Employment

The Residential Advocacy Coordinator is responsible for the daily operations, safety, and trauma-informed culture of the emergency shelter. This role ensures that all residential services comply with Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §356 and Texas Family Code Chapter 93. The Coordinator partners with their team of advocates to provide high-quality, voluntary services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault within our 9-county service area. This dynamic position involves coordinating services that promote independence, safety, and well-being for individuals facing housing challenges or recovery journeys.

Key Responsibilities
1. Trauma-Informed Program Management (TAC §356.613)
Oversee the "Voluntary Services" model, ensuring no survivor is required to participate in programming as a condition of shelter.
Maintain a "Survivor-Centered" environment that prioritizes resident autonomy, dignity, and safety.
Manage the intake and exit processes, ensuring all survivors are informed of their rights and privacy protections.
2. Internal Team Cohesion & Collaborative Advocacy
Foster a Peer-Led Culture: Can facilitate a team environment where advocates feel empowered to share insights and co-create safety plans, moving away from top-down decision-making.
Collective Resilience: Attend regular "Team debriefs" to process high-lethality cases, ensuring no single advocate carries the emotional weight of a crisis alone.
Skill-Sharing Initiatives: Identify the unique strengths of individual team members (e.g., one advocate’s expertise in housing, another’s in tech safety) and create opportunities for peer-to-peer mentoring.
3. Multi-County Community Partnerships
Service Gap Bridging: Actively partner with regional organizations (e.g., DETCOG, local food banks, and faith-based groups) to ensure survivors have a "warm hand-off" when transitioning from the shelter back to their home county.
4. Systems Advocacy & Networking
Public Education Partnerships: Collaborate with the Outreach Team to build partnerships with local businesses or salons (the "eyes and ears" of small towns) to distribute safety information discreetly.
Maintain the physical safety of the facility, including regular fire/lockdown drills and health/sanitation inspections.
Oversee the 9-County Resource Directory to ensure advocates can assist residents with housing and legal needs in their home counties (e.g., Shelby, Houston, or Trinity).
Act as the primary point of contact for emergency medical or law enforcement situations on-site.
5. Data Integrity & Confidentiality
Ensure all client records are maintained in strict accordance with Chapter 93 legal privilege.
Monitor intake data to ensure the agency is meeting the needs of underserved populations (Disability, LEP, and Minority communities).
Prepare monthly and quarterly reports for state and federal grants (HHSC, VOCA, etc.).
4. Collaborative Conflict Resolution
Restorative Justice Model: Utilize trauma-informed conflict resolution techniques to address tensions between residents or within the staff team, prioritizing the restoration of safety and trust.
Unified Mission Focus: Ensure all internal and external partnerships remain aligned with the agency's commitment to Voluntary Services and Survivor Autonomy.

Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or a related field (or equivalent years of experience in crisis intervention).
Experience: Preferred 1–3 years in family violence/sexual assault advocacy
Skills: * Deep understanding of the "Cycle of Violence" and Trauma-Informed Care.
High level of cultural competency regarding the rural Deep East Texas population.
Proficiency in de-escalation and crisis management.
Requirements: * Must pass a background check.
Must complete the Advocacy Basic Training.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a significant plus given our regional demographics.
Physical & Environmental Demands
This is a residential facility role; must be able to navigate a multi-room environment.
Must be comfortable working in a high-intensity crisis environment.
Occasional travel across the 9-county region for community partnership meetings.

Plans, coordinates and implements the agency's group and individual counseling services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.