National Director, NAMI HelpLine Services

What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Today we are an alliance of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations, and a national office that work in communities across the United States to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. NAMI advocates for all who are affected by mental illness, both the individuals and the people in their lives. We work to address disparities and injustices and to promote dignity and inclusion for all people with mental illness.

In addition to being advocates, we educate, we listen and we lead as evidenced by our public awareness campaigns, the range of programs we provide, and our strong public policy.

We currently have an opening for National Director NAMI Help Line Services
. The National Director NAMI Help Line Services develops and leads a high-performing team of NAMI Help Line staff and directs their efforts in the areas of operations, volunteer recruitment, training/coaching, quality assurance, data collection/reporting, and technology. The Director guides the enhancement and expansion of Help Line services, supports the NAMI Field with helpline efforts, and has overall responsibility for providing high-quality peer-informed information, referral resources, and support to hundreds of thousands of help seekers each year.

This full-time position can be based at NAMI Headquarters in Arlington, VA on a hybrid basis or remote.

Salary Range: $120k - $130k

• Leads a core team of eight Help Line professionals in the areas of Help Line Operations, Resource Development, Workforce Development, and Technology.
• Leads the Help Line’s annual planning and budgeting development and is responsible for meeting annual objectives and for implementing and overseeing the budget.
• Establishes and monitors service standards and controls ensuring that Help Line processes and systems are efficient, high-quality, and meet the needs of help seekers.
• Responsible for collecting, monitoring, and reporting Help Line data to NAMI and the NAMI Field, enabling data-driven decision-making and the identification of mental health trends across the nation.
• Supports the development of NAMI Help Line referral resources, ensuring that they are peer-informed and essential to help seekers in the NAMI Help Line Resource online directory, Help Line Hub, and Knowledge Articles.
• Supports the NAMI Help Line Specialists Quality Assurance program, including Specialist training, service standards, coaching, program, and corrective training.
• Supports establishing and meeting recruitment goals to provide adequate Specialist coverage during the Help Line’s three shifts.
• Responsible for positioning the NAMI Help Line for new growth and enhancements, including new communication channels, supporting the NAMI Field, and maintaining accreditation with the International Council of Helplines.
• Works closely with NAMI’s Strategic Alliances and Development team to identify and secure grants and funding opportunities, and monitors deliverables and prepares reports as needed.
• Supports and encourages NAMI Field Leaders in their helpline efforts by providing training, technology, and best practices.
• Oversees personnel decisions for the NAMI Help Line team.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s Degree required (Master’s degree preferred).
• 11–15 years of related experience in the mental health or non-profit field, preferably in a call center or helpline environment.
• Excellent management, organizational, and project management skills.
• Proven ability to lead and work in cross-departmental teams as well as with volunteers.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, problem-solving skills, and patience in all interactions.
• Strong working knowledge of technology specific to call center management, remote work, and…