988 Supervisor - Part Time

NAMI Chicago•Chicago, IL

4d•Remote

About The Position

The 988 Supervisor leads and supports crisis counselors who provide immediate support and intervention to people experiencing emotional distress and mental health crises. Working within the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Supervisor helps ensure high-quality service through compassionate leadership, real-time guidance, and operational oversight. The role includes supervising shift operations, providing clinical and procedural support, managing escalated calls, and fostering a trauma-informed, inclusive, and collaborative work environment. The Supervisor responds directly and indirectly to calls, chats, and texts, and may act as a crisis counselor during low staffing or high call volume. The position provides clinical and administrative supervision, supports counselor training and onboarding, monitors compliance and documentation, and collaborates with Chicago-area providers to connect contacts with services. Strong communication, emotional intelligence, composure under pressure, and the ability to multitask across digital platforms are important to the role. This is a part-time, 32-hour-per-week work-from-home position for someone located in the Chicago area. The employee must maintain a private, confidential workspace and attend requested in-person trainings and meetings at the Chicago office. The stated schedule is Friday through Monday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.; schedules may change to meet agency and client needs. The call center operates 24/7, 365 days a year, including holidays, and employees are expected to work holidays that fall on their regular schedule unless PTO is approved or a shift is traded. Required onboarding training begins in person and continues virtually. SafeTALK must be completed within six months of hire.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a social services field or equivalent.
Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), consistent with the Illinois Administrative Code.
At least 2 years of experience providing direct clinical and/or administrative supervision.
3–5 years of relevant experience providing counseling, crisis, or case management to individuals or families experiencing behavioral health crises.
Experience in telephonic outreach, crisis work, and case management.
Experience working with vulnerable populations.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build rapport with people in distress and communicate clearly in verbal and written formats.
Ability to remain focused and adaptable in a fast-paced, high-stress environment with frequent interruptions and urgent situations.
Strong organizational, multitasking, prioritization, time-management, and independent problem-solving skills.
Empathy, compassion, and a non-judgmental approach to people experiencing mental health crises.
Commitment to serving underrepresented and vulnerable populations, including racial and ethnic minorities and people living with mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
Cultural humility and commitment to working inclusively across race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and gender.
Familiarity with Chicagoland mental health services and community resources.
Self-awareness and commitment to personal and team wellness.
Strong supervisory skills aligned with NAMI Chicago’s values and mission.
Sound judgment and thoughtful analysis when making decisions.
Ability to maintain a private, confidential, distraction-free home workspace in the Chicago area.
Ability to work over a private, secure, password-protected internet connection with a minimum speed of 300 Mbps and 10 Mbps upload.
Ability to attend in-person trainings and meetings at the Chicago office as requested.
Ability to complete the required training course before becoming eligible to answer 988 calls and complete SafeTALK within six months of hire.
Ability to work the stated Friday–Monday schedule and scheduled holidays unless PTO is approved or a shift is traded.
Ability to attend required team meetings and retreat.
Ability to use telephone and computer equipment and work across digital systems; the role involves extended screen use and sitting.
Flexibility during scheduled shifts, as break times may vary when responding to a person in crisis or supporting a counselor.

Nice To Haves

LCSW or LCPC.
Previous experience at a suicide and crisis hotline.
Certification in crisis intervention or suicide prevention.
CADC, CRSS, or CPRS certification.
Strong computer and technology skills for working across multiple platforms and troubleshooting.
Typing speed of at least 35–40 WPM.
Current ASIST or SafeTALK certification; in-house SafeTALK training is provided quarterly.

Responsibilities

Respond directly and indirectly to 988 calls, chats, and texts according to established protocols and guidelines.
Support contacts of all ages experiencing emotional distress, mental health crises, or suicidal ideation, including imminent risk of harm to self or others.
Act as a 988 Crisis Counselor when needed, such as during low staffing or high call volume.
Provide crisis counselors with guidance and support, including direct assistance using active listening, motivational interviewing, and crisis intervention when necessary.
Maintain effective communication with supervisors and crisis team members throughout the shift and respond promptly to requests for guidance.
Participate in quality improvement initiatives and supervision to improve service delivery and team performance.
Collaborate with Chicago-area providers to advocate for contacts and facilitate connections to appropriate services.
Participate in ongoing training and professional development and remain current with crisis intervention best practices.
Identify team training needs and collaborate with clinical, training, and senior managers on learning strategies.
Support onboarding and ongoing training for new and existing crisis counselors.
Foster a collaborative, trauma-informed team culture aligned with NAMI Chicago’s values and model participation in huddles, coaching, meetings, and trainings.
Ensure accurate and timely documentation in NAMI Chicago and Vibrant’s client record management system and support counselors in maintaining required records.
Follow program and organizational policies and contractual requirements and monitor crisis counselor compliance.
Provide regular clinical and administrative supervision to counselors on shift and those assigned for direct oversight.
Identify and address immediate program needs with the supervisory and management team to support effective service delivery.
Engage in a wellness plan, communicate support needs as appropriate, and adhere to the organization’s Wellness policy.
Attend quarterly all-team meetings, one virtual team meeting during the second and third month of each quarter, bi-weekly supervisor meetings, and a bi-annual in-person retreat.
Perform other duties as assigned to support the 988 program and NAMI Chicago’s mission.