The role will initially focus primarily on the supervision and management of the Advice Line. Once the Advice Line has reached capacity with volunteers and the HAP Project Lead is in post, the role will develop into a 3-day Advice Line Supervisor / 2-day HAP service support position.

Key Responsibilities

Advice Line Leadership & Supervision

• Act as the lead supervisor for the HAP Advice Line.
• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the Advice Line and ensure an effective and responsive service is provided.
• Work alongside the other Triage Supervisor to ensure the Advice Line is fully staffed and appropriately covered.
• Contribute to the preparation of the monthly staff and volunteer rota.
• Monitor telephone coverage and respond promptly to any gaps or operational issues.
• Ensure volunteers receive appropriate support and supervision throughout their time on the Advice Line.
• Provide guidance to volunteers when dealing with queries, cases or more complex client needs.
• Escalate issues appropriately to the HAP Project Lead or relevant member of the advice team.

Volunteer Recruitment & Development

• Work with the other Triage Supervisor to identify volunteer recruitment needs.
• Support the recruitment and onboarding of volunteers in a timely manner, based on the needs and capacity of the project.
• Ensure new volunteers receive appropriate induction and training before undertaking Advice Line work.
• Support volunteers to develop their knowledge, confidence and skills.
• Maintain effective communication with volunteers and promote a supportive team environment.
• Identify ongoing training and development needs.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure volunteer cases are appropriately supported and supervised.
• Ensure volunteer case records and notes are checked daily, identifying any issues requiring further action.
• Conduct monthly file reviews of volunteer casework.
• Identify trends, quality issues and areas where additional training or support may be required.
• Promote consistent, accurate and high-quality case recording.
• Work with the HAP Project Lead to maintain appropriate quality standards across the service.

Monitoring, Data & Reporting

• Monitor Advice Line performance and ensure weekly telephone pick-up rate data is collected and reported to the HAP Project Lead.
• Support the collection and preparation of data for quarterly project reports.
• Ensure relevant operational information is recorded accurately and provided within agreed timescales.
• Identify trends in Advice Line activity and use data to support service planning and improvement.
• Highlight capacity, demand and emerging issues to the HAP Project Lead.

Emerging Need & Service Development

• Work with the other Triage Supervisor to identify emerging areas of client need.
• Identify trends in the types of advice being requested and consider implications for the service.
• Identify geographical areas where there may be unmet need or opportunities for outreach.
• Contribute ideas and information to support the development of the HAP service.
• Support the HAP Project Lead in identifying and developing opportunities to promote and extend the service.

Stakeholder Engagement & Promotion

• Support the HAP Project Lead in attending external meetings and events to promote the HAP service.
• Represent the Advice Line and HAP service professionally when working with external organisations.
• Contribute to the development of effective referral and partnership relationships.
• Support promotional and outreach activity where appropriate.

Support to the HAP Project Lead

Once the Advice Line has reached capacity with volunteers and the HAP Project Lead is established, the role will develop to include dedicated project support.

The anticipated working arrangement will be:

• 3 days per week: Advice Line supervision and operational management
• 2 days per week: Supporting the HAP Project Lead with service development and project activity

The project support element may include:

• Supporting service planning and development.
• Providing operational information and data for monitoring and reporting.
• Supporting stakeholder engagement and service promotion.
• Contributing to outreach development.
• Supporting service reviews and quality improvement activity.
• Assisting with project administration and other agreed areas of service development.

Key Outcomes

The successful Senior Triage Supervisor will ensure that:

• The HAP Advice Line is appropriately staffed and consistently covered.
• Volunteers are recruited, trained, supported and supervised effectively.
• Telephone pick-up rates and other key performance information are monitored regularly.
• Volunteer casework is appropriately supported and quality checked.
• Monthly file reviews are completed and any issues are addressed.
• Accurate information is available for project and quarterly reporting.
• Emerging areas of client need are identified and communicated to the HAP Project Lead.
• Opportunities for outreach and service development are identified.
• The Advice Line provides a professional, responsive and high-quality service to clients.
• The transition to the 3-day Advice Line / 2-day Project Lead support model is implemented effectively when the service reaches the required volunteer capacity.

Our Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who is organised, supportive and confident in a supervisory role, with the ability to balance the practical demands of running an Advice Line with the wider development of the HAP service.

You will be comfortable supporting volunteers, monitoring quality and performance, managing competing priorities and identifying areas where the service can improve. You will also be proactive in identifying emerging client needs and contributing to the development and promotion of the service.

This is an ideal role for someone who enjoys both hands-on service supervision and contributing to wider service development.

Please follow this link for the person spec - Person Spec