NAMI Chicago - Crisis Call Center Supervisor 988 - Full Time chez NAMI Chicago

Type: Full-time

Reports to: Senior Manager of 988

Office Location: 224 W. Hill St, Chicago, in-office and hybrid working options available. Must be based in the Chicago area and available to come to the Chicago office in person for trainings, specific shifts and meetings several times per year.

Shift: Evening shift, 3:45pm - 12:15am, Days TBD 

Background 

Guided by the experiences of those living with mental health conditions and rooted in equity, NAMI Chicago educates to fight stigma and discrimination, fiercely advocates for our community, and shares hope, connection and expertise with people on their mental health journey.  

Who We Are:   

• An employer who prioritizes your wellness? 
• An employer who supports your growth? 
• An employer who sees and acknowledges all of you   
• An employer who educates and advocates for mental health while sharing hope with those on their mental health journey or supporting individuals on their mental health journey.? 

Who We Are Looking For:   

• Highly empathetic?? 
• Detail-oriented and organized   
• Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills? 

General Job Description: 

As a 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Supervisor you will lead and support a team of crisis counselors who provide immediate support and intervention to individuals experiencing emotional distress and mental health crises.  Operating within the framework of the 988 Lifeline, you will help ensure high-quality service delivery through compassionate leadership, real-time guidance, and operational oversight. You will be responsible for supervising daily shift operations, offering clinical and procedural support, managing escalated calls, and fostering a trauma-informed, inclusive, and collaborative work environment.  This role demands strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to remain composed under pressure while multitasking across various platforms and tasks.   

Essential Functions and Responsibilities: 

• Crisis Response: Respond directly and indirectly to 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline calls, following established protocols and guidelines. Support callers of all ages experiencing emotional distress, mental health crises, or suicidal ideation, including those at imminent risk of harm to self or others. 
• Crisis Counselor Support: Support 988 Crisis Counselors in delivering high-quality emotional support and crisis intervention. When necessary, provide direct assistance using active listening, motivational interviewing, and crisis intervention to assess needs and offer appropriate follow-up and treatment options. 
• Communication: Maintain consistent and effective communication throughout the shift with other supervisors and crisis team members. Respond promptly to requests for guidance and support. 
• Quality Improvement: Actively participate in quality improvement initiatives and supervision to enhance service delivery and team performance. 
• Community Collaboration: Partner with providers across Chicago to advocate for callers’ needs and facilitate connections to appropriate services. 
• Training & Development: Participate in ongoing training and professional development and remain current with best practices in crisis intervention. Identify team training needs and collaborate with the 988 Training Specialist and Senior Manager to implement effective learning strategies. Support onboarding and continued training of new and existing Crisis Counselors. 
• Team Culture & Engagement: Foster a collaborative, trauma-informed team culture aligned with NAMI Chicago’s values and the vision for 988. Actively participate in huddles, coaching sessions, meetings, and trainings to support team cohesion and service excellence. 
• Documentation & Confidentiality: Ensure accurate and timely documentation of all interactions with callers using NAMI Chicago’s client record management system.  Support team members in maintaining case notes and other required records. This role requires strong computer skills due to the extensive use of digital systems as a fully remote role.  
• Compliance: Stay informed of program contractual obligations and requirements, follow established organizational and programmatic policies and procedures, and monitor compliance of crisis counselors.   
• Supervision & Leadership: Provide regular clinical and administrative supervision to Crisis Counselors. Proactively identify and address program needs to ensure effective service delivery.  
• Wellness: Actively engage in your wellness plan and communicate support needs as appropriate.??Adhere to the organization’s Wellness policy. 
• Other Duties: Perform other duties as assigned to support the success of the 988 program and NAMI Chicago’s mission. 

 Education and Experience: 

• Master’s Degree in social services field or equivalent; LCSW or LCPC preferred. 
• Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), consistent with the Illinois Administrative Code required.  
• At least 2 years of experience providing direct clinical and/or administrative supervision. 
• Minimum of 3-5 years of relevant experience providing counseling, crisis, or case management with individuals or families experiencing behavioral health crisis (i.e., suicidal ideations, psychotic presentations, SUD/OUD, etc.).   
• Experience in telephonic outreach, crisis, and case management.? 
• Experience with vulnerable populations.? 

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build rapport with individuals in distress and communicate clearly and expressively in both verbal and written formats. 
• Ability to remain focused and adaptable in a fast-paced, high-stress environment with frequent interruptions and urgent situations. 
• Exceptional organizational and multitasking skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and solve problems independently. 
• Demonstrates empathy, compassion, and a non-judgmental attitude toward individuals experiencing mental health crises. Committed to serving underrepresented and vulnerable populations, including racial/ethnic minorities and individuals living with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. 
• Demonstrates cultural humility and a commitment to working in a diverse environment inclusive of race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and gender. 
• Familiarity with Chicagoland mental health services and community resources. 
• Demonstrates strong self-awareness and a commitment to personal and team wellness. 
• Strong supervisory skills aligned with NAMI Chicago’s values and mission. 
• Exercises sound judgment and thoughtfully analyzes situations to make informed decisions. 

Welcomed Qualifications: 

• Previous experience at a suicide and crisis hotline 
• Certification in crisis intervention or suicide prevention 
• Strong computer and technology skills. You will be working across several different platforms simultaneously and a strong foundation will make adjusting and troubleshooting platforms easier.  
• Typing speed of at least 35-40 WPM 
• Current ASIST or SafeTALK certification (In-house SafeTALK training provided quarterly) 

Other Information 

Working Conditions: NAMI Chicago 988 Lifeline Phone Crisis Counselors work in a remote environment.  The role may involve sitting for extended periods and using telephone and computer equipment.  The role involves extended periods of looking at digital device screens.  The demanding nature of this work requires prioritizing self-care and being an advocate for your own wellbeing.    This role requires a degree of flexibility with your availability and time during your scheduled shift (i.e. break times may vary if you are interacting with a person in crisis or supporting a crisis counselor at the time of a scheduled break).   

Other:  

• Attend quarterly all team meeting on the first Monday of the first month of the quarter (July, October, January, and April) from 3-4 PM.  
• During the second and third month of every quarter, attend one virtual team meeting on the first Monday from 3-4 PM or second Thursday from 8-9 AM. 
• Attend biweekly supervisor meeting Thursday at 7:30 – 8:00 AM 
• Must have a private, confidential space to work from in your home that is free of distractions for the duration of your shift.  Must be able to work over a private, secure, password protected internet connection with a minimum speed of 300 Mbps (10 Mbps upload).