the ideal candidate for this position will have the following essential experience, demonstrated knowledge, skills, and/or abilities:

• Criminal law, sentencing structure, and restitution.

• Victim's rights, crisis intervention techniques, and trauma-informed care principles.

• Mandated reporting laws and confidentiality laws.

• Basic principles and practices of case management.

• Write clear, concise, and comprehensive case notes and reports.

• Maintain accurate statistical data records.

• Speak, read, and write fluently in Spanish (desired, not required).

There is currently one full-time vacancy to fill in the District Attorney’s Office. As needed, Victim Service Division staff may be required to perform work offsite or in our branch offices in San Mateo and South San Francisco.

The Supervising Victim Advocate will be responsible for:

• Supervising and directing victim advocacy staff and activities within the District Attorney's Office.

• Planning, scheduling, and assigning work; participating in the hiring process of assigned staff and recommending selections for management approval.

• Training assigned staff in related policies, procedures, and federal laws, rules, and regulations; preparing and conducting in-service training to ensure staff remains current with changing policies and rules.

• Keeping the Victim Services Program Manager apprised of activities, current and anticipated issues, and making recommendations for policy and program development.

• Providing input on programmatic issues, identifying goals, and budget needs.

• Developing, implementing, and monitoring new and revised departmental policies and work procedures as needed.

• Reviewing staff work to ensure timely completion and providing guidance in workload management to meet program objectives.

• Evaluating employee performance, counseling employees, and effectively recommending corrective action and other personnel decisions.

• Coordinating direct and indirect victim/witness assistance services on complex cases.

• Serving as a liaison between caseworkers, attorneys, other County departments, and representatives of other agencies.

• Participating as a member of relevant commissions, task forces, support groups, and consortiums involving victim issues.

• Maintaining current, updated departmental manuals of policies and procedures, maintaining records, and preparing periodic or special reports.

• Providing information and answers to questions from victims and witnesses about the criminal justice system processes and procedures.

• Making presentations to criminal justice agencies, victim services organizations, and the public.

• Establishing and maintaining working relationships with law enforcement and other community-based resource agencies.

• Preparing correspondence and other reports as required.

County Status: Only current County of San Mateo employees in the District Attorney’s Office with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, Confidential and Management extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date may apply.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social welfare, behavioral science or a related field.
Experience: Five years of experience equivalent in providing community services of an emergency, remedial and/or educational nature to victimized and/or disadvantaged individuals.

Knowledge of:

• Supervisory principles and practices, including work planning, scheduling, assignment, review and employee training and corrective action.

• Laws, rules, regulations, procedures, documents and terminology related to victim advocacy activities.

• Problems, needs, and behavior patterns of victims and witnesses of crime.

• Criminal justice process, victim's rights and other victim issues.

• Resources and support groups available for victims and witnesses of crime.

• Principles of crisis intervention and trauma informed care techniques and principles.

• Methods of counseling and interacting effectively with individuals and/or who are under emotional stress.

• Victim compensation process and requirements.

• Basic recordkeeping principles and practices.

Skill/Ability to:

• Plan, assign, supervise, review, and evaluate the work of others.

• Train others in work procedures.

• Read, understand, interpret, apply, and explain technical laws and legal procedures.

• Analyze information and situations and use sound independent judgment to make decisions and determine appropriate courses of action, including recommending legal actions.

• Organize, manage, and monitor cases and maintain accurate files, records, and statistics.

• Deal tactfully and effectively with a variety of individuals who may be emotional, hostile, or irate.

• Maintain professional ethics and personal boundaries.

• Compose correspondence and prepare legal documents.

• Organize and prioritize work and meet critical time deadlines.

• Assess the needs of victims/witnesses and develop a course of action.

• Establish rapport with victims/witnesses of crimes in working towards a case plan to address their needs.

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

• Maintain, interpret, analyze statistical data records and prepare reports.

• Work independently under stressful conditions and maintain good judgment to resolve potential conflicts.

• Work effectively with staff from criminal justice agencies, other public agencies, and community-based organizations and support groups.