Director of Survivor Advocacy-Austin

Unbound Now • Austin, TX

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Survivor Advocacy provides leadership and supervision for the local regional advocacy team, ensures advocate training and high-quality service delivery, builds relationships with law enforcement, DFPS, care coordinators, service partners, and referral sources, monitors new client intake, manages local office advocacy operations, and oversees accurate documentation, data collection, and reporting for grant and state contract compliance.

The role provides and oversees crisis intervention, relationship-based and trauma-responsive advocacy, case management, and emotional support for survivors of human trafficking, including CSEY youth and adults affected by labor trafficking. It also supervises and develops advocates, maintains operational and compliance standards, manages regional budgets and reporting, and supports effective collaboration with community and government partners.

This is a full-time, grant-supported position with plans to seek continuation. Work is performed on-site at the local office and in community settings, including hospitals, courts, partner facilities, service-provider sites, and high-vulnerability locations. The schedule is generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with evenings, weekends, holidays, and frequent supervisory on-call coverage as needed. The anticipated workweek is 45–50 hours. Frequent local travel and occasional in-state or out-of-state travel are required.

Requirements

• Clinical licensure such as LMSW, LCSW, LPC, or equivalent Credentialed Advocate (CA) is required.
• Demonstrated supervisory and administrative leadership experience in a professional setting.
• Program management, DFPS state contract compliance, and grant administration experience.
• Two to three years of experience in crisis intervention, case management, or direct victim services, preferably involving human trafficking survivors, domestic violence, homelessness, or substance dependence.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, develop, supervise, and retain frontline advocates and provide trauma-responsive supervision and crisis support.
• Proficiency applying Motivational Interviewing, Stages of Change, and trauma-informed principles with CSEY youth and adult labor trafficking populations.
• Ability to build and maintain working relationships with law enforcement, DFPS caseworkers, MDTs, judicial systems, legal aid, and healthcare and social-service networks.
• Strong organizational skills for grant deliverables, state contract standards, case-record audits, financial closeouts, travel approvals, and timesheet allocations.
• Emotional intelligence, composure, and sound decision-making during emergencies and complex child-welfare or law-enforcement interventions.
• Resilience, cultural competency, self-care discipline, and ability to mitigate vicarious trauma.
• Mature Christian faith, evidenced by participation in a local Christian church; commitment to Unbound Now’s vision, mission, core values, and HOPE model; and willingness to participate in staff devotions and provide prayer support.
• At least 23 years of age; ability to complete Form I-9 employment eligibility verification and provide supervisor, professional, and personal references; and willingness to pass required criminal background checks, including DFPS and abuse and neglect registry checks.
• Ability to comply with organizational policies, state and federal regulations, MDT protocols, safety guidelines, and the Abuse Prevention and Response Policy, as well as complete required training, expense reviews, and timesheet and grant-allocation records promptly.
• Strong accountability, service ethic, written and verbal communication, interpersonal skills, and technology proficiency, including case-management database software.
• Ability to maintain data security, survivor privacy, and confidentiality; manage client assistance resources and field spending within budget; and complete time-sensitive case documentation.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable personal vehicle, valid car insurance, and willingness to use a personal vehicle for work travel and survivor transportation.
• Willingness to participate in 24-hour crisis-response on-call rotation, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to respond on scene at any hour and to lift or carry loads up to 50 pounds on occasion.
• Ability to maintain close visual attention to detail, concentrate for extended periods, enter documentation into case-management software, and participate in frequent remote video calls.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) or a related human services field is preferred.
• A bachelor’s degree in a related human services field may be considered when combined with significant relevant supervisory and field experience.

Responsibilities

• Maintain communication with the Survivor Advocacy Program Director regarding regional program issues, developments, and services, and collaborate with other advocacy directors and leadership.
• Recruit, screen, hire, train, engage, supervise, and retain advocates, program support specialists, lead advocates where applicable, interns, and volunteers in coordination with program leadership and HR.
• Conduct annual performance reviews and provide regular individual supervision, coaching, field backup, crisis debriefing, and resilience support to advocacy personnel.
• Maintain the regional advocacy calendar, including on-call coverage, time-off schedules, and weekly team meetings.
• Ensure immediate crisis intervention, ongoing relational advocacy, case management, and emotional support for survivors, using trauma-responsive and survivor-centered approaches.
• Model and train advocates in service-oriented practices, including warm handoffs, resourcefulness, and support for individuals outside the organization’s service scope.
• Set policy and protocol expectations, assess advocate skills, provide on-the-job training, and model desired behaviors.
• Ensure required clinical and case supervision, document supervision, audit survivor contact cadences and safety-plan updates, and meet with survivors to assess their experience of safety and care.
• Monitor compliance with organizational policies, state agency requirements and DFPS MOUs, CSEY Minimum Standards, and applicable Adult Labor standards.
• Review advocate documentation for timely completion, ensure accurate and timely case-management data entry, and document completion of record audits.
• Develop and maintain relationships with DFPS, law enforcement, care coordinators, service partners, MDTs, task forces, coalitions, and the regional CSTT advisor; seek partner feedback and support effective referral pathways.
• Schedule and document onboarding and ongoing training, support implementation of the OHTS tool, and facilitate weekly advocacy meetings and staffings.
• Guide advocates on mandatory reporting and respond to escalated concerns, policy violations, and abuse allegations according to required reporting, safety, and corrective-action protocols.
• Develop local advocacy budgets and spending protocols, monitor budget compliance, review team spending, and follow Ramp closeout and expense procedures.
• Review regional program data for grant and state contract reports, ensure monthly DFPS reports are completed, assist with quarterly reporting, and contribute data and goals for future funding applications.
• Submit personal travel reimbursements, approve team TripLog entries and bi-weekly timesheets, and verify grant and DFPS contract allocations and mileage requirements.
• Travel locally and occasionally out of state for partner meetings, crisis response, survivor-transport backup, court accompaniment, or professional training.

Benefits

• Employer-paid medical insurance premiums for the employee and family.
• Employer-paid life insurance for the employee.
• 401(k) plan with a 3% salary match, eligible after 90 days, with one-year vesting.
• Dental and vision plans available at the employee’s expense.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed