The Chatline Specialist provides the first, and often only, contact that many people experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) have with The House of Ruth Maryland (HRM). HRM is proud to offer 24/7 survivor and community access to live support, education, safety planning and connection to services through phone and chat, as well as in person.  The Chatline Specialist is part of this team, and is responsible for ensuring that every contact – both victims and community members supporting victims -  are offered the support, information, referral, crisis intervention counseling, and safety planning consistent with HRM standards. When individuals contact HRM, they present as  scared, hopeful, worried, angry, concerned, and hurt. The Chatline Specialist assesses each victim’s situation relative to lethality and service needs to provide appropriate referrals. The Chatline Specialist is a creative, energetic problem solver who exercises initiative to help each contact. They are  a skilled professional with excellent crisis intervention and customer services skills. The Specialist is responsible for developing an excellent working relationship with other HRM programs and its staff, to ensure the timely, effective and seamless provision of services.

Standard Schedule: This position is a full time member of the Survivor Engagement team, and is considered an essential staff position.  Standard work schedule is Sunday-Thursday, with 75% of the work expected to occur on site in Baltimore City.  Survivor Engagement staff are expected to be flexible, with up to 25% of adjustment from regular work schedules needed at time to cover essential crisis services. This work may be on site or through remote technology. The Chatline Specialist is a sedentary position primarily working independently and in front of a screen.

Primary Responsibilities:

·         Primarily responsible for live responses to chat requests during designated chatline shifts, taking the majority of incoming chats, and providing excellent customer service and trauma-informed support.

·         Shares responsibility with other Contact Center Specialists for live response to hotline calls and triage of walk-in contacts during designated shifts.

·         Ensures that all communications are answered in a timely manner, with minimal or no abandonment.

·         Offers support, information, referrals, crisis intervention counseling, and safety planning consistent with House of Ruth Maryland standards.

·         Monitors and tracks chat trends and reports directly to Lead Contact Center Counselor. 

·         Perform timely data entry related to each contact, as well as other administrative tasks as-needed for essential Contact Center or site functions. This may include filing call reports, organizing call center spaces, responding to voicemails, etc.

·         Attends internal and external meetings and trainings to ensure up to date understanding of agency and community resources and response strategies.

·         Communicates openly and honestly, working as a team with other staff, and demonstrating a positive, solution oriented attitude when working with contacts and colleagues.

·         Assists Lead Contact Center Counselor in facilitating trainings and call listening sessions with new staff.

·         Works with Lead Contact Center Counselor to ensure all Contact Center resources are accurate and up to date; specifically, with program partners and external vendors.

·         Provides compassion, support, patience, information and referral to all victims, families, friends, professionals, donors, and other individual contacts during designated shifts.

·         Provides crisis intervention, empathy and immediate safety planning to contacts at risk of serious injury from intimate partner violence.

·         Uses critical thinking skills to effectively triage user needs.

·         Provides relief and back-up coverage in emergency and urgent situations between essential assigned sites if required.  This includes occasionally acting as the primary staff person in HRM’s 24 hour shelter program.

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Authority:

·         [EC1] [JM2] Approve emergency sheltering for victims of intimate partner violence.

·         Contact emergency services for intervention in response to disclosure of threat of harm to self, others, or a child.[EC3] [JM4] 

·         Makes referrals and facilitates connections to HRM programs and external services.  

·         Works collaboratively with Residential Program to provide crisis intervention to residents and site.

·         Locates and shares information for appropriate community resources.

·         With contact permission, makes warm referrals and advocates for access to services for survivors of IPV.

·         Recommends changes [JM5] to material and financial assistance to Lead Contact Center Counselor, in accordance with agency guidelines.

·         Distribute user inquiries to appropriate HRM departments/programs. [EC6] [JM7] 

·         Provides realtime support and feedback to HRM colleagues sharing shifts.

Accountability/Measures of Success:

·         Accountable for meeting high quality standards for all aspects of Contact Center essential functions.

·         Meets program quality and service targets as determined by data quality measures and Measuring Success Outcomes.

o    Includes collection of data and meeting deadlines for data entry efforts and grant reports.

·         Contacts are well educated on dynamics of intimate partner violence, risk of injury due to IPV, and all available services.

·         Contacts are connected to services that are culturally appropriate and sensitive in a timely and efficient manner.

·         Follow up and outreach contacts are conducted in accordance to program standards and documented accordingly.

·         Ensures all communications requiring follow up are appropriately referred or addressed.

·         Effectively prioritizes responsibilities between chatline, hotline, and site needs in adherence to agency expectations.

Experience/ Requirements:

·         Associates degree in human services field or 2 years’ experience in call center or victim centered services.

·         Two years’ experience answering hotline/chatline or working in customer service.

·         Base knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of intimate partner violence.

·         Demonstrated ability to use critical thinking skills in high-stress situations.  

·         Demonstrated ability to make decisions which de-escalate conflict and/or resolve a crisis effectively.

·         Knowledge of local human services programs/agencies and housing resources.

·         Experience working with individuals of diverse ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, and other identity backgrounds.

·         Excellent oral and written interpersonal skills with a strong ability to relate to a diverse range of individuals including victims, children, donors, business leaders, human service providers. Particular emphasis on communication over electronic communication.

·         Demonstrated ability to work independently and juggle multiple competing tasks and timelines.

·         Oral fluency in English and Spanish highly preferred.

·         Knowledge or ability to learn database management systems.

·         Must pass Criminal Background Check.