Civil Rights Specialist

Definition

• Iowa Public Employee’s Retirement Pension plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation – The City will contribute 2.75% of the employee’s income to his/her 457 account if the employee contributes at least 1% (applicable to AFSCME)
• 13 paid holidays
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program

Examples Of Duties

Reviews complaints filed with the Davenport Civil Rights Commission pursuant to local, state and federal law; identifies the specific basis for complaints; reviews records; identifies, analyzes and reviews evidence received from parties; identifies, obtains, and analyzes comparative evidence; identifies and interviews witnesses.

Investigates complaints of discrimination; interviews complainants, respondents, and witnesses; collects and analyzes relevant documents.

Gathers facts through fact-finding interviews, subpoenas, and analysis of records to document and verify the accuracy and authenticity of evidence for use in administrative hearings.

Applies applicable statutes and legal standards to determine if there is probable cause to believe discrimination occurred.

Provides accessible, culturally responsive services to parties.

Provides an efficient and effective written synopsis of complainant's allegations, respondent's evidence, and application of legal standards to same.

Provides thorough, well-reasoned, and clear written evaluations of law and evidence.
Enters data and completes reports in associated databases.

Provides training to the general public. Attends and may be asked to speak at various meetings.

Analyzes case materials for complaints: compiles and analyzes statistical data relevant to Civil Rights Program; researches specialized projects; conciliates settlements; assists the director in planning and updating procedures.

Knowledge of blueprint/building plan review.

Deploys trauma-informed, investigation techniques.

Investigates complaints of discrimination in the areas of public accommodation, education,
employment, and credit.

Assists with trial court and administrative hearing preparation.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in political science, law, history, or business administration, and two years experience in civil rights law enforcement, requiring knowledge in civil rights laws or investigation, including drafting investigative reports which involve the application of relevant statutes.

2) Graduation from an accredited school of law.

3) Six years experience in civil rights law enforcement, requiring knowledge in civil rights laws or investigation, including drafting investigative reports which involve the application of relevant statutes.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge:
Customer Service - Principles and processes for providing customer services, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.

Law and Government - Laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

English Language - Structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Personnel and Human Resources - Principles and procedures for personnel recruitment,
selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Sociology and Anthropology - Group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences,
human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

Skills:
De-biased Interactions - Understanding how implicit and confirmation biases can impact
interactions with participants and how to actively de-bias interactions to ensure equitable and fair treatment.

Written Comprehension- Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Oral Comprehension- Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression- Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Expression- Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Speech Clarity- Speak clearly so others can understand.

Speech Recognition- Identify and understand the speech of another person.

Deductive Reasoning- Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning- Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.

Information Ordering - Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a
specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical
operations).

Active Listening- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of
alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related
documents.

Speaking- Communicating with others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do, factoring in social and cultural differences. Analyzing situations and recommending appropriate courses of action, including recognizing and providing reasonable accommodations.

Writing- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Negotiation- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Judgment and Decision Making- Consider the costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Active Learning- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Complex Problem Solving- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Cognitive Interviewing Skills - Identifying participants who may require cognitive interviewing and applying cognitive interviewing principles to the investigative interview.