How to hire a victim advocate

How to hire a victim advocate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step victim advocate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a victim advocate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new victim advocate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a victim advocate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the victim advocate you need to hire. Certain victim advocate roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a victim advocate to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a victim advocate that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of victim advocate salaries for various roles:

   Type of Victim Advocate	Description	Hourly rate
   Victim Advocate	Social and human service assistants provide client services, including support for families, in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. They assist other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.	$14-23
   Resident	A resident, often known as a resident physician, is a medical doctor who just graduated from medical school and pursued the residency program for further training. Residents work with health care team members to provide direct medical care by diagnosing medical problems and devising appropriate treatment plans... Show more	$21-39
   Volunteer Coordinator	A volunteer coordinator is a professional who is in charge of recruiting and managing volunteers to help convey the organization's purpose to the general public. Volunteer coordinators must use marketing tools such as outreach programs and emails to attract new customers and maintain relationships with existing customers... Show more	$12-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Crime Victims
   • Safety Planning
   • Criminal Justice
   • Social Work
   • Advocacy Services
   • Mental Health
   • Sexual Assault Victims
   • Community Resources
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Financial Assistance
   • Domestic Violence Victims
   • Emotional Support
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Child Abuse

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Present at statewide summit on alternatives to incarceration using Microsoft PowerPoint.
   • Conduct intakes following ethical protocol, maintaining client confidentiality according to HIPAA.
   • Conduct outreach efforts to promote services including PowerPoint presentations and speaking by panel.
   • Ensure legal compliance integrity and confidentiality in accordance with company policy and HIPAA regulations.
   • Assist patients in securing medical coverage by screening refer patients and coordinating the application process through successful approval.
   • Serve as liaison between EAC's and other departments that work with EAP members and participants.

   More victim advocate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your victim advocate job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A victim advocate salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a victim advocate in Utah may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level victim advocate usually earns less than a senior-level victim advocate. Additionally, a victim advocate with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average victim advocate salary

   $38,628yearly

   $18.57 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level victim advocate salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 18, 2026

   Average victim advocate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$54,420	$26
   2	New York	$52,280	$25
   3	Pennsylvania	$48,231	$23
   4	Massachusetts	$45,761	$22
   5	Virginia	$45,211	$22
   6	California	$43,202	$21
   7	Washington	$42,772	$21
   8	Oregon	$41,895	$20
   9	Colorado	$40,854	$20
   10	Texas	$38,670	$19
   11	South Carolina	$38,091	$18
   12	Florida	$38,019	$18
   13	New Mexico	$34,023	$16
   14	Utah	$32,055	$15
   15	Indiana	$31,380	$15

   Average victim advocate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	City of Baltimore	$72,908	$35.05	1
   2	King County	$48,501	$23.32	1
   3	University of Colorado Boulder	$46,249	$22.24	1
   4	International Rescue Committee	$44,353	$21.32	1
   5	University of North Carolina	$42,663	$20.51	5
   6	Adams County Government Center	$42,081	$20.23
   7	City of Houston	$42,043	$20.21
   8	Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City	$41,508	$19.96
   9	City of Reno	$40,984	$19.70
   10	Eagle County	$40,879	$19.65	1
   11	State of Connecticut	$40,648	$19.54	3
   12	Wyoming	$40,288	$19.37	8
   13	City of Lakewood	$40,232	$19.34
   14	Fulton County Government Center	$40,191	$19.32
   15	City of Las Cruces Government	$40,093	$19.28
   16	Columbus Consolidated Government	$40,068	$19.26
   17	Alachua County	$40,053	$19.26
   18	TASC Training Institute of Coastal Horizons Center	$40,016	$19.24	14
   19	Safe Horizon	$39,906	$19.19	23
   20	SHASTA COUNTY	$39,814	$19.14	4

4. Writing a victim advocate job description

   A good victim advocate job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a victim advocate job description:

   Victim advocate job description example

   Centerstone is among the nation's leading nonprofit behavioral health systems with thousands of employees dedicated to delivering care that changes people's lives. A dynamic, well-established organization, we offer rewarding opportunities to serve all ages in a variety of settings. Come talk to us about joining the Centerstone team!
   
