Assistant Program Manager

Position Title: Assistant Program Manager

Program/Location: Central Coast Hotline and Crisis Dispatch/ San Luis Obispo

Position Summary:

The Central Coast Hotline & Crisis Dispatch Assistant Program Manager is a full-time position that includes after-hours and participation in the Hotline’s on-call rotation. The Assistant Program Manager supervises Crisis Line & Dispatch Specialists and the Lead Crisis Line Specialist, who answer calls from the public, including calls forwarded after hours from SLO County Behavioral Health (Mental Health), TMHA programs, and Lumina Alliance during designated periods. The Assistant Program Manager also provides direct call coverage when scheduling needs require it.

This position has primary responsibility for the Mobile Crisis Team Dispatch component of the Hotline, including daily operations, staff guidance, dispatch-related questions and escalations, quality assurance and quality control, training, and coordination with the Mobile Crisis Team Lead. The Assistant Program Manager assists the Program Manager with call center operations, including scheduling, volunteer development, operational support, and required clerical tasks and contract documentation. The position also coordinates staff and volunteer training and plays a significant role in the agency’s trauma-informed suicide prevention efforts.

The position collaborates with local health systems, schools, community-based organizations, and their leadership to support the local strategic plan and upholds and promotes TMHA’s philosophy in all duties performed.

Hours/ Salary Employee Perks:

Full-time, exempt position. 40 hours per week. Anticipated hiring range is $70,720-$76,000. Includes a generous individual benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life, 403b retirement (with up to a 5% employer match) paid vacation/holiday time, paid sick time and a variety of helpful employee perks as well. (*Full Salary Schedule $70,720-$81,411).

Employee Perks:

A few of our helpful employee benefits include membership discounts to various local fitness centers. We offer years of service gift cards to businesses of your choice. We offer gift cards for walking, biking, or carpooling to work as well as 20% discount for shopping at our Growing Grounds Downtown Store/Nursey/ Farm. We host two employee appreciation events for employees and their families yearly. We practice Trauma Informed Care Principles, Guidelines for Collaborative Conversations, and encourage the use of pronouns. We mindfully promote equality, respect and diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and all the fascinating characteristics that make us different! TMHA is also a pet friendly workplace (upon approval)!

Organization Description:

Transitions – Mental Health Association is a leading non-profit agency committed to providing comprehensive mental health services and support to individuals and families by inspiring hope, growth, recovery and wellness in our communities. TMHA has decades of experience with teams of compassionate staff. TMHA is a driving force in improving mental health and wellness in our communities and a supportive and inclusive work environment that values diversity and individual contributions.

Mission Statement:

Transitions Mental Health Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating stigma and promoting recovery and wellness for people with mental illness through work, housing, community and family support services.

Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Coordinate and monitor suicide prevention efforts and training, including evidence-based and best practice curriculum.

2. May lead, facilitate, and coordinate support groups for attempt survivors.

3. Serve as the primary operational resource for dispatch-related questions and escalations during assigned work hours and provide support during assigned Hotline on-call periods. Maintain comprehensive working knowledge of dispatch protocols, response pathways, team availability, and documentation requirements. Coordinate backup support and clear escalation procedures with the Program Manager when unavailable.

4. Oversee the daily operation and implementation of the Mobile Crisis Team Dispatch component of the Central Coast Hotline. Coordinate closely with the Program Manager and Mobile Crisis Team Lead to address operational issues, communicate response capacity, support clear handoffs, and resolve dispatch-related concerns.

5. Provide dispatch-specific quality assurance and quality control through review of call and dispatch documentation, observation, protocol-adherence monitoring, staff feedback, and identification of training needs. Coordinate dispatch onboarding, ongoing training, competency development, and updates to training materials and workflows. Monitor Hotline service quality and protocol adherence through other quality-assurance activities assigned by the Program Manager. Help coordinate other program training, meetings, and professional development.

6. Coordinate trainings of evidence-based and best-practice suicide prevention and post-vention curricula (e.g., Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), QPR).

7. Provide scheduled Hotline coverage, including designated after-hours or overnight awake shifts when required, and support urgent coverage needs.

8. Employees in this position are required to participate in a rotating on-call schedule as part of their regular job duties. This includes providing client support services during weekday after-hours and all weekend hours, in accordance with our program’s contractual obligations. Flexibility and reliability are essential. Employees must respond, sometimes in person, in accordance with our on-call policy

9. Assist in tasks related to dispatch operations, including scheduling, follow-up calls, documentation, and support for Crisis Line Specialists, volunteers, and interns.

10. Attend necessary training and meetings as assigned by the Program Manager.

11. Communicate constructively and in a timely manner to supervisor. Remain approachable and open for supervisors to communicate issues and questions. Accept constructive feedback from supervisor.

12. Promote, encourage and maintain trauma-informed practices in all services and activities. Practice and promote, both individually and in team meetings, TMHA’s Guidelines for Collaborative Communication in order to facilitate clear, empathetic and person-centered communication.

13. Meet with and communicate with the Program Manager or Coordinator regarding assignments.

14. Help create an atmosphere on the phone that is comfortable for callers. Be available to answer questions and assist callers in a professional manner and tone. Provide feedback regarding callers to the Program Manager.

15. Provide emotional support, crisis assessment, and resource referrals for callers.

16. Maintain a detailed log of calls on a database as directed by the Program Manager, according to call center protocols.

17. Responsible for completing various procedures at the start and end of each shift.

18. Participate in monthly staff and volunteer meetings to receive training and updated resource information and maintain a connection with volunteers.

19. Attend community events to represent the Central Coast Hotline and provide information about the hotline to the community.

20. Serve as the designated operational point-person and exercise delegated decision-making authority when the Program Manager is unavailable.

21. Assume other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Program Manager.

Job Environment:

1. Moderate to substantial physical activity. May include moving or lifting up to 50 lbs.

2. Involves moderate risks that require safety precautions and the risk of exposure to potentially intense situations.

3. Involves use of a cloud-based computer system and database for recording calls and accessing resources.

4. Remote work possible.