Job Description

Posting number: 26/08-3221-OTLC

Department: District Attorney's Office (DAO)

Job classification: VICTIM WITNESS ADVOCATE I

Posting type: Open

Categories: Social Services, Law Enforcement

The Sonoma County Office of the District Attorney is seeking a motivated and dedicated service-oriented individual to join their Victim Services Division as a Victim Witness Advocate I.

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Starting salary up to $42.89/hour ($89,516/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The District Attorney's Office is currently recruiting to fill a Victim Witness Advocate I - Time-Limited position that is currently funded through March 31, 2027.

Note: It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. Please review the Additional Information section of this job announcement further below for more information on the required background process.

The District Attorney's Office

The District Attorney's Office is looking for a Victim Witness Advocate I, who will act as a liaison between the Deputy District Attorneys and victims of crime to ensure their voice is heard and rights are upheld. The Advocate will have daily contact with victims to provide regular court updates, refer them to community resources, and accompany them to court proceedings. The Victim Witness Advocate I assists with general information to help the victim of a crime better understand the criminal justice process and assists with submission of California Victim Compensation Applications by compiling of restitution documents. Additional responsibilities include:

• Managing an independent caseload
• Advocating for victims of crime and providing referrals for crisis intervention services to address immediate needs
• Prioritizing multiple case assignments in a fast-paced environment
• Observing and listening to the needs of victims
• Engaging with a diverse population, underrepresented communities, and immigrants
• Representing the District Attorney’s Office at community events and outreach activities

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• Experience managing a client caseload, advocating for clients, and providing service referrals to clients
• Some experience working with individuals who have sustained significant trauma or crisis situations
• Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Bilingual skills in English/Spanish, English/Mandarin, English/Korean, English/Punjabi, English/Triki, or English/Polynesian is desirable, but not required

Please note: This position requires completion of a 40-hour advocate training and a series of comprehensive trainings by a staff member which includes shadowing. This position also requires attending outreach events and potentially working some weekends and after normal business hours.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Victim Witness Advocate II ($40.11 - $48.76/hour)
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory

This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service title for this classification is Victim Witness Advocate I.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Examples of duties

Experience Experience that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, two years of responsible public contact experience involving law enforcement, supportive counseling or similar work in a public or private agency that provided knowledge of community social service resources, would provide such opportunity. Experience dealing with the criminal justice process is highly desirable.

Education Any combination of training and experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, significant coursework in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, criminology, or a closely related field, would provide such opportunity.

License Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Background Requirements Incumbents must pass a criminal background investigation.

Qualifications

Knowledge of the laws and procedures of criminal justice agencies as they affect the responsibilities and rights of victims and witnesses of crimes; personality development, group and family dynamics, human motivation and behavior patterns sufficient to gain rapport with hostile and uncooperative, or traumatized individuals; rules of professional confidentiality concerning victim and advocate, as well as of attorney/client work product; psychological dynamics of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault; the principles, practices and techniques of interviewing; the needs, problems, attitudes and behavior patterns of emotionally vulnerable individuals; community resources available to victims and/or witnesses; child abuse reporting laws; domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse laws.

Ability to develop and maintain the confidence and cooperation of emotionally vulnerable individuals; establish and maintain effective working relationships with victims and/or witnesses and their families, departmental staff, law enforcement officers, attorneys and community agencies; effectively interview victims, families and other individuals to obtain information on a variety of complex and sensitive subjects; provide psychological and emotional support to reduce stress associated with being a victim or witness of crime; initiate and maintain computerized case files to document case activities; relate to a wide variety of individuals from different socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups; analyze situations accurately and to take effective action; adjust to workload changes and meet deadlines under pressure; train and supervise volunteers and intern; speak in public before a variety of groups and organizations.

Supplemental information

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

Additional Information

It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. This policy is imperative in order to keep the department’s employees and the public safe and to maintain high standards in the law enforcement community. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

The background investigation will include a thorough assessment of a candidate’s personal, employment, educational, criminal, and credit history. The investigation may include but is not necessarily limited to: use of prescription and/or other drugs, reports from former employers, friends, family members, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reports, court reports, public records search, and/or other relevant sources. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment.

Depending on the assignment, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment medical examination and may be required to take a polygraph examination. All candidates for law enforcement positions are required to undergo drug testing as part of the selection process. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological and physical abilities examination. The results of these examinations and the background investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review. Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate. Where there is evidence of a candidate’s past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such as a pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior and attitude since discontinuance, etc. Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process. Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts that the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org Paper applications may be submitted in person, by fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: DP

HR Technician: KK