DoD Safe Helpline Shift Manager (7am - 3pm ET, Sunday through Thursday)

As an essential part of RAINN’s Victim Services management team, the Safe Helpline Shift Manager plays a vital role in delivering compassionate and effective support to Safe Helpline (SHL) users. In this position, you will lead and support a dedicated team, providing virtual supervision and guidance to ensure the highest quality of care. This is a full-time role, offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact every day. The position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provisions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Supervision & Staff Management

• Manage hourly hotline staff to ensure programmatic operational policies and procedures are adhered to that are in compliance with the terms and conditions outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement—fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.
• Supervise, quality assurance of services and manage employees for assigned SHL shifts.
• Manage a team of assigned staff, check in with staff monthly, and evaluate employee performance annually.
• Responsible for hiring of new staffer and assistant shift manager positions, including interview and candidate selection.
• Coach staff and new hires utilizing RAINN's direct service and supervision policies as needed.
• Respond appropriately, and in a timely manner, to employee complaints and questions.
• Identify areas of opportunity for staffer improvement. Work with and advise staffers to help them build skills and improve feedback scores.
• Evaluate helpline staff and advise Safe Helpline Program Manager on suitability and need for skill development, discipline, and other personnel matters.
• Foster open communications with staff and Safe Helpline Senior leadership.

Quality Assurance & Performance Evaluation

• Monitor helpline sessions and provide support and guidance to staff.
• Provide ongoing training and feedback to employees on assigned shifts.
• Complete session assessments and session checklists.
• Use critical thinking skills, following RAINN and Safe Helpline policies to make independent, real-time staff and service decisions.
• Ensure the work environment and employee behaviors maintain a level of professionalism in accordance with RAINN and Safe Helpline staff handbooks and policies.
• Elevate all concerns and policy violations about workplace behavior and quality of services to SHL senior management in a timely fashion.
• Consistently document the date, time, and content of all one-on-one conversations with staff, both to build rapport and trust through ongoing communication and to ensure accurate records of workplace behavior or performance concerns.
  • Use documentation to inform coaching efforts and, when necessary, support progressive disciplinary actions in alignment with organizational policies.
• Lead efforts to ensure that resources provided to users are accurate through semi-annual call-throughs to military responders.
• Participate in the planning, writing, and facilitation of in-services meetings.
• Provide feedback to the Safe Helpline Program Manager regarding additional training topics or suggested revisions to training.

Direct Service & Support Delivery

• Provide direct support to individuals in the DoD community affected by sexual violence by responding to calls and chats on the Safe Helpline.
  • Approximately 70% of the role is dedicated to direct service support.
• Demonstrate specialized Safe Helpline knowledge and sexual assault service skills.
• Showcase expertise in specialized Safe Helpline knowledge and sexual assault service skills, including successful completion of essential training in crisis intervention and Safe Helpline protocols.
• Gather necessary information from Safe Helpline users and provide appropriate referrals.
• Work with Safe Helpline users to determine needs and provide follow-up support to ensure users connect with recommended resources.
• Triage and respond to mandatory reports on-shift or when on-call.
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule with other managers to provide urgent support outside of regular scheduled hours.
  • This includes responding to:
    • Emergencies, covering call-outs or scheduling gaps.
    • Managing the hotline, or taking calls and chats when needed to ensure 24/7 coverage.
• Attend 1 In-Service training meeting each month; held on Sundays from 3:00pm-5:00pm ET and Tuesdays from 3:00pm-5:00pm ET or 7:00pm-9:00pm ET.

Operations & Coverage

• Following RAINN and Safe Helpline policy and protocol, address short-term shift needs by initiating actions to find coverage, and adjust employee schedules during their shift as necessary.
• Be available to fill in for other Shift Managers when needed.
• Submit end-of-shift reports.
• Serve as a moderator and reviewer on the Safe Helproom.
• Attend and participate in Shift Manager meetings to exchange information regarding shift trends, staff needs, policies and procedures.
• Shift Manager meetings are held on Tuesdays from 12:30pm–2:00pm ET (may be subject to change).
• Carry out any additional tasks and responsibilities relevant to the work being completed, as assigned.

Policy & Program Development

• Maintain knowledge of RAINN's policies and procedures and provide ongoing feedback to the Safe Helpline Program Manager.
• Maintain knowledge of DoD SAPRO and other military policies and protocols and provide ongoing feedback regarding ways to meet and exceed DoD standards.

