Director of Advocacy

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Director of Advocacy

We are looking for a Director of Advocacy who can ensure the high standards in advocacy for children to whom CASA is appointed through the courts of Travis County. The Director of Advocacy motivates, guides and supervises Program Managers, and supports them in motivating and supervising Child Advocacy Specialists.

CASA of Travis County believes every child who's experienced abuse or neglect deserves to have a dedicated advocate speaking up for their best interest in court, at school, and in our community. To accomplish this, the team at CASA educates and empowers community volunteers who ensure each child's needs remain a priority in an overburdened child welfare system. Through honorable and respectful involvement with families, courts and all parties, CASA makes independent and educated recommendations that prioritize children’s safety and, wherever possible, preserve connections to their families.

Seniority Level

Director

Employment Type

Full-Time

Reports To Senior Director of Advocacy

Starting Salary

$70,000

As the Director of Advocacy, you will oversee and facilitate the onboarding of new Child Advocacy Specialists in conjunction with the Program Managers and Mentors. The Director of Advocacy will ensure that the mission of CASA of Travis County is carried out while adhering to CASA’s policies and procedures. The Director of Advocacy collaborates closely with the Program Management team.

At the end of your first year, success would mean leading a team of 4 Program Managers and empowering their work to guide their teams while demonstrating a clear understanding of CASA’s goals, trauma informed care principles, and CASA’s role within the child welfare system.

The Director of Advocacy is a critical role to move CASA of Travis County towards meeting our vision of quality advocacy, a safe home and promising future for every child in Travis County.

Responsibilities

1. Ensures that the mission and goals of CASA of Travis County are met.
   • As a member of Program Leadership team, maintains a focus on continued improvement of advocacy initiatives and leadership development among the Program Managers.
   • At the direction of the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Program Officer, and Senior Directors, represents the mission of CASA in the community with other agencies. Assists with legislative advocacy as directed by the Chief Program Officer.
   • Develops a strategy for accepting new assignments of cases that reflects the strategic plan of the Board of Directors while respecting the current caseloads of the Child Advocacy Specialists.
   • With other leadership, maintains a cooperative relationship with Texas and National CASA for the benefit of the agency and ensures compliance with their standards.
   • Recommends policy and procedural changes to better serve the mission and vision of the organization and assists with their implementation.
   • Participates regularly in Centralized Case Matching and demonstrates leadership in assigning cases in an equitable and safe manner. Monitors caseloads and volunteer coverage and suggests necessary and appropriate modifications to assure standards for quality and safety are met.
   • Fills in for the Senior Director of Advocacy as needed to ensure ongoing advocacy operations.

2.  Supervises Program Managers and other staff as assigned to ensure the consistent and professional work of the Child Advocacy Specialists and Volunteer Advocates.

• In conjunction with the Sr. Director of Advocacy, coordinates regular meetings with Program Managers for the purpose of communicating with Child Advocacy Specialists and engaging the team in consistent operations. Assists in directing program meetings and program leadership meetings.
• Collaborates with the Senior Director of Community Engagement to ensure that any staff members who supervise volunteer advocates receive appropriate ongoing training in best practices related to volunteer engagement, supervision, and support.
• Takes a leadership role in training and onboarding new advocacy staff.
• Annually reviews the performance of the Program Managers and oversees the review of Child Advocacy Specialists, participating with the Program Managers in each review.
• Is available for staffing cases with Program Managers and Child Advocacy Specialists with a focus on child safety, trauma informed advocacy, and permanency.
• With the Director of Data and Evaluation and Senior Director of Advocacy, prepares and reviews monthly reports and projections concerning agency activity. Uses data to drive decision-making and teaches others in leadership how to use data appropriately to track and guide program operations.
• Leads group supervision, program meetings, and other program-related functions as directed by the Program Management team.

3.  Other Responsibilities

• Attends and assists with fundraising and volunteer events.
• Attends and participates in community meetings as needed.

Qualifications

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree required. CASA of Travis County welcomes employees from diverse educational backgrounds and degree programs.
• A minimum of five years of experience supervising, coaching, and motivating paid staff.
• Demonstrated initiative to identify and solve problems creatively and effectively, prioritizing the needs of the organization.
• Proven ability to lead calmly with knowledge and compassion for the stress of the work.
• The ability to work under time constraints, be goal-oriented, and maintain productive and effective performance and interaction with other staff and volunteers.
• Demonstrated excellence in communication, both written and oral.
• Demonstrated integrity, honesty and ethical conduct.
• Demonstrated passion for CASA’s mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CASA of Travis County and knowledge of CASA mission and standards.
• Training and experience supervising staff who supervise staff.
• Experience motivating a team and implementing a strategic plan.
• Knowledge and understanding of best practices related to child safety and the prevention of abuse.
• Understanding of child and family advocacy issues that include child placement options, therapeutic intervention/assessment/needs for children and families, legal intervention and rights regarding children and families, permanency planning, adoption issues and systems, advocacy in child protection cases and in social, medical and mental health fields.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

The Director of Advocacy will be expected to have daily transportation to attend court hearings, visit placements, respond to crises etc. They will spend the majority of the time in the office and that could involve intermittent physical activities including bending, reaching, sitting and walking during working hours and must be able to lift at least 20 pounds. Additionally, it is anticipated that the person will spend several hours of each day seated at a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a person with physical disabilities to perform the job.