Program Specialist Senior - Victim and Survivor Services

OVERVIEW:

• Are you excited about creating effective systems of support for victims/survivors in Multnomah County? 

• Do you have a passion for strengthening and building our communities and helping our neighbors heal? 

If you answered “yes” to these questions, please read on!

The Department of Community Justice is in search of a Program Specialist Senior in the Victim and Survivor Services Unit.  The mission of the Victim and Survivor Services Unit is to support people who have experienced harm by thoughtfully meeting their individualized needs, upholding victim rights, and enhancing our community’s response to victims/survivors by being a collaborative and trusted community partner that prioritizes survivor-led practices and policies.  Our work is rooted and led by three core values:

• Equity

• Survivor led

• Trauma Informed

As a Program Specialist Senior, you will provide strategic direction and collaboration with the Department of Community Justice staff as well as community partners to design a more coordinated and effective system response to victims/survivors.  The Program Specialist Senior will create system change that will improve restitution collection, victim notification, referrals to services, victim safety, restorative responses, and communication to victims about probation and parole in both the Adult and Juvenile Services Divisions.  In addition, the Program Specialist Senior will serve as a lead for both grant funded and internal work within the unit.

In this role, you will make an impact by:

• Providing leadership, strategy, and advice, driving the programmatic work of the unit, including goals and objectives for programs, policies, operational procedures, and assessment of agency practices.

• Providing leadership for interagency collaborations that will improve policies and procedures to better serve crime victims and survivors.

• Developing and presenting training materials and briefings regarding practices, resources, and policies related to unit subject matter expertise.

• Researching evidence-based practices related to subject matter expertise, including topics on trauma, cultural responsivity, and responding to specific types of victims.

• Actively championing racial justice work and eliminating oppression and white supremacy values in program policies and procedures.

• Evaluating services over time through surveys, focus groups, and community needs assessments with the goal of enhancing and improving services. 

• Preparing statistical and qualitative reports to inform projects this position is responsible for.

• Acting as liaison and/or designated program spokesperson to community partners, victim services, governmental agencies, and elected officials.

• Facilitating project meetings and developing meeting materials.

• Acting as a lead for the team by knowing how to do each person’s role, providing coverage as needed, helping to train new staff, and overseeing the client assistance fund.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY JUSTICE

Vision ~ Community Safety through Positive Change

The Department of Community Justice (DCJ) is recognized as a national leader in both adult and juvenile community justice. DCJ routinely consults and makes use of evidence-based practices in our program and policy development. The Department's commitment to data-informed decision-making has led DCJ to make smart investments of taxpayer dollars in supervision, sanctions, and services for the county's highest risk and highest need justice-involved individuals. DCJ makes long-term investments in its employees through the provision of education and training. The Department believes that in order to enhance public safety we must work collaboratively with the judiciary, law enforcement, schools, treatment agencies, and the community.

The Department shares information with community members, partners, and staff to keep communities safe by preventing and reducing crime and routinely evaluating which local policies support best practices. DCJ operates 24 hours a day, with nearly 650 regular, on-call, and temporary employees. The Department supervises justice-involved individuals on probation, post-prison supervision, and parole, and those defendants requiring pretrial services. DCJ's Juvenile Services Division operates the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility and is responsible for youth on formal and informal community supervision.

More general information about the Department of Community Justice including our mission, vision, and strategies can be found at: www.multco.us/dcj.

The Department of Community Justice's Strategic Plan (Executive Summary and Full report) can be found at: https://multco.us/file/68223/download.

Serving the Public, Even During Disasters

Every day, Multnomah County staff work together to serve as a safety net for our communities. During a disaster, this safety net becomes even more critical. All County employees have a role in serving the public during inclement weather, natural disaster, or other types of community emergency response. During these emergency responses, while typically there begins with a call for volunteers, county employees may ultimately be reassigned from their current position to a role in the emergency response in order to support the critical needs presented by our communities. For more information, please visit the Disaster Service Worker Information page.

Come Find Your Why! (video)

Internal candidates: After you have applied, you will receive an acknowledgement task and the Oregon Veteran Preference Questionnaire in your Workday inbox. Your application as an internal candidate is not complete until you complete and submit these tasks in Workday.

TO QUALIFY

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page.

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills*:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in criminal justice, restorative justice, social work, program evaluation, public administration, or related field (Professional work at or near the level of this position can substitute year for year for the educational requirement), and

• 3 years experience working with crime victims/survivors, and

• 3 years technical program experience, development and oversight, and

• Must pass a thorough background investigation which includes, but is not limited to a review of applicant’s criminal, civil, driving, military, educational and employment history prior to employment, and

• Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

  • Advanced knowledge and experience of victim services, criminal justice system procedures, domestic violence/sexual assault dynamics, methods and terminology, and victims’ rights under Oregon law, and

  • Working knowledge and understanding of the effects of abuse, trauma and vicarious trauma, as well as restorative justice, and

  • Demonstrated skill and ability to lead multi-disciplinary, multi-agency teams that includes law enforcement to develop collaborations, engage teams, develop shared goals, build consensus, and engage in joint problem-solving that results in decisions and resolutions, and

  • Demonstrated skill in developing and providing training and/or presentations

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills*: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind, we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• Equivalent to a Master’s Degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in criminal justice, restorative justice, social work, program evaluation, public administration, or related field

• Experience with criminal justice or law enforcement agencies.

• Strategic problem solving.

• Proactively facilitating excellent customer service and relationships with the community, criminal justice and social service partners, and other stakeholders.

• 5 or more years experience working directly with survivors of violence.

*Transferable skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experiences that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position.

SCREENING AND EVALUATION

The Application Packet:

Please be sure to provide all of the required materials below in your application submission:

• Online application: Explain all related experience (paid or unpaid) and training in the education and work experience sections of the application.

• Attach a resume: Please indicate how you meet the required minimum qualifications. Attach the document to the on-line application. Be sure to explain in detail, including dates, all related work experience, paid or unpaid.

• A Cover Letter: This should expand on your resume, address why you are interested in this position and demonstrate in detail how your experience and skill set align with the minimum and preferred qualifications listed.

The Selection Process: For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows:

• Initial review of minimum qualifications

• An evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates or oral exam

• Consideration of top candidates/Interviews

• Background Investigation/Fingerprinting

Equal Pay: Please be advised that the pay range listed for this position is intended to provide general guidance on the earning potential for the role. However, actual compensation will be determined in accordance with the Oregon Equal Pay Law and will consider factors such as the candidate's relevant experience and education. Candidates should expect that initial offers will be made within the listed pay range and may not be at or near the top of the range.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Type of Position: This hourly, union represented position is eligible for overtime.

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week.  Specific schedule developed with supervisor.

Telework:   This position is currently assessed as hybrid telework. Telework is subject to the Multnomah County Telework Policy and based on the Department’s business needs. The exact amount of on-site/telework and schedule will be discussed with the hiring manager. Telework locations cannot be located outside of Oregon or Washington.

Multnomah County offers a comprehensive benefit package to all eligible employees. A few highlights include:

• Health insurance (medical, dental, vision, Moda or Kaiser Permanente).

• Qualify for a defined benefit pension after five years of vesting; we pick up the employee's share of the retirement contribution (6% of subject wages).

• Generous paid leave (vacation, sick, parental, bereavement, military etc.)

• Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance

• Optional deferred compensation and flexible spending accounts

• Access to a free annual Trimet bus pass

• Access to wellness resources

Pay Range:

$42.71 - $52.58 Hourly

Department:

Department of Community Justice (DCJ)

Job Type:

Regular Represented

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

January 20, 2025