Public Policy Coordinator, Services Best Practices/Trauma and Mental Health

I. Purpose & Summary of Position:
The Texas Council on Family Violence is the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit coalition in Texas dedicated solely to creating safer communities and freedom from family violence. With a state-wide reach and direct local impact, TCFV, with the collective strength of more than 1000 members, shapes public policy, equips service providers, and initiates strategic prevention efforts.

Using TCFV’s strategic plan as a guide, the Public Policy Coordinator (Services Best Practices/ Trauma and Mental Health - Programmatic Focus Area) is responsible for strengthening and expanding the capacity of family violence programs and community partners working to create system change in support of survivors of family violence.

The Public Policy Coordinator (Services Best Practices/ Trauma and Mental Health - Programmatic Focus Area) works on the Program Policy Focus Area of the Policy Team within TCFV, reporting to the Public Policy Manager (Programmatic Focus Area) and/or the Director of Public Policy. The Public Policy Coordinator will focus on supporting the agency and programs by focusing on the intersections of mental health and trauma informed advocacy and implementation of best practice service models including voluntary services. They will also provide support, training, and technical assistance to agencies and professionals that directly advocate for survivors of family violence, including state and federal laws around service provision to survivors of family violence.

II. Priority functions / Accountabilities:
A. Training Development and Coordination – 20%
• Coordinate, develop and offer training on issues related to the areas of intersections of mental health and trauma informed advocacy and implementation of best practice service models including voluntary services.
• Create, develop and update written materials and protocols for use by survivors, family violence programs, and allied professionals, with particular emphasis on building knowledge and skills related to areas of intersections of mental health and trauma informed advocacy and implementation of best practice service models including voluntary services.
• Utilize effective, current, innovative methods to strengthen and expand the capacity of family violence service providers.
B. Technical Assistance and Consultation – 40%
• Provide technical assistance to advocates, family violence programs, and other entities with a focus on creating and enhancing access to services for survivors of family violence, best practices for service provision to survivors of family violence, mental health, trauma informed advocacy, and voluntary service models.
• Maintain and update content in consultation with the program policy focus area, for the Creating Safer Spaces webpage, an information hub for family violence programs as they create service models, model forms, and policies.
• Support relevant TCFV listservs and respond to relevant email accounts to support program staff across the state via training and technical assistance.
• Ensures that calls and requests for technical assistance are responded to in a supportive, timely manner.
C. Systems Advocacy Efforts– 25%
• Support evaluation efforts related to the Texas State Plan.
• Develop, maintain, and update written materials and protocols, including a focus on draft sample family violence program policies and client file forms, as appropriate, for use by survivors, family violence programs, and allied professionals.
• Research, track, and provide recommendations about bills during legislative session, including TCFV’s priorities and other proposals that would impact family violence survivors and the allies who serve them. Other projects and responsibilities may be added and/or changed at the discretion of the Managers and Directors.
D. Administrative- 15%
• Ensures timely and accurate reporting of grant activities, including contributing information for the agency’s funding applications.
• Ensures timely and accurate submission of evaluations, reports, and other required or requested documentation.
• Actively participate in team efforts to deepen our practices of relationship building, learning, and leadership development.

III. Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required:
• Texas residency required. This role is a hybrid remote job and requires in-office responsibilities, in Austin, on a periodic basis. If not directly located in Austin, successful applicants must maintain an ability and availability to attend in-person team activities, necessary Policy, or TCFV- wide activities, and attend in-person meetings and other responsibilities, as requested by the Policy Manager or Policy Directors. Additional in-person time is required during legislative sessions.
• Hybrid staff are also expected to travel and attend in person activities associated with their job descriptions and duties. Outside of these expectations, hybrid staff work remotely within the state of Texas.
• Experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities, including BIPOC survivors, advocates, and stakeholders in the consideration of impacts and outcomes of a decision-making process.
• Experience providing direct services to individuals affected by domestic violence.
• Strong team building and leadership skills to effectively manage Coalition activities through vision, strategic planning, and expertise.
• Self-driven to work independently with minimal supervision and use disciplined time management skills.
• Thorough knowledge of gender-based violence issues and the circumstances faced by those experiencing it.
• Critical analytical skills to understand the political, social, financial, and external issues affecting service providers; to foresee and interpret trends and dynamics changing needs of TCFV constituents; and to develop process and resources to respond effectively and in a timely manner.
• Communication skills suitable for presentation and written publication, for internal and external distribution.
• Self-driven to manage time and complete multiple activities and grant deliverables within deadlines.
• Working experience with Microsoft Office applications and can adeptly navigate new software and technology.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team, providing support and constructive feedback in interpersonal interaction with staff, board, and members.
• Must be proactive, communicative, responsive, creative, flexible, to accomplish agency and program goals; and possess mission of service attitude with a strong commitment to and knowledge of constituent service and relations.
• Ability to work within a team to offer support and collaborate on team projects.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of employee, donor, funder, survivor, and case information.
Preferred:
• Bachelor’s Degree. We will consider a combination of education and related experience. (Equivalency formula: two years of experience is equal to one year of education.)
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish language a plus as is any bi-lingual / bi-cultural lived experience.
• Experience on issues related to service provision, mental health and trauma supports.

IV. Working Conditions and Environment/Physical Demands:
Ability to communicate and converse in English. Travel up to 25% during non-legislative session times. Ability to frequently tolerate prolonged stationary positions and frequently move about a large public building. Ability to engage in frequent public contact. Professional attire may be required for most public- facing work. Ability to work in or from a remote location or from a home-based office. Must possess the emotional and physical stamina to deal with a variety of high-pressure situations, such as: responding to urgent legislative issues, handling difficult internal and external interactions, and effectively working long and, at times, odd hours which could exceed 40 hours or include weekends as necessary.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and minimum level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required for the position. The employee will be required to perform any other job-related duties as required by the job objectives, the CEO and mission and philosophy of TCFV.