Senior Technical Assistance Specialist

Overview

Ujima, The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community (Ujima) was founded in 2015 in response to a need for an active approach to ending violence against women in the Black community. The name Ujima was derived from the Kwanzaa Principle of “Ujima,” which means Collective Work and Responsibility. This principle is critical to addressing violence against Black women and girls in the United States and the Territories. Ujima, through its education and outreach, training and technical assistance, resource development, research, and public policy efforts, mobilizes the Black community and allies to strengthen our families, recognizing that the safety and viability of our families are connected to the health and well-being of our individual neighborhoods and communities at large. We define the Black community as the African Diaspora in its broadest sense, e.g., Black Americans (including descendants of the enslaved); African, Afro-Latine, and Afro-Caribbean immigrants, refugees, and asylees.

Ujima leads national, state, and local efforts to enhance culturally responsive victim services through education, advocacy, research, and training/technical assistance (TTA). Our initiatives aim to:

1. Build the capacity of culturally specific organizations to manage local, state, and federal grant funding.
2. Address systemic barriers limiting access to Crime Victim's Compensation for communities of color.
3. Provide culturally relevant TTA to victim service providers and community organizations.
4. Identify gaps in culturally specific services for victims of crime and promising practices for culturally specific community-based organizations.

Job Summary

The Senior Technical Assistance Specialist will play a critical leadership role in advancing Ujima’s mission and will:

• Develop, implement, and evaluate TTA initiatives that enhance services for underserved and marginalized communities.
• Conduct research to inform the design of culturally responsive victim services and policy advocacy.
• Support culturally specific organizations in overcoming systemic barriers to funding and services.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to address the intersection of oppression, victimization, and restoration for survivors of color.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Assistance & Resource Development

• Provide advanced-level technical assistance (via phone, email, and in-person) to culturally specific organizations, mainstream service providers, and VOCA Administrators.
• Develop and deliver comprehensive training, workshops, and webinars on topics such as systemic bias, trauma-informed care, financial management, and culturally responsive practices.
• Conduct research on barriers and opportunities for culturally specific victim services, leveraging data to create reports, toolkits, and other resources.
• Build a clearinghouse of promising practices to support victim service providers in underserved communities.
• Respond to and track TTA requests, identifying emerging trends and providing tailored solutions to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Ujima’s research teams to assess gaps in victim services and propose actionable recommendations.

Research and Policy Development

• Design and execute needs assessments and qualitative research projects, including listening sessions and focus groups, to gather insights from historically underserved and marginalized communities.
• Analyze data and draft comprehensive reports on systemic and social barriers and opportunities for culturally specific victim services.
• Contribute to the development of public policy recommendations to address structural and institutional inequities in victim compensation and services.
• Publish research findings and best practices to advance the field of culturally responsive victim advocacy.

Outreach & Community Engagement

• Lead Ujima’s Sunrise Series Listening Sessions, gathering critical data to assess the needs of survivors in communities of color.
• Cultivate partnerships with culturally specific organizations, community advocates, and government agencies to foster collaboration and peer-to-peer learning.
• Design and implement community engagement strategies to amplify the voices of survivors of color and service providers.

Project Management

• Oversee project timelines and deliverables, ensuring all goals are met within established deadlines.
• Lead the planning and execution of national conferences and regional meetings, focusing on culturally specific victim services.
• Manage reporting and compliance for grant-funded initiatives, tracking outcomes and preparing detailed evaluation summaries.
• Mentor and supervise junior staff, consultants, and/or volunteers ensuring alignment with Ujima’s mission and strategic goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Skills & Experience

• Master’s degree preferred in social work, public health, criminal justice, or a related field, with at least five years of experience in victim advocacy, technical assistance, or organizational capacity-building.
• Expertise in culturally specific services, systemic barriers, and trauma-informed care within communities of color.
• Demonstrated experience conducting research, including needs assessments, data analysis, and report writing.
• Strong understanding of Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding and victims’ compensation processes.
• Proven ability to develop and deliver training and resources that address systemic inequities and promote equity.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and virtual platforms (e.g., Zoom).
• Willingness to travel locally and nationally with occasional overnight stays.
• Flexible scheduling for work outside of regular business hours as requested.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience working with culturally specific organizations and communities of color, particularly Black, Latine, Native American, and other Indigenous populations, and/or Asian/Pacific Islander communities.
• Advanced knowledge of public policy advocacy and social change strategies.
• Proficiency in Spanish or another language commonly spoken in underserved communities is a plus.
• Familiarity with grants management and compliance principles.

Personal Attributes

• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical and writing abilities, with attention to detail.
• High level of independence, initiative, and creativity.
• Commitment to collaborative work in a fast-paced, anti-violence environment.

Reports to: Manager of Technical Assistance

Employment Status: Full-time, Exempt

Location: Ujima is located in Washington, DC. This position is remote.

To Apply: Please submit a résumé, cover letter, and a two-page writing sample to Ujima Jobs at jobs@ujimacommunity.org.

Closing Date: January 10, 2025

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of Ujima, The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.