Assistant Director Sexual Violence Response

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: Commensurate with experience

Position Summary

Under the leadership of the Director (Direct Services), the Assistant Director is responsible for providing confidential and comprehensive trauma informed survivor-focused services and resources to survivors of sexual, gender-based, and intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual, street harassment.  The Assistant Director will provide direct crisis intervention/counseling, advocacy, and support services including rights and options in accordance with campus policies, federal, state, and local laws and regulations (civil and criminal).  They will provide 24/7 year-round direct supervision for on-call staff (rotating with the direct services leadership team) which may include but not limited to consultation, crisis intervention and in-person response to support SVR advocate team (professional staff, student volunteers and casual staff).  The incumbent will serve as back-up to Survivor Advocates as needed to support round-the-clock on-call crisis services year-round in a shared rotation, supervise Intake Specialists and the Peer Advocacy (PA) Program, ensure consistent and high-quality peer-led programming and support of the SVR Helpline.  In collaboration with direct services team, facilitate one-on-one and group supervision regularly with Intake Specialists and Peer Advocate volunteers.  This position will support the Training and Prevention team with compliance-based programming, special events, outreach, co-lead the Men’s Engagement initiatives and efforts in SVR and collaborate with other departmental colleagues to support the success of SVR activities including community education, outreach efforts, and special events.

Responsibilities

Manage Intake and Peer Advocate Program 

a. Oversee overall effectiveness of SVR intake process and Peer Advocacy Program.
b. Conduct recruitment, selection, supervision, training, development, and retention of Peer Advocate (PA) volunteer staff.
c. Ensure PA training and certification complies with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) rape crisis program requirements. In conjunction with leadership team, develop and update PA training curriculum.
d. Perform annual review as needed and revise the Peer Advocacy training manual, and update policy and procedures, in accordance with regulations and best practices from the field and NYS-DOH Rape Crisis protocol, Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (Campus SaVE), Clery Act, federal regulations, and University policies.                                                                                                                       e. In partnership with the Associate Director of Operations and the Director of Direct Services, ensure consistent, efficient, communicative operations of all intake and assessment procedures/systems.                                                                                       f. In partnership with the direct services staff, maintain on-call calendar

Advocacy and case management 

a.Responsible for on-going individual case management and assessment to identify both immediate and long-term needs, rights, options, and appropriate referrals for all cases including high-risk and high-profile.
b. Provide criminal/civil justice advocacy and support services orientation and accompaniment for the making of policy of reports, forensic medical exams, interviews, court filings and hearings (including orders of protection), and all facets of the trial process such as depositions, trial, victim impact statements, sentencing, release procedures, etc.
c. Deliver effective and practical crisis intervention/counseling, advocacy, immediate aid, options, information and referrals, and psychoeducation to students of the University community who experience crime, violence, or abuse.
d. Educate survivors about their rights and responsibilities and linkage to Victims Compensation, (VINE (Victims Information Notification Everyday), Office of Victim Services (OVS), etc.
e. Provide emergency assistance in the immediate aftermath of violence, abuse, or traumatic experience, and necessary short-term support and related follow-up services to alleviate the trauma associated with the survivor’s experience.
f. Regularly participate in case review meetings and one-to-one meetings with Director.  Effectively manage and coordinate cases, serving as a liaison between the survivor, law enforcement, public safety, Title IX staff, social services, community-based organizations, professors, other campus collaborators, officials, employers, landlords, and other agencies.
g. Required to report to campus, hospital emergency departments, law enforcement agencies, court houses, etc., on short notice for extended periods of time in response to emergency and critical incidents related to students’ experiences of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking and abuse.
h. Uphold confidentiality under New York Public Health Law, and maintain a confidential database (CRISI/Confidential Response Intervention and Support Information System) and accurate records of services and referrals to ensure comprehensive quality care for survivors. Must adhere to strict confidentiality when working with survivors

Leadership and supervision 

a. Manage, supervise, and coordinate responsibilities of Intake Specialists and Peer Advocate volunteers. In collaboration with leadership team, recruit, select, onboard, and train all direct reports including peer volunteers
b. Facilitate regular supervision meetings with Intake Specialists and PA volunteers; (will receive support from other direct services staff in the supervision of PA volunteers).
c. Function as a member of the 24/7 year-round on-call supervision rotation. When required, participate in the Survivor Advocate rotation (when functioning as a frontline advocate, individual will be removed from supervision on-call rotation).
d. Share rotating responsibility for the 24/7 year-round on-call supervision shifts for the purpose of providing crisis intervention, options, advocacy, medical and legal information, accompaniment, and immediate safety to students who identify as survivors of trauma, violence, or abuse.
e. Function as part of a team to monitor sexual assault incidents and intimate or recommended program changes that will provide improved advocacy and support to students.
f. Work with campus stakeholders and off campus agencies to streamline access to emergency and non-emergency resources.
g. In accordance with confidentiality policies and procedures, provide consultation to faculty, staff, and administrators regarding individual students.
h. Manage accurate statistical data that reflect various aspects of victim/survivor service provision and compliance.

