Emergency Services Volunteer Senior Manager

ABOUT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES

BARCC’s Emergency Services Department consists of four programs: 24/7 Hotline, Web Chat Hotline, Incarcerated Survivor Support (ISSP) Hotline, and Medical Advocacy. BARCC’s 24/7 Hotline runs 24 hrs via phone and Web Chat Hotline runs 9am-11pm daily providing survivors, significant others, providers and the wider community with a range of emotional support, safety planning, crisis intervention, resources and information. BARCC’s ISSP Hotline is a confidential crisis support line running 9am-9pm daily for incarcerated survivors held by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections (DOC), the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department (SCSD), and the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO). BARCC’s Medical Advocacy program provides 24hr support, information, and care for survivors in the hospital emergency department for a Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit (SAECK). The Emergency Services Department houses BARCC’s nearly 200 volunteers who provide frontline support for emergency service programs. The Emergency Services Department’s programs serve as the initial point of contact for many of the clients who seek and utilize BARCC’s Client Services.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Emergency Services Volunteer Senior Manager is responsible for overseeing volunteers in BARCC’s four emergency service programs: 24/7 Hotline, Web Chat Hotline, Incarcerated Survivor Support (ISSP) Hotline, and Medical Advocacy. They oversee the selection, training, and onboarding of volunteers; management of the current volunteer pool of 150-200 people; and ensure that volunteers are prepared to offer high-quality support services to a wide range of survivors, significant others, providers, and community members who contact the hotlines or are seen in the hospital. This position works closely with the Emergency Services Programs Senior Manager and BARCC’s team of Relief Emergency Service Shift Supervisors to ensure the smooth running of the emergency service programs. The Emergency Services Volunteer Senior Manager will also support work to develop and expand emergency services to increase access and improve the experience of underserved survivors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Recruit, interview and select diverse and qualified new volunteers
• Train new hotline volunteers four times a year. Regularly review, update, and innovate on the hotline and medical advocacy training curricula.
• Work other BARCC staff to develop, present, and support the quarterly 40 hour RCC Training.
• Oversee the revision of volunteer training/reference materials such as manuals, training documents, resources, etc. Create new materials and presentations as needed to support volunteers' access to accurate and easy to use information.
• On-board all new volunteers into the Emergency Service programs.
• Assess the volunteer’s readiness to take their own shifts, provide feedback and additional training as needed.
• Support and supervise emergency service volunteers
• Collaborate with Emergency Service staff to ensure that all volunteers receive regular individual attention as needed.
• Ensure that volunteers are engaged and following current BARCC policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Ensure that volunteers have access to updated information, training and support to feel confident addressing a range of situations on the hotlines or in the hospital, as well as the support and tools to identify and respond to vicarious trauma or other impacts from doing trauma work
• Provide opportunities for volunteers to give feedback and share their experiences. Collect and analyze volunteer feedback and use it to inform and improve hotline’s policies and approaches.
• Provide direction and support for volunteer peer leaders to be able to appropriately engage with newer volunteers during their shift and ensure that all BARCC protocols and practices are followed.
• Respond to volunteer issues raised in shift reports in a timely manner.
• Develop and implement volunteer engagement and appreciation activities and strategies to build community among volunteers and encourage retention.

• Plan and host three “peer supervision” volunteer meetings each month.
• Create and maintain volunteer schedules

Support emergency services infrastructure, development and access

• Support other Emergency Service staff in responding to and managing unusual trends/occurrences on the hotline or in the hospital - some situations will require rapid response times to ensure continuity of services.

• As needed take on-call shifts. This involves taking overflow calls/chats, providing support to on-call volunteers, and managing complex situations that may arise during the shift.
• Co-lead monthly meetings for all emergency services staff to connect, discuss trends and review departmental needs.
• Support the strategic goals for the Emergency Services to facilitate the development, expansion, advancement and improvement of BARCC’s Emergency Services.
• Support BARCC’s outreach efforts to increase access to emergency services in all communities served by BARCC, with a focus on currently underserved populations.

Collaboration

• Attend inter-department and staff-wide meetings.
• Participate in collaborations with other departments and external partners.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be committed to BARCC’s mission and philosophy.

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in crisis intervention services, volunteer management, or program coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to support and supervise a large group of volunteers or other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to pivot from direct service provision to administrative or oversight functions with minimal supervision.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and empathetically via phone, video chat, and text-based web chat.

• Ability to plan and attend three volunteer meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, and 4th Thursdays each month; these meetings take place after typical business hours, from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm.

• Ability to work hybrid with at least two days a week in the Cambridge office and travel to volunteer/organizational events, trainings and meetings as needed which may include time outside of regular office hours.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience supervising groups of volunteers and providing feedback that is both constructive and supportive.

• Knowledge of the systems survivors interact with (including correctional, health care, law enforcement, housing, etc) and commitment to addressing structural harms those systems perpetuate.

• Direct experience providing sexual violence crisis services strongly preferred.

• Bilingual English/Spanish is strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This position involves significant phone and text based communication with clients, volunteers, and staff. Must be able to engage in prolonged periods of sitting/standing while working on a computer/phone.

• Willing to provide direct services to survivors from many backgrounds including those who are currently incarcerated.
• All BARCC staff are required to undergo a criminal records check as per regulations from the Department of Public Health. Prior instances of interpersonal violence may disqualify an applicant from employment with BARCC.
• Hybrid work; minimum two days per week on-site in the Cambridge office with additional on-site time required for volunteer training, and volunteer or organizational meetings, and events

• Evening availability required three nights per month for volunteer meetings. During 40 hour RCC training, and for volunteer, departmental, or organizational events and meetings additional night and weekend availability will also be required.