What are the responsibilities and job description for the Batterer Accountability Advocate position at Shelter for Abused Women and Children?
Batterer Accountability Advocate – The Shelter for Abused Women & Children
Location: Naples Shelter location & Court Office
Reports to: Legal Services Director Employment Type: Fulltime, Non- Exempt (Hourly)
Direct Reports: N/A
Salary: Determined based on experience, local wages, and nonprofit industry rates.
This is a fully in-person position with no opportunities for remote work.
The Impact of This Position
Batterer Accountability Advocate will work to increase batterer accountability within community by building and maintaining relationships with Law Enforcement, Court System, and Child Welfare professionals. Will provide trainings to community partners, attend court hearings and DCF/Child Welfare meetings, with the purpose of advocating for increased focus on the batterer, and less blaming of the survivor.
Full-time Employee Benefits Package
The Shelter offers a spectacular benefits package for all full-time staff, including a 36-hour work week, staff appreciation events, and generous 200 hours of paid time off for vacation, your birthday, holidays, and sick days. We cover 100% of medical and mental health benefits, offer affordable dental and vision plans, an employer match 401K program, Flexible Spending Account for medical expenses and dependent care, Employee Assistance Program, and Paid Time Off Buy Back Program for eligible employees. We also encourage a happy, healthy, and whole work environment by empowering staff to maintain their wellness through fitness incentives. Full disclosure of details, policies, and procedures are provided upon hire.
Non-Negotiables
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in relevant fields.
- Experience with domestic violence, human trafficking, and our trauma intervention and prevention is preferred.
Certifications and Training
- Completion of First Aid and CPR certification.
- Successful completion of The Shelter’s Core Competency training upon hire.
EOO & Compliance
- The Shelter is an Equal Opportunity Employer
- Must provide valid authorization to work in the U.S.
- Must have a valid Florida Driver’s License.
- Must pass state and federal background checks, provide satisfactory references, and complete a drug screening
Skills and Competencies
- Ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.
- Demonstrated exceptional verbal and written communication skills in English, with the ability to engage with a diverse range of people (peers, senior leadership, law enforcement, DCF, community partners etc.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to adapt seamlessly to various environments, demonstrating flexibility and a proactive approach.
- Techy savvy candidates preferred. Must effectively navigate across various software platforms (Outlook, Word).
Essential Functions
Court System:
- Monitoring criminal court, Chapter 741 injunctions and other cases involving the perpetrator
- Communicating with prosecutors regarding the status of criminal cases
- Monitoring perpetrator compliance with orders in court cases including
- firearm surrender orders
- Informing judges about the status and orders entered in other cases to
- enhance the judge’s decision-making on batterer accountability issues.
- Review, tailor and conduct individualized abuser compliance case plans which may consist of the perpetrator’s adherence to injunctions & deterrence plans, presence in court proceedings/hearings, as required
- Lead 12 strategic meetings per year with community partners to discuss current approaches to domestic violence offender compliance and to identify a strategic approach to deter offenders from reoffending and focus on the most dangerous offenders
- Carryout & document appropriate daily communications with local law enforcement, The Florida State Attorney’s Office, and probation officers.
- Conduct deterrence plans for the abusers in effort to keep survivors safe
- Hold batterers accountable by working with law enforcement, probation and SAO to ensure batterers are meeting all orders set forth by the issuing agency, which can include:
- Completing batterer’s intervention
- Parenting classes
- Mental health and/or substance abuse evaluation
- 12 step program or any other services deemed as necessary
DCF/Child Welfare System:
- Coordinate with service providers to maintain the child with non-offending parent when working with DCF
- Ensure the Safe & Together Model is implemented in family case plans
- Attend child welfare caseworker meetings with batterers to assess risks
- posed by individual batterers and modify safety plans when necessary to
- further increase survivor safety
- Inform The Shelter’s Child Welfare Advocate of the ongoing cases to keep the survivor updated
- Providing training to and help child welfare professionals assess the risks posed by perpetrators to reduce perpetrator-generated danger threats to survivors and their children, including seeking Chapter 39 injunctions against perpetrators
- Review and help tailor dependency case plans to hold perpetrators
- accountable in ways that promote safety and compliance with orders
- Ensure that child welfare agencies present dependency case plans to the court that focus on batterer accountability.
- Create safety plans that consider child welfare and individualized safety needs
- Spearhead quarterly trainings (4 per year) to child welfare professionals that discuss perpetrator risks and threats to vulnerable survivors
Other Duties:
- Maintain and report statistical measurements as required
- Maintain documentation as required
- Maintain knowledge of community resources and refer/advocate as necessary
- Maintain current knowledge of domestic violence
- Demonstrate an understanding of primary prevention principles and implement prevention activities
- Maintain involvement with Primary prevention initiatives including the facilitation of the DV Taskforce.
- Create and implement a comprehensive community education plan with outreach strategies in the areas of health care, business, education, criminal justice, civil courts, and any other community groups who have regular interaction with victims of domestic violence.
- Ensure that community education objectives and activities are comprehensive, well documented, clearly mapped out, and in line with organizational expectations
Who You Are
- Able to prioritize effectively and work within tight timelines.
- Caring, compassionate, and kind.
- Collaborative, with the ability to inspire and foster partnerships.
- Comfortable learning new systems, software, and processes.
- Composed and self-aware when facing challenges.
- Critical thinker and objective decision-maker.
- Curious, gritty, and passionate about The Shelter’s mission.
- Bi-lingual preferred (Spanish or Creole)
- Detail-oriented and accurate in work.
- Professional proficiency in English; bilingual in Spanish or Creole preferred.
- Willing to take extreme ownership of responsibilities and contributions.
What We Value
- A culture of philanthropy.
- Adaptability to new systems and processes.
- Attention to detail and accuracy in work.
- Human connection and personal growth.
- Kindness, compassion, and open-mindedness.
- The Shelter’s 3 I’s: Integrity, Initiative, & Innovation
- Passion for our mission and eagerness to learn.
- Professionalism and leadership by example.
- Resilience and extreme ownership in facing challenges.
Inclusive Job Requirements & Anti-Discrimination Framework
You must be able to lift and bend up to 20 lbs. This role may require extended periods of sitting or standing. The described work environment reflects conditions typically encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Requests for reasonable accommodations under the ADA will be reviewed in accordance with applicable laws. The Shelter is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit and job-related qualifications, without consideration of protected characteristics as defined by federal law.
