Senior Independent Domestic Violence Advisor

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) to join the Avon and Somerset team working 37.5 hours a week.

Do you want to make a difference every day? Do you want to contribute to change & improvement for those who need it?

Do you have resilience & adaptability? Can you work effectively with a focus on customer service and care?

If yes, then we'd love to hear from you...

What we offer:

At Victim Support we believe in attracting & retaining the best people and offer a competitive rewards & benefits package including:

• Flexible working options including hybrid working
• 28 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, rising to 33 days plus Bank Holidays
• An extra day off for your birthday
• Pension with 5% employer contribution
• Sick pay allowances & maternity payments
• High Street, retail, holiday, entertainment & leisure discounts
• Access to our financial wellbeing hub & salary deducted finance
• Employee assistance programme & wellbeing support
• Ongoing training & support with opportunities for career development & progression

About the role:

This role is hybrid working between Bridewell Police Station and home (and therefore requires an appropriately confidential home space in which to work), with travel around the locality to meet with service users. As a Senior IDVA you will:

• Identify & assess risks & needs of domestic abuse victims, developing individual safety plans helping them to access services
• Provide a pro-active, short to medium term crisis intervention service delivering advocacy, emotional and practical support
• Regularly review impacts & outcomes for the service user, addressing emerging needs & requirements
• Support the empowerment of the client to assist them in recognising the features & dynamics of domestic abuse
• Participate in the MARAC framework; refering clients & attending meetings
• Lead in good working practices, offering mentoring & support to colleagues as the initial contact to provide advice & guidance on casework
• Provide information & advocacy to enable service users in navigating and understanding the criminal justice process & their rights
• Line manage staff to ensure performance targets & agreed outcomes are met by the service
• Maintain accurate and confidential case management records and contribute to monitoring information for the service.

You will need:

• A proven track record in a similar environment
• To be able to work independently & as part of a team, coaching and influencing others
• An understanding of risk assessment, safety planning & risk management
• Experience of working within a multi-agency setting
• Experience of managing a complex caseload prioritising effectively
• The ability to use IT applications competently including, Microsoft Word, Excel etc. and Case Management systems in order to keep accurate records and undertake performance monitoring

As this role involves regular travel across Bristol a driving license and access to a vehicle is considered an essential requirement.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for further details.

About Us:

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity providing a range of specialist services to people who have been affected by crime across England and Wales. We work towards a world where there are fewer victims but who have stronger rights, better support and a real influence in the Criminal Justice System. Everyone at VS is driven by our Vision Ambitions and Values to play their part in making a difference for those who experience crime and traumatic events. Working for VS gives you the opportunity to play a key role in a national charity providing high quality services to victims and witnesses and being a vital force for change.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

Victim Support strives to represent the diverse communities we serve and are passionate about creating an environment where all staff and volunteers feel respected and heard. Being a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture is integral to us being able to meet our aim of ensuring that anyone who is a victim of crime gets the support they need.

As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we particularly welcome applicants from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. VS is also a Disability Confident Employer and we provide a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for candidates that are disabled and meet all essential criteria for a role.

If you have a disability, a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or a medical condition which you believe may affect your performance during any aspect of our selection process, we'll be happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to perform at your best.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please follow the link below to the Jobs page on our website and complete the application form demonstrating how you meet the essential shortlisting criteria.

We look forward to hearing from you.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date.