Lead Intervention Specialist- Evening shift

CRISIS CENTER OF TAMPA BAY

POSITION DESCRIPTION - Lead Intervention Specialist

Position Details

Job Status: Full Time, Non-Exempt

Reports to: Contact Center Operations Supervisor

Department: Gateway

Position Summary

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay brings help, hope and healing to people facing serious life challenges or trauma resulting from sexual assault or abuse, domestic violence, financial distress, substance abuse, medical emergency, suicidal thoughts, emotional or situational problems. We value collaboration, accountability, resourcefulness, empowerment, and safety.

The Lead Intervention Specialist is an expert-level practitioner who supports this mission by providing crisis counseling as well as comprehensive information and referral services via telephone, chat, and in person as needed. In addition to the full scope of Intervention Specialist responsibilities including crisis intervention, safety planning, lethality assessment, and victim advocacy. The Lead serves as a peer leader and role model for the Intervention Specialist team across assigned shifts. The Lead assists with weekly quality assurance activities, provides direct oversight and shift coverage when a supervisor is not available, and actively participates in team projects that foster a positive high-performing team culture. Lead Intervention Specialists report to the Contact Center Operations Supervisor and, in their absence, the Operations Manager of Gateway Services.

Strategic/Transformational Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as an expert practitioner and peer role model for the Intervention Specialist team, demonstrating mastery of crisis intervention, information and referral, and contact center skills, and modeling the highest standard of care in every interaction.
• Provide shift-level peer leadership by supporting Intervention Specialists in real time, addressing questions, guiding challenging contacts, and ensuring continuity of high-quality service delivery across assigned shifts.
• Contribute to team health and positive normative culture by actively participating in team projects, peer mentorship, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen and sustain the Intervention Specialist team. Serve as a liaison for employee needs while on shift addressing needs in a timely manner to ensure continuity of contact center services.
• Participate in the performance quality improvement (PQI) process; use data to inform and improve services and outcomes; and contribute feedback on the accuracy and currency of the resource database as opportunities arise.

Transactional/Administrative Duties and Responsibilities

• Demonstrate proficiency in information and referral service delivery, with coverage of human services lines serving individuals, families, and communities in need as well as victims of crimes.
• Handle behavioral health and wellness calls on assigned crisis lines, including topics related to substance use, mental health responses to stress and stressors, and other areas within the scope of assigned line coverage.
• Apply de-escalation skills, active listening, and emotional support techniques during all crisis-related contacts to promote stabilization and positive coping.
• Demonstrate competency in crisis intervention, safety planning, and suicide lethality assessment; recognize and respond to crisis at any point in contact, regardless of line specialization.
• Apply motivational interviewing techniques to support client engagement, ambivalence exploration, and movement toward positive change.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete call documentation in accordance with organizational standards to ensure data integrity and quality record-keeping.
• Uphold all applicable confidentiality standards, including HIPAA and organizational confidentiality policies, in every aspect of service delivery and documentation.
• Conduct weekly qualitative and quantitative quality assurance reviews of contacts to support program quality, staff development, and performance improvement.
• Serve as the on-duty point of contact for Intervention Specialists when supervisors are not available; provide direct oversight, appropriate escalation of critical incidents, and real-time guidance to ensure safe and effective shift operations.
• Assist with administrative tasks associated with on-duty responsibilities, including shift documentation, incident reporting, and other operational tasks as assigned.
• Support the onboarding and development of new Intervention Specialists through peer mentorship, side-by-side coaching, and modeling of best practices.
• Meet established performance expectations across quality assurance, documentation accuracy, follow-up referral rates, referral quality, and other metrics as defined by supervisory and contracted requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor which have been trained for.

Required Competencies

• Cooperation/Teamwork - Works toward win/win solutions; deals with conflict collaboratively; discusses root causes underlying the problem; develops effective working relationships.
• Engaging Communication - Relates to people in an open, honest, and sincere manner; treats people with respect; is friendly and approachable; listens attentively to others; communicates ideas clearly; communicates appropriately with leadership and coworkers.
• Customer Service (Internal & External) - Recognizes and attends to important details with accuracy and efficiency; treats customers courteously; responds to customer requests in a timely manner; elicits feedback from customers to monitor their satisfaction; considers both short and long-term interests of the customer in making service decisions; proactively identifies customer needs; takes responsibility to resolve customer complaints; takes business or personal risks to serve customers’ long-term interests; creates strategies to help the organization serve customers more effectively.
• Adaptability - Adapts readily to changes; works effectively under stress; needs minimal supervision; comfortable working in a fast-paced environment; is reliable, dependable and results oriented; maintains productivity and composure under pressure; effectively prioritizes work and establishes clear goals and plans.
• Problem Solving - Views problems as opportunities to create new solutions; anticipates potential problems and analyzes alternative solutions. 
• Judgment - Gathers sufficient input before making decisions; sees interrelatedness between issues; considers alternative solutions; makes appropriate and timely decisions.
• Valuing & Fostering Diversity - Demonstrates respect for individual differences and establishing a climate where all people can be comfortable and productive through sensitivity, empathy, and acceptance of cultural, racial, mental health, and socio-economic diversity.
• Self-Management - Takes responsibility for one’s behavior and well-being; works effectively under stress and adapting one’s style to changing situations; comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and needs minimal supervision; exhibits a professional demeanor.

Education and Experience

• An associate degree in a human service-related field, OR one year of counseling or crisis intervention experience in lieu of degree.
• Demonstrated experience as an Intervention Specialist or equivalent crisis contact center role is required; this position is designed for practitioners with proven competency in the full scope of IS responsibilities across crisis lines.
• Proven peer leadership ability and/or willingness to serve as a mentor and role model for team members is required.
• Proficiency in Windows-based computer systems; skill in word processing and database programs; ability to type at 50 WPM minimum.
• Proficiency in oral and written communication skills is required.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment are required.
• Demonstrated comfort and/or experience working with individuals from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and mental health backgrounds, with the flexibility to adapt service approaches accordingly.
• Complete required initial and ongoing training as needed, including Crisis Center Core Training and FCASV Advocacy Core Training within the first sixty days of employment. Complete Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care and Psychological First Aid within twelve months of hire. Complete Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) within the first twelve months of employment. Staff employed beyond one year may be required to obtain national certification through an applicable accrediting body (e.g., Inform USA or AAS).

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Physical Requirement: Must have ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs. Employee must be at to sit, climb or balance, hear, use hands, taste/smell, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, stand, walk, talk, and reach with hands and arms. The position requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, and hand and finger dexterity, including ability to visual acuity to use a keyboard. Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time.

Working Conditions: Duties are performed primarily in an office setting.  Operates computer and standard office equipment such as telephone and copier/printer.

Travel: Minimal.

Hours: Determined by assigned schedule. Gateway Services is open 365 days a year 24-hours a day.  Employees are required to work holidays, evenings, and/or weekends; and during hurricanes and other times of disasters/critical incidents.

This job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of this position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position.

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for our applicants and employees. It is our policy to apply recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, and professional development practices without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or certain classifications based on genetic information, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws, regulations or ordinances. This job requires DCF Clearinghouse clearance https://info.flclearinghouse.com.

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Updated May 2026