We are Hestia. We make a difference.
At Hestia, we are guided by our core values and are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organisation. Our mission is to empower individuals to rebuild their lives and achieve independence. Right now, we are looking for a Independent Domestic Violence Advisor - Employment to play a pivotal role in our Central Services in London.
Sounds great, what will I be doing?
This role involves providing support to employees of a partner organisation who are survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, regardless of their level of risk. The support begins from the point of referral and is delivered through a coordinated, multi-agency approach, focusing on safety planning and long-term wellbeing.
The primary responsibility is to ensure the safety of individuals at high risk of harm from intimate partners, ex-partners, or family members, as well as the safety of any children involved. This is done within a multi-agency framework, including participation in MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences). The role also includes offering both emotional and practical support to survivors and their children, while advocating for their needs to ensure they receive appropriate care and protection.
Support provided should be outcome-focused and shaped by the client's individual circumstances and preferences. The role requires a strong commitment to safeguarding best practices, ensuring that any concerns involving children or vulnerable adults are escalated appropriately to senior management.
Advocacy is a key element of the role, which involves both written and verbal communication with a range of stakeholders, including legal professionals, social services, employers, and other agencies. The role also includes keeping clear, accurate, and confidential records in line with data protection regulations and the organisation's case management standards.
Monitoring information must be provided as required, both internally and externally. A core value of the role is ensuring that the voices of survivors are central to all communications and service delivery.
The individual in this position is expected to attend relevant training, including specialist IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advocate) courses, to develop the skills and knowledge required for the role. They will work closely with the Everyone's Business Manager and wider team to ensure the service delivered is consistent, effective, and meets the needs of the clients, including through workshops and awareness sessions within the workplace.
In addition, the role involves supporting the delivery of the Respond to Abuse Advice Line for Employers, a confidential service offering advice and support on domestic abuse in the workplace.
Finally, the post-holder must meet agreed standards of service delivery in accordance with relevant legislation, contractual obligations, and organisational policies.
What do I need to bring with me?
You'll need to be able to demonstrate the core skills this role requires as well as match our values and mission. You don't have to tick all the boxes right away; the important thing is that you're willing to learn. We also value lived experience of the areas we support, so if you feel comfortable, please do mention this on your application.
Here's what the team will be looking for
The ideal candidate will have proven experience in delivering high-quality casework support to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. This includes strong crisis management skills, the ability to respond effectively to challenging situations, and competence in conducting thorough risk assessments and developing safety plans. They will have experience working within a multi-agency framework, offering a coordinated and holistic response to support survivors.
A solid understanding of the options available to survivors is essential, including knowledge of the criminal justice system, civil remedies, housing and financial support. The candidate should also have comprehensive knowledge of safeguarding procedures for both adults and children at risk, and the ability to identify concerns and respond appropriately.
Strong interpersonal skills are vital, including high levels of empathy, active listening, and both verbal and written communication skills. The candidate must be aware of how to work safely when operating alone and demonstrate the ability to maintain safe practice at all times.
They should be able to plan, prioritise, and manage a varied workload, even under pressure, while consistently maintaining accurate and confidential records to a high professional standard.
The ability to build and maintain effective relationships is key to this role. This includes working collaboratively with employers, external partners, and internal teams to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting survivors. Previous experience using computer-based systems to record work accurately is required, along with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
An excellent understanding of the impact of domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence on survivors and their children is necessary. The candidate must also have experience in supporting individuals affected by these issues. Knowledge and experience of the MARAC process is important, as is the ability to competently advise survivors on a range of legal options, both criminal and civil, that are available through the IDVA service.
Interview Steps
We keep our interview process simple, so you know exactly what to expect.
* Shortlisting call: We have a team of dedicated recruitment specialists who will speak to you about your experience, motivations and values. They will also tell you about all the great work we do!
* Face to face interview: Now you will have face to face interview with the hiring manager. Our interviews are value and competency based.
Don't be alarmed if there are other stages in the process, it's all part of the plan for some of our roles.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Our services users come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes us stronger. We are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and value the skills, abilities, talent and experiences, different people and communities bring to our organisation.
We are a disability confident employer
Hestia is proud to be a disability confident employer, dedicated to the employment and career development of individuals with disabilities. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the role they have applied for. We also provide reasonable adjustments during the selection and interview process, and throughout your employment with us.
Safeguarding Statement
Hestia is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people who are potentially at risk, and we therefore expect all staff and volunteers to do the same. We require all staff to undertake internal and external safeguarding training throughout their employment with Hestia.
Important Information for Candidates
If your application is successful, please be aware that you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks before a formal offer of employment can be confirmed.
We reserve the right to close this job advert early should we receive a high volume of applications or if the position is filled before the closing date. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to ensure their application is considered.