Job Description Summary

The Sexual Assault Resource Specialist will provide advocacy-based support to students and collaborate to improve systems and responses to gender-based violence. These collaborations with campus and community partners will include programming to raise awareness on campus about gender-based violence and strengthen the response from staff and faculty when a student discloses. The specialist will work with a diverse and multidisciplinary team of colleagues in providing these services across many departments.

Essential Duties

A majority of time will be spent providing trauma-informed advocacy-based support and coordination of care to any student from the University (undergraduate and graduate) affected by gender-based violence, including those impacted by supporting a friend or has witnessed an assault.

Supporting Actions:

• Guide students to the range of resources available and provide a supportive presence as appropriate.
• Assess for risk and assist with safety-planning for students experiencing ongoing relationship or domestic violence and refer when needed.
• Serve students of diverse identities through culturally aware and responsive, developmentally appropriate approaches.
• Provide coordination of care regarding housing and academic accommodations, mental health referrals, medical services coordination, Title IX referrals and other needs as they emerge.
• Provide support through accompaniment to internal and external resources including Title IX if requested and appropriate to the circumstances.

In addition, the person in this role will provide education and outreach to Bentley community around understanding sexual violence and how to support victims/survivors.

Supporting Actions:

• Collaborate with Health Promotion and Wellbeing staff to develop and provide education and training related to gender-based violence for students and student groups within the university (RA’s, Peer Educators, PRIDE, Greek Life, etc.)
• Collaborate with the Office of Institutional Equity to provide training as needed for staff and faculty to ensure support for students related to this issue.
• Act as a consultative resource for colleagues regarding their work related to gender-based violence.

Collaborate to improve systems and responses to interpersonal violence.

Supporting Actions:

• Build rapport with students, faculty, and staff outside of incident related concerns.
• Collaborate with the Title IX Office on the University’s response related to interpersonal violence.
• Work with the Boston Area Rape Crisis center and develop strong relationship so that we can access services for students as needed (e.g., legal advocate)
• Attend CARE meetings to become familiar with and an active member of the University’s response and coordinated care efforts for students in crisis.
• Participate in relationship-building and coalition work related to the University’s response to interpersonal violence and supporting student wellbeing.
• Collaborate with community agencies, national professional organizations, and other colleges and universities.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Master’s degree with a minimum of 2 years experience related to sexual assault response OR a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years related to sexual assault response.
• Demonstrated understanding of the dynamics of interpersonal violence and trauma informed service provision, and the ability to provide support and direct to resources primary and secondary survivors of interpersonal violence.
• Experience working with college-aged or young adult population.
• Strong awareness of social, emotional, and personal boundaries and how to set and maintain them in clear and respectful ways.
• Ability to assess and refer students to a range of services and departments both internal and external to Bentley.
• Ability to work with a wide range of campus constituents including students, staff, faculty, health promotion, academic affairs, campus police, student health professionals, and other campus partners.
• Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality and boundary setting as it relates to the situation, as well as the ability to know the limitations of confidentiality and when consultation is necessary and required.
• Demonstrated ability to support a community of diverse perspectives and cultures in an inclusive environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to conduct educational programs and training workshops.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling and other related fields.
• Experience working in higher education.

Work Environment

• Travel around campus for meetings and other work-related events required
• Typical office environment with extensive sitting and computer work
• Flexible office placement – perhaps working in more than one office every day

Bentley University requires references checks and may conduct other pre-employment screening.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Bentley University strives to create a campus community that welcomes the exchange of ideas, and fosters a culture that values differences and views them as a strength in our community.

Bentley University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, building strength through diversity. The University is committed to building a community of talented students, faculty and staff who reflect the diversity of global business. We strongly encourage applications from persons from underrepresented groups, individuals with disabilities, covered veterans and those with diverse experiences and backgrounds.