Volunteer Advocate Team Leader

CASA of Nashville

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Job Summary

The CASA Volunteer Advocate Team Leader’s primary responsibility is to lead a team of Volunteer Advocates and to directly support, coach, and develop volunteers appointed to advocate for children involved in Davidson County Juvenile Court and in the foster care system. This also involves supporting and guiding Volunteer Advocates in direct service delivery/advocacy to children and families and supporting Volunteer Advocates in ensuring appropriate progression and management of their cases.

Job Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential duties and responsibilities include the following, but other duties may be assigned:

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads, coaches and develops a team of up to 30 Volunteer Advocates working directly with children in foster care in need of advocacy.
• Leads and supervises a team of advocates to ensure the child’s best interest is being met.
• Meets with assigned advocates monthly to ensure the child’s best interest is being met.
• Organizes and conducts monthly advocate team meetings via online meeting platform or in person (when appropriate)
• Ensures that necessary reports are submitted to the court in time for the scheduled hearing/meeting.
• Coaches and supports advocates as they attend court hearings and related case meetings.
• Represents CASA in court hearings and related case meeting when an advocate cannot be present.
• Actively develops and delivers ongoing training and development of Volunteer Advocates and develops skills, knowledge, and resources around specialist areas that will add to effectiveness of advocacy for children.
• Facilitates and participates as co-facilitator for New Volunteer Training of CASA Advocates 3 to 4 times per year.
• Attends weekly program staff meetings to determine and discuss any concerns or plans involving volunteers or cases and attend monthly staff meetings to keep leadership apprised of relevant program and training information.
• Assists the Program Director in researching new case referrals from Juvenile Court and assigning volunteers to cases.

Leadership

• Leads monthly Volunteer Advocate Team meetings, facilitating professional development, communication between the agency and Volunteer Advocates, and develops a culture of inclusion, support, and empowerment of Volunteer Advocates.
• Participates in agency strategies to address systemic racism, intentionally making decisions to be inclusive and which promote equitable advocacy for children.
• Models, promotes, and ensures agency atmosphere and service delivery are culturally and linguistically competent and sensitive.
• Regularly communicates and ensures compliance with the mission, vision, strategic directives, strengths based and systems service philosophy, and learning organization principles.
• Cultivates and supports an agile and nimble organizational culture.
• Assesses, analyzes, and identifies solutions as program and organizational issues arise.
• Models and promotes healthy interpersonal relationships with and among employees, partners and Volunteer Advocates; manage conflict as it arises.
• Takes ownership of, navigate and lead program and organizational change as required by the agency and stakeholders; deploy and execute program and agency projects as assigned.
• Initiates recommendations and possible strategies to improve program and overall agency operations; model and promote flexible and systemic thinking.
• Represents agency in the community. Participate in community activities as assigned; work with community partners effectively, including DCS and Court staff and other service providers.

Risk Management

• Ensures Critical Incident Reports are utilized and completed in accordance with agency policy.
• Identifies, communicates, and generates solution ideas regarding possible risks related to the interests of employees, clients, and other stakeholders.

Program Operations & Services

• Ensures services are delivered in accordance with sanctioned agency practices, ethics, and agency strength-based systems service philosophy, in accordance with National CASA Standards.
• Maintains a current knowledge of all program elements; stay abreast of programmatic changes; stay abreast of community resources relevant to the program.
• Ensures program is operating in a manner that is responsive to the needs of Volunteer Advocates and the children they serve.

Program Performance & Quality Assurance

• Plays an integral role in reviewing and improving the quality of services of the agency, both in terms of how effectively Volunteer Advocates are supported and improving the outcomes for the children served.
• Participates in actively gathering and responding to feedback on services to Volunteer Advocates, partners, and colleagues to continuously improve systems, policies and practices in the team and own performance in the role.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

At least two (2) years of supervisory and/or leadership experience required. Experience working with or leading volunteers or experience working within an agency supporting volunteers is preferred. CASA volunteer work also preferred.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a related field preferred or at least five (5) years of related experience and/or training or certifications in child development, substance abuse/recovery, mental health, child welfare, or education/training. Equivalent combination of education, community engagement and experience may be considered in lieu of formal educational qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Has knowledge of community resources related to child welfare, strengthening families, community development, education, training of adults, leadership, mentorship/coaching, trauma-informed care, Adverse Childhood Experiences, child development, and relevant mental health services.
• Communicates effectively, professionally, respectfully and in a clear, concise, accurate and thorough manner.
• Demonstrates a teachable attitude and accepts constructive feedback.
• Ability to follow protocols and procedures.
• Ability to multitask and work in a self-directed environment.
• Ability to process complex information and communicate it to non-professionals.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule when needed.
• Knowledge and ability to utilize office equipment and computer software, including Microsoft Office suite, Teams and other online communication platforms (Zoom, WebEx, etc.)
• Based on program requirements, regular attendance and daily achievement of expected tasks is required.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Employee may be asked to use his or her personal vehicle for agency business, (not including commuting) on agency time. If employee is asked to drive on agency business, the employee must possess a current and valid state driver’s license and maintain auto insurance as required by law. Employee must also show proof of insurance at the time of hire and annual verification thereafter.

Within the first 3 months of employment, participate in 36-hour CASA Volunteer Advocate Pre-Service Training and be sworn in as a CASA Volunteer by the Davidson County Juvenile Court and within one year of employment attends the Training of Facilitators program delivered by TN CASA.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit.  The employee is frequently required to talk and hear, and to use hands to write, type, or operate office equipment.  During a typical day an employee is required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision requirements of this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The climate is controlled for temperature and humidity. Employees are expected to work both in the office, in court, and remotely as required. Employees are expected to have sufficient wi-fi and a private, appropriate work environment to allow remote working whilst adhering to confidentiality policies and practices.

Additional Information

How to Apply

Please email resumes to casa@casanashville.org.

Details

• Date Posted: November 4, 2020
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Program Management
• Service Area: Children / Youth
• Salary Range: $35,000 - $39,000 DOE