Training, Prevention, and Educational Program Development 

a. In partnership with the Associate Director of Training and Prevention, assist with the implementation and facilitation of compliance-based training efforts.
b. Provide skill-building trainings and workshops to students that are in roles with increased exposure to responding to disclosures (student leaders, community assistants/resident advisors, Columbia University Emergency Management Services/CUEMS, etc.).
c. Assist the Associate Director of Training and Prevention with SVR’s Men’s Engagement task force and initiatives.
d. Participate in required trainings and continuing education to maintain certification.
e. In collaboration with other SVR leadership staff, facilitate training on Remote Temporary Orders of Protection (online orders of protection), RingCentral system (Helpline) and survivor-centered workshops and programming.
f. Support the success of implementing campus programming such as Relationship Violence Awareness Month (RVAM), Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), Clery Lecture Services, Demin Day, bystander intervention prevention programming, consent campaigns, and other educational and outreach efforts.
g. Partner with the SVR Training and Prevention team to increase the campus community’s capacity to identify abusive behaviors early and to intervene safely.
h. Ensure cultural competence, and respond effectively in serving the needs of a diverse undergraduate and graduate student population; and understanding the needs of traditionally underserved communities, including students of color, LGBTQ students, and international students.

Stay abreast of current developments in the college sexual violence prevention and response filed by participating in professional list serves, reviewing current literature and research, and attending professional conferences and trainings.  Keep informed of necessary policy directives related to the college sexual violence and response field including, but not limited to, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Right/Title IX, VAWA/Clery Act, New York State Enough is Enough, etc. 

Assists with the development of annual reports, proposals, papers, and presentation materials.  Prepares administrative reports documenting SVR Peer Advocate data to forecast resource needs, and prevention and outreach efforts. 

Perform other duties as assigned.

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Working Hours
Frequent evening and weekend hours required. Required to participate in 24-hours, 7 days per week, year-round on-call rotation. Normal business hours: In general, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. After-Hours defined as 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 a.m. Monday – Friday and 12:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m. holidays and weekends.

On-call
Being available during scheduled rotation 24/7 for crisis counseling calls and in-person response. In cases where on-site support is required, staff is expected to respond within a reasonable period of time.

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Physical Ability:

• Tasks involve extended periods at work station or keyboard.
• Tasks involve commuting primarily, but not exclusively in Manhattan at various hours of the night or day.
• Tasks involve working a flexible schedule that will include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Sensory Requirements:   

• Tasks may involve exposure via sight and smell of bodily fluids, evidence bearing clothing and visible injuries.
• Tasks involve listening and responding to intimate physical knowledge of violence, crime or abuse against a student.

Environmental Factors:

• Tasks may involve contact with angry or potentially violence individuals.
• Tasks may involve contact with individuals with known and unknown diseases.
• Tasks may include contact with individuals under the influence of either legal or illegal substances.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. 

• Minimum 4 years’ related experience required. 

• Previous experience responding to and working with individuals in crisis required.  Demonstrated knowledge of sexual assault dynamics and effects; familiarity with support and reporting options for victims/survivors, including emergency department protocol and criminal justice system. 

• Experience in providing effective crisis intervention, advocacy and referrals to primary and secondary survivors of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, gender-based harassment, and stalking. 

• Committed to integrating an anti-racism and anti-oppression approach to their daily work with survivors and the community.

• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-racial environment with commitment to social justice practice.

• Community education experience, including designing and delivering skills-based trainings, outreach strategies, materials development, and program evaluation. 

• Requires excellent written and oral communication skills. 

• Strong program management, supervisory and time management skills. 

• Must be well organized and detailed oriented with ability to multi-task and prioritize competing demands. 

• Prior experience facilitating large and small group discussions to promote collaboration and work within a team model. 

• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-racial environment with commitment to social justice practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience in victim advocacy, crisis intervention, volunteer management, staff development and supervision, community organizing, and prevention education.
• Familiarity with on and off campus support, reporting/adjudication options and NYC service providers.
• Experience with volunteer management including recruitment, curriculum design and training, retention, and student development strategies.
• Awareness of best practices of sexual violence prevention, risk reduction and survivor/victim support strategies.
• Experience working with college students and a strong interest in higher education.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.