Specialized Service Delivery: Showcase expertise in specialized Safe Helpline knowledge and sexual assault service skills, including successful completion of essential training in crisis intervention and Safe Helpline protocols.

• Contribute to additional tasks or responsibilities that support the work, as needed.

Role Expectations:

Employees must remain in their current role and shift for a minimum of one year before being eligible to request a shift change or be considered for other positions within the department.

Mandatory Training Commitment:

As a condition of employment, all incoming staff must successfully complete a minimum of 80 hours of comprehensive blended training, designed to ensure competency across both the online and telephone platforms of the Safe Helpline. This training includes but is not limited to:

• 24 hours of self-paced online coursework
• 8 hours of AI self-paced simulation training
• 16 hours of live learning, spread over five instructor-led virtual sessions
• 32 hours of chat observation and online shadowing

The initial phase of training culminates in a mock role-play assessment, which is debriefed with RAINN’s Training Team. Successful completion of this assessment is required before moving into supervised practice.

Following the role play, staff will complete at least two 3-hour clinically supervised sessions on the online hotline, where they will assist users in real time while receiving individualized feedback from a Licensed Training Supervisor.

Safe Helpline operates across both online and telephone modalities, new staff will complete approximately 29 hours of telephone training, including:

• Call shadowing and observation.
• Telephone role-play exercise.
• Two final clinically supervised call sessions.

All training is conducted remotely, and while essential training is generally scheduled during regular shifts, some live or clinical components may require participation outside of your normal hours. Final approval from a Licensed Training Supervisor is required before independently taking online chats or telephone calls.

Position Specifications/Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology or relevant field.
• Crisis hotline/intervention or related experience.
• Previous supervisory/management experience.
• Must possess excellent English-language communication skills (oral and written). Possess ability to effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with visitors, general public and other employees within the organization.
• 2+ years' experience working or volunteering in a social services field, preferably crisis intervention services.
• 2+ years' experience managing paid staff, preferably in environments with multiple work shifts.
• Must type a minimum of 35 wpm with accuracy, and demonstrate ease of use with technology including instant messaging.
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain composure during stressful situations; ability to handle shifting and multiple priorities.
• Must be comfortable addressing difficult staffing situations and managing remediation.
• Ability to foster teamwork, work cooperatively, and effectively with others to resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance the program's effectiveness.
• Ability to lead, positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the program/organization.
• Ability to solve problems and deal with a wide range of situations.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions written and oral.
• Ability to exercise good judgment when faced with complex decisions.
• Resiliently positive and energetic attitude, with the ability to successfully work on a team and independently.
• Willingness and ability to work a non-traditional schedule which includes evenings and/or weekends/holidays.
• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Must be able to work on-site at RAINN's office and to attend meetings there as required.
• Must be comfortable discussing issues surrounding sexual violence.
• Must complete and pass a Tier 1 background investigation (administered by the Government).
• Must complete and pass a criminal background check administered by RAINN.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace applications (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms) with demonstrated ability to effectively utilize these tools for communication, collaboration, organization, and data management.

Desired Qualifications:

• Veterans: those with Department of Veterans Affairs or VA MST Coordinator experience will be given priority.
• Master's degree in social work, psychology or related field.
• Experience with military populations.

RAINN headquarters are based in Washington, DC. This position may be based regionally for someone whose residence is within the continental USA. Although this may be a remote role, it may require some periodic business travel to our DC offices for onsite meetings and training sessions.

RAINN offers competitive compensation and a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, employee assistance, a 403(b) retirement savings plan, paid vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, including a bonus week, and free access to the building's fitness center. RAINN is based in Washington, D.C.

Remote Work Requirements

RAINN employees are required to have a home office setup with a dependable high-speed internet connection. This must be sufficient to support all job-related tasks, including accessing systems, communicating with teams, and providing uninterrupted hotline services or administrative support.

When you work at RAINN, you're joining a team of experts and professionals who stand up for survivors of sexual violence every day. Your job is important -- and so are you! RAINN will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, individual identity, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status. RAINN encourages all qualified candidates to apply.

EOE/M/F/D/V

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of the essential functions, responsibilities and/or requirements.