Staff Assistant
Job Title: Staff Assistant
Work Hours: Full Time
Reports To: Program Director
FLSA: Non-Exempt/Hourly
Starting Salary: $30,000 - $32,000
Classification: 8810 Clerical
Child Advocacy Center 5025 Garland Street Lincoln, Nebraska 68504
Contact: Ruthi Thompson, Ruthi@smallvoices.org
Where Small Voices Can Be Heard
The mission of the Child Advocacy Center is to respond to child abuse through a team approach designed to reduce trauma, seek justice, and provide hope and healing for children and their families.
“Excellence is achieved by caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical, and expecting more than others think is possible.”
Summary of the Position
The Staff Assistant is responsible for providing clerical support to staff and serving as the receptionist for the Child Advocacy Center.
Description of Essential Job Duties
To serve as agency receptionist in greeting children and families, members of the multidisciplinary team and other visitors, route phone calls appropriately, supervise and monitor the lobby area and front door, and open and close the center daily.
To provide support to the Child Advocates by updating resource materials, distributing gas cards, and other duties as assigned.
To provide support to the Forensic Interviewers by serving as back-up only in scheduling forensic interviews and medical evaluations, and other duties as assigned.
To provide support to the medical providers by copying and distributing medical and lab reports as directed and other duties as assigned.
To supervise children while their parent(s) or caregiver(s) are involved in meeting with staff or team members in accordance with the agency’s Child Protection Policy.
To bill for medical evaluations and hair testing and maintain required documentation.
To maintain a safe, clean environment by participating in facility upkeep daily, ensuring cleanliness of lobby, family rooms, copy room, medical room and bathrooms.
To identify problems in the work area and seek solutions utilizing appropriate resources.
To sort and distribute in-kind donations, such as stuffed animals and blankets as they are received and provide donor information to the Development Assistant.
To routinely inventory and stock needed office, medical and cleaning supplies throughout the facility including the Gary Lacey Training Center and to work directly with the Executive Assistant in ordering.
To maintain statistics, update NCA Trak and prepare monthly and annual statistical reports.
To open, update, close and scan case records and update the Outcome Study database.
To gather completed initial surveys for the Outcome Measurement System (OMS) and enter them into a quarterly spread sheet and to take the lead in conducting follow-up phone calls to non-offending caregiver(s) within 60 days of initial visit.
To support staff with copying and filing and provide for the smooth daily operation of the Child Advocacy Center by replenishing forms, brochures and supplies.
To prepare, sort and deliver daily mail and distribute faxes.
To receive in-kind donations and complete the in-kind donation slip.
To ensure culturally competent services are provided to all families we serve without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
To read and comply with the policies and procedures of the Child Advocacy Center as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Setting the Standard: Procedure Guidebook for Best Practices.
To promote a positive image of the Child Advocacy Center in the community and participate in special events and fundraising efforts.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The employee does not customarily and routinely exercises independent discretion and judgment in the performance of his or her duties more than 50% of the time nor do they supervise other employees.
Qualifications
Education: High school diploma with training in office management and technology. Bilingual (Spanish/English) is preferred. The employee is required to attend Darkness to Light: Stewards of Children within their first six months of employment and every three years thereafter. The employee is also required to participate in at least three hours of training annually related to cultural competency.
Experience: Two years of experience of varied and progressive clerical responsibilities in an office setting is required. Previous professional experience with children and families in crisis preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge of office procedures and machines.
Ability to maintain accurate filing and database information.
Knowledge of the criminal justice and child welfare system helpful.
Ability to be enthusiastic, friendly and welcoming and possess a comfort level easily interacting with children and adults who receive services at the Child Advocacy Center.
Ability to communicate in a sensitive, supportive manner to callers experiencing crisis and anxiety.
Ability to interact with visitors in a tactful, courteous and pleasant manner.
Strong computer skills with experience working with Microsoft Programs including Word, Excel and Outlook and ability to trouble computer problems.
Ability to be actively engaged in their own professional development and be committed to excellence in everything they do.
Ability to listen to the ideas of others, demonstrates pride and ownership in the integrity of their work, and accepts feedback from others to continuously improve.
Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to maximize results and ensure deadlines are met.
Ability to be a self-starter and work independently.
Possess strong communication skills both verbally and in writing.
Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and collaborate with a wide range of professionals including law enforcement, social services, medical and mental health providers.
Ability and willingness to establish and maintain positive working relationships.
Ability to be flexible and adjust to a quickly changing schedule and handle distractions and interruptions.
Ability to take the initiative to identify and solve problems.
Knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity and ability to exhibit sensitivity in dealing with people of varied backgrounds, beliefs and abilities.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties. While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in an office environment that is well-illuminated and climate controlled. The noise level is usually moderate and occasionally boisterous. Cooperation and flexibility is required due to frequent interruptions in a fast paced, dynamic environment presenting multiple demands, constantly shifting schedules and priorities, and simultaneous deadlines. This job requires the employee to work as part of a team and to maintain positive working relationships with a wide variety of people and organizations, including law enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys, social service agencies, medical and mental health professionals and other public and private agencies. The work environment can be stressful due to the fact we are working with children who have experienced sexual or physical abuse and their families who are in crisis. In working with the public, and particularly children, there is a possibility of exposure to communicable diseases. Medical providers, child advocates, forensic interviewers and the staff assistant may have limited exposure to blood and body fluids.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential job duties. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, run, sit, and kneel while routinely interacting with active children. The position requires normal range of hearing, eyesight, coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to record, prepare and communicate reports and operate office equipment. Employees are occasionally required to lift 40 pounds to waist height. The employee must be able to read and write English and to communicate effectively with children of varying ages, as well as adults and families in crisis and the general public.
Other
Employee must be 18 years of age. All employees must have access to a vehicle, possess a valid driver’s license and provide proof of insurance. All employees must submit to a criminal history background check prior to being hired and annually at the time of their performance evaluation.
Special Note
50% of the Staff Assistant’s time is devoted to allowable activities under Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding. Specifically, by serving as the agency receptionist in greeting children and families, members of the multidisciplinary team and creating an environment that is healthy and safe for crime victims. Also, supervising children in the lobby area and providing a healthy and safe environment for child victims and siblings while their parent(s) or caregiver(s) are involved in meeting with staff, team members or therapists in accordance with the agency’s Child Protection Policy. Also, provide support to direct service staff including updating resource materials, distributing gas cards and securing on-site translators as needed. Also, maintaining agency statistics, updating our case tracking system and preparing monthly statistical reports as needed by funders, including VOCA. Also, administering the Outcome Measurement System (OMS) including gathering the initial surveys from the non-offending caregiver(s) and entering them into a quarterly spread sheet and conducting follow-up phone calls to non-offending caregiver(s) within 60 days of the initial visit.
Revised
July 18, 2017
This job description is meant to describe the general nature and duties that may be required of this position within the Child Advocacy Center. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with this job. Nothing in this job description restricts your supervisor’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. All employment relationships at the Child Advocacy Center are of an at-will nature and may be terminated at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment.