At Kids Help Phone (KHP), we‘re committed to being there for young people whenever and however they reach out for help, which often involves providing support during overnight shifts, weekends, and holiday periods. Please note that roles in clinical operations follow a schedule that includes overnight and weekend shifts. These timeframes are essential to meeting the needs of the youth we serve.

We encourage all applicants to thoughtfully consider their availability in relation to the required schedule. The specifics of the schedule will be discussed during your interview and at the time of offer. Your presence during these critical times helps ensure we can be there when young people need us most.

The opportunity

As a KHP counsellor, you will provide single session solution focused support to young people via anonymous phone and live chat. Sessions are offered on a first come first serve basis. You will be supporting young people with a variety of concerns such as: mental health anxiety, depression, family and relationships, school challenges and suicide. Support is provided through a person-centered approach and aligned with counselling best practices.

KEY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Directly manage 24/7 operations of texting and counselling operations to meet service KPIs and clinical standards:
2. Ensureoptimalday-to-day service delivery including queue management, team management and engagement,monitoringand evaluating contacts in the moment, clinical support, etc.
3. Operationalize floor management strategies, including overseeing schedule adherence of services andoptimizingfloor activities, etc.
4. Collaboration with Workforce to ensure 24/7 coverage, making decisions on last minute call-ins, etc.
5. Management and monitoring of frontline activities i.e. floor and platform management, debriefing, consultation, etc.
6. Making operational and data-driven decisions tooptimizein the moment service delivery
7. Lead the implementation of operational, and strategic activities andchanges,i.e. champion change management of initiatives, etc.
8. Participation in the on-call system.
9. Performing clinical service duties (taking contacts or conversations) as necessary as per agency guidelines and tracking or notingaccordingly.
10. Ensure alignment to clinical,operationaland organizational guidelines,standardsand policies
11. Be the go-to resource for front line staff for clinical and operations support, providing in the moment leadership and direction to fulfill management duties.
12. Provides guidance and direction to staff and has in the moment decision making authority
13. Ensure that policies and standards are being followed including quality, training, operationalperformanceand professional conduct.
14. Has authority to manage in the moment performance, employeeconductand issue discipline
15. Ensure the terms of collective agreements with bargaining unit members are upheld
16. Provide in-the-moment clinical and operational leadership to the frontline teams
17. Provide clinical consultation and direction for frontline (Duty to report, clinical framework, challenging or complex behaviours)
18. Provide one-on-one and group debriefs
19. Initiate and support self-care skills and strategies for frontline
20. Lead team meetings as needed
21. Attend andparticipatein program or department meetings as a representative of the management team
22. Responsible for supporting the hiring process of front-line staff with people and culture managers.
23. Leading a culture of excellence and professionalism and ensuring team dynamics are aligned with KHP values, policies, departmental strategies, etc. Ensure alignment within the management team and KHP values.
24. Liaise with IT team to address technical issuesimpactingservice
    • Supporting technical aspects of onboarding and service delivery
    • Addressing service outages and reporting to applicable teams and leaders
    • Understanding of IT requirements for all services

5. Provide situational leadership to frontline staff and liaise with assigned people manager
   • Collaborative approach and team support of frontline; making people and performance managers aware of clinical and behavioural performance
   • Investigate and respond to performance/service/complaints/grievances, breeches of policy issues, in consultation with the Senior Manager;
   • Collaborate,consultand build strong partnerships with colleagues and other Divisions such as Workforce Management, Quality and Education and Human Resources.
   • Contributing to andmaintainingup to date records such as supervision and performance notes;
   • RepresentingKids Help Phone in media, at external committee and in internal committees asrequired;

6. Address client complaints and in themomentservice issues
   • Taking complaints, responding to backchannelemailsand responding or following up asrequired
   • Implement any performance management requirements in collaboration with direct manager
   • Consulting with external agencies as required;

The qualifications:

• A degree or diploma in applicable fields such as Social Work, Psychology or Sexology
• Computer literacy including the ability to adapt to new software technology
• Bilingualism (French and English), both verbal and written isLANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
• Minimum 2-3 years professional experience managing employees and/or volunteers, preferably in mental health or child welfare
• Have a demonstrated ability to manage and motivate staff, and engage colleagues, including those in leadership roles to create collaborative impact.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment, leaning into change anddemonstratingability to remain calm and level-headed.
• Experience in relevant industry such as helpline, mental health agency or crisis counselling related field with preference given to individuals having at least 5 years of experience in the social services sector
• Demonstrated experience in counselling and crisis intervention (telephone counselling preferred)
• Demonstrated ability to make in the moment decisions with good judgment
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks effectively and efficiently, superior organizational skills and attention to detail, ability to work under deadline.
• Entrepreneurial, creative, strategic minded and energetic
• Conflict resolution skills, certifications an asset
• Clear and compelling communication skills
• Flexible and adaptable in a complex, changing environment
• Commitment to the vision and goals of the organization
• Understands ethical behavior and business practices and ensures that own behavior and the behavior of others is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization

Requirements

• Reliable high-speed internet (minimum 25 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload) and access to a closed, private workspace to ensure client confidentiality.
• Flexibility and willingness to work in a 24/7 environment, including evening and weekend work
• Ability to secure an acceptable “Vulnerable Person Sector Criminal Reference Check”
• Ability to travel to KHP offices asrequired

Don’t meet every qualification listed? Studies often report that equity-deserving people are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every requirement. KHP is dedicated to building a more diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role, but your experience doesn’t align with every qualification, we welcome you to apply anyway. You may have the qualifications / experience for this role or other opportunities at KHP!

The application process

To apply for this opportunity, you can tap the “Apply” button on this page and follow the on-screen instructions.

About KHP, Canada’s Unlock The Hope Youth Charity

KHP is Canada’s first and only free, multilingual and confidential e-mental health service that’s always open, offering youth from coast to coast to coast support and a non-judgmental space to Feel Out Loud. Since 1989, KHP has been the empowering, trusted changemaker that helps give young people’s feelings a place to go through unparalleled e-mental health solutions. With innovation in our DNA, KHP integrates data, technology, clinical expertise and more to help deliver a personalized well-being experience for all youth, so they can thrive in their world, no matter where life takes them. For more information and opportunities to help young people let their feelings out, you can visit KidsHelpPhone.ca.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA)

KHP has a role to play in effecting social change and advancing equity. We will not waver on these commitments and will continue leading the way in making the workplace, and the world young people live in, more inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible.

As such, we always welcome applicants from equity-deserving communities (e.g. Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, etc.). We strongly believe that alleviating the underrepresentation of equity-deserving groups will help create a stronger KHP and help us better support the needs of youth from coast to coast to coast.

To learn more about how we are committed to advancing IDEA, you can explore KHP’s IDEA 2023–2027 Strategy and Action Plan

Accommodations

KHP welcomes applications from people living with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request during any phase of the application / hiring process. If you’re contacted about an opportunity, you can reply and let us know if you require accommodations at any time.

Candidate verification

The successful candidate for this opportunity will be asked to complete a background screen, which may include criminal, credit, employment and educational checks. All offers of employment are conditional on the receipt of satisfactory results of any applicable check.

Privacy

KHP cares about your privacy! We’re required to save select information about opportunities, applications and interviews for set periods of time. To learn more, you can explore KHP’s Privacy Policy or contact us using our general form.

Message to agencies

KHP doesn’t accept unsolicited phone calls, referrals and / or resumes from any source other than directly from candidates. KHP won’t consider unsolicited phone calls, referrals and / or resumes from vendors including and without limitation, search firms, staffing agencies, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies. The submission of unsolicited referrals and / or resumes by anyone other than a candidate directly to KHP is deemed gratuitous. KHP won’t be obligated or bound in any way to pay a referral or any other fee if a person referred to us from a source other than a direct candidate is subsequently hired.