Summary

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Hate Crimes & Vulnerable Populations Victim Advocate Specialist to assist with responding to Hate Crimes & Vulnerable Populations cases in King County.

The Hate Crimes and Vulnerable Populations Advocate will provide comprehensive victim advocacy to victims, family members of victims, and community members of hate crime and other vulnerable populations (i.e., vulnerable adult abuse, animal cruelty, or human trafficking, and complex fraud) as capacity permits. The advocate will provide independent support, uphold victim’s rights, and give a voice to crime victims within the criminal justice system. The advocate will be responsible for responding to victims during pre-filing status (while cases are under review) as well through the adjudication of any criminal charges that may be filed. The advocate will work closely with deputies in the in General Crimes Unit (GCU), Economic Crimes Unit (ECU), and Violent Economic Crimes Unit (VECU), and will provide advocacy to victims in both the King County Courthouse in Seattle, and the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. The advocate will coordinate community outreach efforts to our most marginalized and vulnerable communities who may experience higher rates of bias crime and victimization.

About the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
The Criminal Division is the largest of four divisions and is organized into several different units. See the Criminal Division Overview for more information. We are guided by our core values of Justice, Integrity, Compassion, Professionalism, and Leadership.

Our mission is to do justice:

• We exercise the power given to us by the people with fairness and humility.
• We serve our diverse community, support victims and families, and hold individuals accountable.
• We develop innovative and collaborative solutions for King County and the State of Washington.

To learn more about the PAO, please visit our website.

Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants.

Work Location: In-person/telecommuting hybrid: King County Courthouse – 516 Third Ave, Seattle or Maleng Regional Justice Center- 401 4th Ave N, Kent

The PAO requires for all employees to reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their primary county worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Work Schedule: This position works a 40-hour work week schedule. Our core business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This position is eligible for King County’s generous benefits package and is covered by the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Salary: Range 50
(Step One) $34.15 - (Step Ten) $43.29 Hourly*
$2,732.00 - $3,463.20 Biweekly
$2,959.67 - $3,751.80 Semi-Monthly

Union Membership: Positions in this classification are represented by Teamsters Local No. 117.

• 
  Employees with less than 2 years of service will receive .25 per hour less than the hourly salary table due to a mandatory contribution toward the Teamsters Pension Trust that was voted by members of Teamsters Local No. 117.
  

Job Duties

• Provide advocacy to victims, survivors and immediate family members of hate crime and elder abuse to help address their emotional, physical and financial needs to reduce the impacts of trauma and victimization
• Communicate legal rights and case updates to victim/survivors and appropriate immediate family members; engage in victim rights enforcement
• Deploy advocacy skills, crisis and case management, and de-escalation techniques as needed
• Assess impacts and needs resulting from crime victimization and trauma, connect victims with community resources and service providers to address identified needs
• Assist in developing coordinated safety plans with crime victims as appropriate
• Coordinate outreach efforts to build and foster necessary community partnerships with community organizations to address the identified needs outlined by crime survivors
• Conduct and produce trainings and participate in outreach events related to caseload and impacts of victimization
• Utilize PAO facility dogs in accordance with PAO policy in support of victims, survivors and immediate family members associated with caseload
• Develop strong and effective working relationships with DPA’s, Case Development Specialists, Paralegals, Law Enforcement, and other system entities to empower, support and educate families and victims throughout the Criminal Justice System process
• When needed, assist crime victims filing for civil protection orders, including drafting orders, completing declarations, and other legal documents for court hearings
• Attend trials and hearings as necessary, advocate and speak on behalf of victims and their families in and out of court; prepare victims for court testimony
• Make appropriate warm handoff and referrals to community-based organizations and agencies to address relevant social service needs associated with their victimization?
• Participate in appropriate Hate Crime and Vulnerable Populations task forces, workgroups, multi-disciplinary teams, community meetings in accordance with PAO objectives and roles/responsibilities
• Engage equity and social justice principles in regular job duties and decision making
• Additional responsibilities and/or tasks may be incorporated, or existing ones modified as business needs evolve

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

• Demonstrated expertise in the areas of violent crime and criminal justice and court-based advocacy.? Experience responding to victims of bias or elder abuse crime a plus
• Demonstrated ability to work with people in crisis?
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written; ability to communicate professionally and effectively with individuals, groups and in the courtroom.?
• Considerable knowledge of local related community resources?
• Demonstrated ability to work within and across systems including law enforcement, courts, prosecutors, community partners and the public?
• Skill in working with diverse populations?
• Ability to exercise independent initiative and judgment and also function as a team player?
• Ability to problem-solve and identify needed procedural and policy changes
• Demonstrated ability to manage voluminous and sensitive caseloads?
• Any combination of experience/education/training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the work
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with co-workers, management, attorneys, court personnel, law enforcement, community partners and the general public
• Actively participate in PAO equity work, attending equity trainings and discussion.
• Provide support for the Race, Equity and Social Justice policy and principles, work with PAO colleagues and management to identify opportunities for improvement
• Bilingual candidates and candidates with experience serving diverse survivors are strongly encouraged to apply

Supplemental Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office is dedicated to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Tracking Number: 204S-2023-April-REG