Associate Director of Advocacy Services

Position Summary:

The Associate Director of Advocacy Services is responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and strategic direction to the Dee Norton Intake/Advocate Team and oversees all aspects of service delivery related to clinical intake, advocacy, and case coordination services. This role ensures the delivery of high-quality, trauma-informed, culturally competent services to children and families impacted by abuse, neglect, and violence. The Associate Director supervises intake and advocacy staff, strengthens community partnerships, ensures compliance with legal and accreditation standards, and fosters continuous program improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Program Leadership & Oversight:
  • Lead the planning, implementation, and evaluation of clinical intake and family advocacy services in alignment with best practices, accreditation standards (e.g., National Children's Alliance), and organizational goals.
  • Oversee the daily operations of intake and advocacy services, ensuring timely, effective, and sensitive responses to child abuse allegations and related crises.
  • Develop program policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure consistent service delivery and team coordination across a continuum of multidisciplinary services delivered by Dee Norton.
• Staff Supervision & Development:
  • Train, supervise, and support intake and advocacy staff, including clinical intake coordinators, family advocates, and clinical interns.
  • Provide clinical and administrative supervision; conduct regular performance evaluations and professional development planning.
  • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and staff wellness.
• Multidisciplinary Case Coordination:
  • Facilitate collaboration between child protection agencies, law enforcement, prosecutors, medical providers, mental health professionals, and other partners to support the delivery of advocacy services and intake processes.
  • Lead regular Intake Triage meetings to ensure information sharing, case tracking, and coordinated service delivery.
  • Strengthen MDT functioning by supporting team building, training opportunities, and process improvements for the delivery of advocacy and case coordination services.
• Community Engagement & Partnership:
  • Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders such as child welfare agencies, law enforcement, courts, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations.
  • Represent the organization in coalitions, advisory groups, task forces, and public events to advocate for children's rights and needs.
• Compliance & Quality Assurance:
  • Ensure program compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations, as well as standards set by accrediting bodies (e.g., NCA, VOCA, CAC accreditation guidelines).
  • Manage data collection by intake and advocacy staff to support case tracking systems and reporting requirements to funders and oversight agencies.
  • Monitor client outcomes and implement quality improvement initiatives based on data analysis and feedback.
• Grant Management & Reporting:
  • Support the Director of Grants and development staff with grant applications, renewals, reporting, and audits.
  • Assist in the preparation of program budgets and ensure responsible use of program resources.
  • Track service delivery metrics and produce periodic reports demonstrating program effectiveness and impact.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience:

• Master’s degree or higher in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Public Health Administration, or a related human services field preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in child advocacy, child protection, trauma services, or related fields.
• At least 3 years of supervisory or program management experience is required.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams and forensic interviewing processes strongly preferred.

Licensure/Certification:

• Active licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• Completion of nationally recognized forensic interviewer training (e.g., NCAC, ChildFirst, NICHD) preferred but not required.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Expertise in trauma-informed practices, child development, family systems, and child abuse dynamics.
• Strong knowledge of child welfare systems, law enforcement procedures, and judicial processes related to child abuse cases.
• Exceptional leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Outstanding communication skills (verbal, written, and interpersonal) and ability to work with diverse populations.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural humility in service delivery.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and case management software.

Other Responsibilities:

• Participate in a minimum of 2 public awareness and/or fundraising events annually.
• Abide by and meet all grant requirements and objectives.
• Meet other needs as identified by the Executive Director and/or Leadership Team.

Working Conditions:

• Standard office environment with frequent visits to off-site locations including courts, hospitals, and partner agencies.
• May require occasional evening or weekend work to attend events, community meetings, or respond to critical incidents.
• Exposure to emotionally challenging situations related to child maltreatment; regular support and clinical supervision provided.

All Dee Norton team members should be able to demonstrate:

• Interpersonal Skills: Approaches others in a tactful manner; ability to work well under pressure and respond quickly to challenges; maintains confidentiality; keeps emotions under control; and remains open to others' ideas.
• Cultural Competency and Humility: Demonstrates a commitment to furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and has a proven track record of working well with diverse clients and stakeholders.
• Teamwork: Works as part of a team with individuals from a variety of disciplines; balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team and supports everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Ethics/Professionalism: Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works ethically and with integrity; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments; and upholds organizational values.
• Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance; and monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Initiative: Volunteers readily; undertakes professional development activities; and asks for and offers help when needed.
• Planning/Organizing: Ability to work independently; prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; sets goals and objectives; and develops realistic action plans.
• Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation; and able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Dependability: Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; and arrives at meetings and appointments on time; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and drive for extended periods.
• Capacity to work in occasionally stressful environments and manage emotional demands associated with crisis response.

Salary and Benefits:

• $75,000-78,000/Annually
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Paid time off (PTO) and holidays.
• Professional development allowance.
• A culture that prioritizes the mental and emotional needs of team members, with access to EAP benefits, including up to 8 counseling sessions per family member, financial planning support, and guidance with legal documents.
• Clinical supervision for licensure (if applicable).

The Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center promotes a culturally diverse and culturally competent community response network. The Center strives for diversity regarding gender, age, ethnicity, race, faith and experience among its Board Members, staff and volunteers. Dee Norton abides by all Federal Equal Opportunity guidelines.