Full-Time (40 hours/week), Hourly, Non-Exempt
Base Hourly Rate: $27.01; On-Call: $1.50 ($2.00 Effective Oct. 1st, 2023)
Location: YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley, San Jose, CA 95112
Website: www.yourywca.org
Department: Support Services (pending name change to Healing & Justice)
Join a passionate, dynamic team dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. For over 100 years, YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley has provided programs and services that form a critical continuum of response, healing, and prevention. To encourage survivor self-determination, services are delivered through a strengths-based, non-judgmental and trauma-informed lens that aligns with our mission. Be a key part of shaping this future as our new Legal Services Specialist in our Support Services Department.
Reporting to the Associate Director of Crisis Intervention & Legal Services, the Legal Services Specialist provides culturally sensitive, survivor-defined legal advocacy, crisis counseling, safety planning, and support in person and over the phone on our 24/7 Support Line to individuals and families impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. At YWCA office sites, the Legal Services Specialist provides support and assistance to individuals throughout the legal process, which may include restraining orders, immigration relief through VAWA, advocacy and accompaniment in the court system, general legal information, resources and community referrals. The Legal Services Specialist is a member of a high-performing team who supports all activities related to daily program operations, including but not limited to, drafting restraining order or immigration declarations, accompaniment to court, assistance with filing court paperwork, and direct advocacy within the legal system. The Legal Services Specialist must not fail in delivering trauma-informed services and effectively communicating survivor needs and/or any requests by external community partners to the Legal Services Team. The Legal Services Specialist is also on the 24/7 Support Line on-call rotation, after-hours to provide information, crisis counseling, safety planning and community referrals to callers.
We are seeking a compassionate, organized, and reliable individual with a high level of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Essential to this role is a demonstrated ability working with culturally and economically diverse individuals and families and ability to work with those impacted by trauma; a demonstrated ability to function effectively in a fast-paced environment and to respond appropriately to unexpected situations.
Candidates must have excellent interpersonal skills to work independently and as part of a team. You must have an understanding of feminism and a strong commitment to social justice. Additionally, an ideal candidate will possess knowledge of and sensitivity to domestic violence and sexual assault issues, trauma, gender equity and client-centered service provision.
Candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree in a social services field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Key to success is the ability to be present in a changing work environment; the ability to work independently and as a member of a diverse team with flexibility, initiative and a sense of humor; and the ability to prioritize effectively and model healthy boundaries with empathy and compassion. Candidates should be competent in using Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience in confidential data management and record keeping. Prior advocacy-based counseling and case management experience is a plus. Bilingual, bicultural and biliterate skills preferred but not required.
Delivery of service may include overtime to accomplish task at hand. On call duties required, including evenings and weekends. Work includes lifting up to 30 pounds. Susceptible to compassion fatigue and/or vicarious trauma.
Required: Cleared background check (fingerprinting), valid TB test, valid California driver’s license, driving experience, reliable transportation, and auto insurance. Must have completed or be willing to complete a 75-hour California State Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Counselor certification (training will be provided). This position requires a COVID-19 vaccination due to the in-person interfacing required, and to promote the health and safety of others in the workplace and our community.
YWCA BENEFITS:
- A competitive benefits plan: Employer covers employee’s premium for health, dental, vision, and life insurance (depending on the plan you choose)
- A high deductible medical plan available including employer contributions and optional employee contributions and a limited Flexible Spending Account available
- 15 paid holidays are made available each year: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Women’s International Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, Veteran Day, Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
- 20 days of annual accrued PTO to start
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Talkspace for employees and their household members
- Immediate Employee contributed 403b, and an Employer Contributed 401a Retirement Plan with optional employee contributions after eligibility is met
- Parental leave for eligible employees for up to the first eight weeks
- Annual Retention Bonus
- Employee Discounts with TicketsatWork
- Free Access to the Calm App
- With access through Kaiser for the Ginger App and Class Pass
TO APPLY: Submit Resume & Cover Letter to hr@yourywca.org with “Legal Services Specialist” in subject line. Posting will continue until position is filled. The YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
