Job Title: Senior Director, 988 Operations

Department: National Programs

Reports to: AVP, Network Operations

Location: Remote, East Coast hours

Salary range: $130K to $150K*

*New hires are typically brought into the organization between the minimum to midpoint of the salary range posted depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

This role is endowed/subsidized through June 2025, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and funding.

Formerly the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC), Vibrant Emotional Health’s groundbreaking solutions have delivered high quality services and support, when, where and how people need it for over 50 years. Through our state-of-the-art technology-enabled services, community wellness programs, and advocacy and education work, we are building a society in which emotional wellness can be a reality for everyone.

Position Overview:

The Senior Director, 988 Operations will direct, oversee, and enhance all aspects of Lifeline/988’s operations, including its programs, services, and operating performance in support of strategic objectives in lockstep with the AVP, Network Operations. They will lead project teams, drive their team towards organizational objectives, and facilitate / maintain a culture in alignment with Vibrant’s Core Values. They will provide specific oversight of 988 Workforce Management, 988 Operations, and 988 Network Contracting teams toward achieving optimally efficient connection of all persons in crisis to the appropriate counselors at network centers. This position is highly visible to executive leadership and state / federal government stakeholders, requiring clear decision making, effective communication, and high sensitivity to external factors beyond internal control. This is a grant-funded position.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute strategy between overseen teams in coordination with external teams to successful outcomes.

• Ensure fiscal responsibility and appropriate use of federal funds by planning and tracking budgetary spend, in lockstep with AVP, Network Operations.

• Plan for growth of 988 Lifeline through volume forecasting, data analysis, in coordination with marketing and communications spend.

• Work with all department leads to fully understand their needs and propose improvements for how we at Vibrant can work better. Champion any changes to our process as they are finalized.

• Responsible for directly managing and mentoring all junior staff within their department.

• Support Vibrant culture through leadership integrity, transparent communication, and the demonstration of all Vibrant core values.

• Identify vulnerabilities within Vibrant’s current work flows, developing new solutions to improve internal operations and stakeholder satisfaction.

• Maintain, update, and develop department policies and procedures to ensure consistency in process and scalability of work.

• Represent Vibrant Emotional Health in public spaces, including funder meetings with SAMHSA, conferences, media interviews, and other public events.

Decision Making

• Identifies risk within the department and determines best practice solutions.

• Decisions have moderate to significant impact, requiring consultation with internal management, coalition partners and vendors to determine appropriate solutions.

• Consults with other members of senior staff on short-term and long-term projects and is the lead on all implementations.

• May be consulted or have approval authority for solutions proposed by peers or subordinate staff.

• Complex decision-making requiring in-depth analysis and consensus-building, subject to review by other members of senior management.

• Senior directors have more control over large scale implementations without the approval of other members of senior staff.

Scope of Responsibility/Accountability:

• Oversees all projects within their department.

• Recommends policies and procedures to guide program or departmental performance.

• Performance is monitored by executive leadership.

• Grasps the full scope of every aspect of their department and does not need any form of guidance to run their department efficiently.

Managing/Directing Work:

• Establishes work objectives and standards in support of program or operational goals.

• Monitors and conducts formal assessments of their team.

• Recommends new or modified systems or processes to increase effectiveness.

• Delegates tasks without consultation of executive leadership.

Required Skills / Abilities

• Ability to blend analysis, knowledge, and insights to effectively enhance personal and organizational performance.

• Ability to not only lead a team but encourage and cultivate a positive work environment.

• Applies detailed knowledge of professional principles to their management skills.

• Proven track record of success facilitating progressive organizational change, process optimization and change management within a growing organization

• Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills including negotiation and conflict resolution skills

• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management, board of directors, and staff.

• Superior management skills; ability to influence and engage direct and indirect reports and peers, prioritize and deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and multiple internal customer demands.

• Passion for Vibrant’s mission, Passionate about improving the lives of others and familiarity with 988, SAMHSA grants and other healthcare financing for behavioral health.

Required Qualifications:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum of six to eight years of relevant experience within a profession, providing in-depth understanding of professional principles.

• With a Master’s degree or higher, a minimum of five years of experience will be accepted.

• Proficient use of all software tools needed to execute daily tasks.

• Project management / implementation experience required.

• Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) preferred, but not required.

• Experience leading call center operations or workforce management operations preferred.

• Experience building or managing healthcare or call contact provider service networks preferred.

• Knowledge of telephony and telecommunications infrastructure

• Up to 15% travel required

Physical Abilities

• This is a remote position that requires extended periods of sitting, video-based meetings, and computer-based work.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who come from a less traditional background. Vibrant will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

Vibrant Emotional Health is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, creed, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, caregiver status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

"Please be aware that fictitious job openings, consulting engagements, solicitations, or employment offers may be circulated on the Internet in an attempt to obtain privileged information, or to induce you to pay a fee for services related to recruitment or training. Vibrant does NOT charge any application, processing, or training fee at any stage of the recruitment or hiring process. All genuine job openings will be posted on our careers page and all communications from the Vibrant recruiting team and/or hiring managers will be from an @vibrant.org email address".