SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION RESPONSE VICTIM ADVOCATE (SAPR VA) (Title 5)
Department: Department of the Army
Location(s): Iowa City, Iowa
Salary Range: $73939 - $96116 Per Year
Job Summary: IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD - TITLE 5 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION Open to the public. This is a Title 5 Excepted Service position. Military membership is not required, and Veteran's Preference applies. LOCATION: DJS, Iowa City, IA
Major Duties:
- As a SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION RESPONSE VICTIM ADVOCATE (SAPR VA) (Title 5), GS-0101-11, you will perform the following duties. Perform essential victim service, advocacy, and support duties; provide a non-clinical response that is trauma-informed, gender-responsive, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented, and without prejudice to adult victims of sexual assault. Demonstrate understanding of trauma related to sexual violence and related complexities. This work involves Privacy Act and Controlled Unclassified Information and is therefore highly sensitive in nature. Apply basic strategies for skilled communication, including developing rapport and actively listening, to provide initial victim advocacy services and crisis intervention support for adult victims of sexual assault and comply with mandated timeframes for responding to requests and completing required documents within those timeframes. Conduct mandated initial risk screening; non-clinical safety assessment and planning; and coordinate medical, legal, and civilian and military law enforcement resources to address immediate risk, safety, and supportive service needs in accordance with applicable policy, prioritizing confidentiality and informed consent. Accept official reports of sexual assault by assisting the victim in completing the Defense Department Form 2910 and other official Department of Defense forms as applicable, taking sensitive care of handling personally identifiable information when it is disclosed, as well as covered communications. Demonstrate expertise in offering comprehensive guidance to victims on reporting options Restricted and Unrestricted, to include options for those not ready to report, explaining exceptions and limitations for each, and ensuring understanding of the eligibility criteria for Special Victims' Counsel . Uphold the rights and confidentiality preferences of victims consistently throughout the reporting process. Support victims when contacting appropriate offices and facilitate warm hand-offs as requested. Ensure victims of sexual assault receive information and support during administrative, medical, investigative, and legal procedures to support victim self-determination and informed decision making. Collaborate closely with victims to develop and adapt safety plans and needs assessments to prioritize and address potential risks and vulnerabilities, applying trauma-informed best practices and understanding the importance of informed consent throughout the process. Collaborate and partner, as a member, with the sexual assault CMG members and the High-Risk Response Team to address and mitigate identified risks, safety concerns, and coordinate support services. Ethically and collaboratively support and assist victims in identifying strategies that promote self-determination while addressing presenting risk factors to support continuous victim care and safety. Safeguard the interests, rights, and privacy of victims who lack the capacity to make informed decisions independently during and after the course of the professional relationship. Collaborate with victims to assess their readiness for case closure and develop a comprehensive closure plan, inclusive of completing a final safety assessment, applying transition strategies, and providing resources for continued care or needs. Assist the SARC in the management and maintenance of up-to-date case files in Defense Sexual Assault Incident Database, as applicable, ensuring compliance with legal, privacy, and organizational policies and victim advocacy professional standards within the applicable timeframes per guidance. Employ complex trauma-informed practices to provide tailored emotional support, ensuring victims feel respected, heard, and understood. Provide culturally informed services that empower marginalized individuals and adapt support strategies to align with the cultural, social, and personal contexts of each victim. Assist the SARC with developing and collaborating with relevant stakeholders on SAPR public awareness campaigns including planning local events for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, representing the SAPR program in community outreach efforts, and assisting the SARC with ensuring that outreach efforts align with the SAPR program's strategic goals as assigned by the Supervisory Principal SARC. Ensure the response to the victim includes assessing if the victim has been sexually harassed or if the sexual assault was perpetrated by an intimate partner and assist the victim using the No Wrong Door approach to get the victim to the more appropriate service provider. The initial assessment would also need to include determining the status of the victim, such as, if they are a DoD federal civilian, technician, or other applicable status. Performs other duties as assigned. T5922000
Qualifications: In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Applicants who do not fully address the minimum/specialized experience needed for the position in their resume will not be referred for consideration. MINIMUM EXPERIENCE: Degree: behavioral or social science; or related disciplines appropriate to the position that included at least 24 semester hours of course work in the behavioral or social sciences. OR Combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. OR Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. (You must provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. To receive credit for education, you must provide documentation of proof that you meet the education requirements for this position.) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:GS 010111 - Applicant must have at least 1 year specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of the following experience: Experience analyzing problems, identifying significant factors, gathering pertinent data and recognizing solutions; preparing reports, plans, policies and various correspondence; evaluating objectives and develop plans to facilitate the availability and effective utilization of various social science resources Experience, education or training analyzing problems, identifying significant factors, gathering pertinent data and recognizing solutions; preparing reports, plans, policies and various correspondence; evaluating objectives and develop plans to facilitate the availability and effective utilization of various social science resources. Knowledge of the organization and its mission and utilized the organizational staff procedures. Experience applying analytical and evaluative techniques to issues or studies concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of social science program operations carried out by administrative or professional personnel, or substantive administrative support functions.
How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the online application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12868671 A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Application Deadline: 2026-01-30