   Provides crisis support to victims of sexual abuse by assisting them through the criminal justice process Provides criminal justice advocacy as the victim case proceeds to the State's Attorney Office. Maintain SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) member collaborations, communications, and monthly meetings. Performs related follow-up and records management tasks. Organized, dependable, and sensitive in dealing with trauma. Able to work effectively with team, including outside community providers who are members of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). Must be able to navigate computer system and complete paperwork timely and efficiently.
   
   Minimum Qualifications: Requires High School diploma or equivalent. Must be able to navigate computer system and complete paperwork timely and efficiently. Candidate must possess a valid Florida Driver's License in good standing, current auto insurance, with their own vehicle. Hours can vary- candidate must be flexible, on-call rotation required.
   
   Preferred Qualification: Bachelor of Arts Degree (will substitute years of victim service experience) preferred. Bilingual preferred.
   
   Special Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Organized, dependable, and sensitive in dealing with trauma. Able to work effectively with team, including outside community providers. Must be able to navigate computer system and complete paperwork timely and efficiently.
   
   Maintain SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) member collaborations, communications, and monthly meetings to meet Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV) certification standards. Provides on-call crisis intervention to primary and secondary victims of sexual assault/abuse. Contributed to development and implementation of victim safety plan. Refer children and their families for additional services as identified. Responds to location of victim within 45 minutes of first notification. Responds to telephone crisis calls immediately following notification. Accompanies victims to law enforcement agency, crime scene, or other destinations to provide support and education about the legal system. Provides information about sexually transmitted diseases, legal proceedings, victim's rights and referrals to other community resources as needed. Completes all required documentation to comply with Attorney General's Office of Crime Compensation, Rape Crisis Program standards, and Centerstone standards. Keeps Supervisor advised of any problems that arise while on-call, or if unable to meet requirements of commitment to the program. Maintains good working relationships with SART members, attends SART meetings, and provides outreach/awareness activities in the community.
   
   Work Environment/Physical Demands: Moderate noise levels as found in a business office with computer & printers. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to occasionally loud. May be required to work in the community/on-site. Ability to sit, use hands and fingers, talk or hear, and smell continually. Ability to stand, walk and reach frequently. Ability to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, or crouch occasionally.
   
   Position Type, Expected Hours of Work and Travel: Hours can vary- candidate must be flexible, on-call rotation required and frequent local travel.
   
   Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
   
   Centerstone is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.
   *CB* Bradenton, FL Time Type: Full time Delivering care that changes people's lives starts with our employees. Below are just some of the great benefits Centerstone employees enjoy: Medical, dental, and vision health coverage Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts403b retirement plan with company match Paid time off and ten paid holidays AD&D Insurance, Life Insurance, and Long Term Disability (company paid) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion employee resource groups Continuing education opportunities Employee Assistance Program Centerstone is an equal opportunity employer. Employment at Centerstone is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications directly related to professional competence. Centerstone does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law. At Centerstone, we use our values as a guide for what we do. Respect, Expertise, Integrity and Empowerment are at the heart of every interaction at Centerstone, and particularly rooted in our beliefs toward diversity and inclusion. Our approach to diversity is simple-it's about embracing everyone. Together, we continue to develop an inclusive culture that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our employees. It powers our innovation and connects us closer to each other, to our clients and the communities we serve. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the growing world around us, and where everyone feels empowered, safe and welcomed.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right victim advocate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with victim advocates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit victim advocates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your victim advocate job on Zippia to find and recruit victim advocate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with victim advocate candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new victim advocate

   Once you've selected the best victim advocate candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new victim advocate. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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