Specialist, HelpLine

American Lung Association • Nationwide, US,

2d • Remote

About The Position

The American Lung Association is hiring a Specialist, HelpLine to work as part of its HelpLine department and grant-funded Illinois Tobacco Quitline program. The Specialist provides the public with information and guidance on tobacco and smoking cessation, including reactive and proactive counseling through telephone, chat, text, and email. This is a home-based remote position, and candidates anywhere in the United States are encouraged to apply.

The role involves documenting calls and follow-ups, following Quitline protocols, maintaining knowledge of cessation and tobacco intervention practices, and supporting program resources, projects, deliverables, reporting, committees, and mission-related activities. The employee will participate in training and become certified as a tobacco treatment specialist, maintaining required continuing education for certification.

The position follows a flexible training and work schedule. For the first four weeks, training is during daytime weekdays; for the next four weeks, the schedule transitions to afternoons. After training, the schedule is 1:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time, plus one designated weekend day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. The target hiring rate is $50,000 per year; exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location. The American Lung Association maintains a tobacco-free workplace, and employees must abstain from tobacco use in any form, including vaping.

Requirements

• Associate's degree required.
• Ability to communicate effectively by telephone and online chat and provide good customer service.
• Ability to relate to people from diverse educational, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability to work in a call-center environment and manage large volumes of inbound and outbound calls in a timely manner.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including daytime weekday training for the first four weeks, afternoon training for the following four weeks, and afternoon/evening hours from 1:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time after training, plus one designated weekend day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time.
• Critical skills include analytical decision-making, customer resource knowledge, organizing and coordinating, position-specific expertise, interpersonal understanding, teamwork and internal partnership, individual accountability, initiative, versatility, and self-management.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, along with good typing skills.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and practices.
• Valid driver's license and ability and willingness to attend events as requested; travel and mileage are reimbursed according to ALA policy.
• Ability to lift and carry 25 pounds of event supplies.
• Must abstain from use of tobacco in any form, including vaping, in keeping with the organization's tobacco-free workplace.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree.
• Certification as an addiction counselor.
• Experience in counseling.
• At least 3 years of experience in counseling, community health education, or social work.
• Previous experience with tobacco cessation or health behavior change.

Responsibilities

• Answer incoming Illinois Tobacco Quitline calls from people seeking help to stop tobacco use, providing reactive and proactive counseling.
• Document each call in the database, including voicemail messages, counseling, and follow-ups on designated calls as appropriate.
• Provide guidance on tobacco cessation questions through Quitline telephone, chat, text, and email channels.
• Participate in training and become certified as a tobacco treatment specialist; maintain the certification's continuing education requirements.
• Follow Quitline protocols for all responses.
• Ensure all required information is collected and entered into the database.
• Participate in the resource evaluation committee to help keep resources current.
• Assist with indexing new materials.
• Stay familiar with current smoking cessation and tobacco intervention techniques for counseling purposes.
• Understand and implement protocols for special groups or projects.
• Become familiar with issues concerning tobacco prevention and environmental issues.
• Coordinate and implement mission-related activities.
• Coordinate, implement, and monitor deliverables.
• Complete assigned reports.
• Staff assigned committees and work groups.
• Continually seek innovative opportunities for American Lung Association growth.

Benefits

• Paid leave, including 10 vacation days in the first year and 15 days thereafter, 2 personal days, and 15 sick days per year.
• 12 company-paid holidays per year.
• Paid parental leave for eligible employees.
• Medical, dental, and vision plans for employees and eligible dependents.
• Voluntary critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, short-term disability, and supplemental life/AD&D insurance plans.
• Company-paid life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance coverage.
• 401(k) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with matching employer contributions up to 4% and year-end discretionary non-elective contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree