Shift Supervisor - Telephone Support Worker

Shift Supervisor -Telephone Support Worker Hours of work: Full time 37.5 hrs (over a rolling rota, covering our 24/7 operating hours) Salary: £26,457, with progression to £29,213 per annum Base: Hybrid - Day shifts at Waterside House, Sunderland. Night shifts home based. (All staff work all shifts, on rotating rota basis, this comprises of early dayshifts, midshifts and week of nightshifts, shifts also includes weekends). Unsociable hours enhancements for weekend nightshifts and bank holidays. Do you have experience and passion for supporting people who might be going through a difficult time? Do you truly want to make a difference to people's lives? Our Mental Health Helpline provides a vital listening ear and crisis de-escalation on behalf of a number of NHS Trusts and we are looking for empathetic people to join us in providing this life changing support. We are looking for shift supervisors who will undertake the role of Telephone Support Worker and also support the service to deliver the most effective methods of support to those who use our services. Y Office shifts can start as early as 6.45 am, please consider your method of transport before applying. Day shifts in the office and nightshifts and weekend shifts are home based. About us Mental Health Matters (MHM) is a national charity with over 40 years of experience in delivering high-quality mental health and social care services. We have a positive impact on the lives of people living with mental health needs in our local communities. We provide services across England, from Northumberland to Plymouth, led by a highly motivated and enthusiastic workforce who are committed to delivering the best quality services to those in need of support. Everything about MHM is people focused, our people are central to delivering the highest quality of service and care to people who access our services. About the role Our Helpline is a 24/7 telephone crisis management and support service. We provide confidential emotional support to callers and provide advice and guidance around mental health and other issues. Our services also include web chat and SMS text support. The Helpline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You will provide a range of telephone support, signposting, advice, and guidance to adults experiencing mental health distress as well as being responsible for the management of your shift and subsequent activity. Other responsibilities include:

• To make decisions under pressure whilst communicating with the individual.
• To assess a situation and determine the degree of crisis, needs of the individual caller, and appropriate response.
• To accurately record referrals and details of calls on relevant electronic systems.
• To work in line with performance targets and key contractual requirements.
• To communicate with external stakeholders as required.
• Responsible for management of shift activity undertaking shift supervision responsibilities as outlined in daily task list, e.g. review call volume and allocation of resources.

Please refer to the attached job description for full job details as the above list is not exhaustive). About you We are looking for a candidate with proven communication skills and a confident manner. You will be articulate and hold a Counselling Certificate Level 2, or equivalent, and be willing to complete Counselling Level 3 within the first 6 months of your employment. The ideal candidate will have experience of providing a service over the telephone to a range of individuals, including those in distress. If you do not have Level 2 counselling but have extensive experience working in a social care field that involves care planning and risk assessing of emotional support needs, please consider applying and we will review your application. You will have an excellent telephone manner and be able to actively listen, question and respond. For this role you will need to have genuine empathy towards mental health issues and be keen to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health. You will have a natural ability to organise and prioritise your own workload and the capacity of the shift you are managing. You will have excellent time management skills and be computer literate. Our Helpline service operates 24 hours per day, all 365 days of the year and our staff work on a rota basis, covering days, evenings, night shifts and weekends. Please refer to the attached job description for full details on person specification for this role. What we offer You will go through our comprehensive, in-person training program in your first 4 weeks of employment which will give you the tools you need to succeed in the role, as well as offering a great opportunity to get to know your new colleagues. Please note you must be available to attend the minimum 4 week in person training programme, Monday - Friday 9am-5pm, at our offices in Sunderland