Operations Training Director

Overview:

Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need.

Our mission is at the intersection of empathy and innovation — we promote mental well-being for people wherever they are.

Our vision is an empathetic world where nobody feels alone.

Why you should join our team: 

• Our work is transforming the way people in pain access support at their fingertips
• Our work is innovative in the crisis response space
• Our dynamic, fun, and diverse culture
• Our meaningful cause, led by empathy and innovation
• Our strong values at the center of all we do
• Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Our commitment to engagement and belonging
• Our commitment to our employees and their holistic wellbeing
• Our  value of work/life balance
• Our growth mindset and prioritize professional development
• Our leaders who truly care

What you will be doing:

At Crisis Text Line we strive to create an empathetic world where nobody feels alone.  At our core we promote mental well-being for people wherever they are. The US Operations team provides an impactful volunteer experience that fosters belonging, community, wellness and loyalty. The team oversees all of the ways that we respond to our texters, train and coach our volunteers, build community, and logistically deliver our U.S. service and government contracts.

We are looking for a Director of Education to provide effective training and ongoing coaching to a volunteer community with 15,000 annual members. Our training programs prepare everyday people to provide empathetic support, assess for immediate needs, and plan for safety with anyone who reaches out for support. Trained Crisis Text Line volunteers also report that they are better prepared to prevent and address crises in their own communities.

The Director of Education will lead education strategy, and oversee a team that develops and continuously improves our learning programs. They will oversee teams focused on bogh designing online learning content and providing hands-on teaching and coaching to volunteers throughout their lifecycle. Reporting to the SVP, Operations, the Director will collaborate closely with other leaders within Operations to cultivate a thriving and impactful volunteer community, and with cross-functional teams to build training programs that facilitate the overall impact and growth of the organization.

Responsibilities

Crisis Text Line is a fast moving, growing organization with a big vision and a critical mission. To serve our mission and vision, each role must be agile and flexible to meet the needs of the business, aligning  daily work with business priorities as defined by managers and team leaders.

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop and communicate a comprehensive learning and development strategy aligned with the organization's overall goals and objectives.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to understand business needs and translate them into learning initiatives that drive organizational success.
• Develop and contribute a strong perspective on education strategy, informed by both external market analysis, and internal quantitative and qualitative analysis. 
• Regularly test ideas to improve and expand our educational programs to expand Crisis Text Line’s impact. 

Team Leadership:

• Lead a team of learning design, teaching, and coaching experts
• Build a high-functioning team structure that creates role clarity and alignment towards goals
• Set clear, impact focused individual goals and provide consistent and actionable performance feedback for your direct reports
• Intentionally support professional development and a culture of growth
• Effectively manage change within your team, including merging together two existing teams into a new combined Education team
• Lead with a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive mindset, ensuring an inclusive culture and removing structural inequities

Program Design and Implementation:

• Design, implement, and manage innovative learning programs that address the organization's current and future skill requirements.
• Continuously improve our learning delivery and coaching programs to deliver excellent education, feedback, and support to volunteers throughout their lifecycle.
• Reach volunteers with diverse learning styles by leveraging a variety of learning modalities, including e-learning, instructor-led training,  community discussions, and workshops.
• Improve the quality and efficiency of our teaching and coaching work by partnering with the Volunteer Operations and Product colleagues to improve workflows for Learning Specialists and Coaches who work directly with volunteers. 
• Create a strategy to make training content modular and easily adaptable as our conversation platform and clinical approaches evolve.
• Partner with the Community team to create community-driven learning initiatives that encourage volunteers to actively contribute insights, best practices, and feedback to strengthen our education offerings. 

Performance Metrics and Evaluation:

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success and impact of learning programs.
• Analyze data and feedback to continuously refine and improve the quality of learning initiatives.
• Partner with the Clinical Team to ensure education content and programs reflect our best clinical expertise and remain in compliance with accreditation standards. 

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build relationships with colleagues in Clinical Supervision, Research & Impact, Product, Marketing, Business Development and other cross-functional areas to build training products that meet a broad range of organizational goals.

Qualifications:

• 8+ years of relevant experience, including at least 3 years leading learning programs
• Proven experience developing and leading strategic programs to meet business goals. (Experience bringing an educational program or product to market preferred.) 
• Experience with and passion for team leadership, including building a strong culture of excellence, and creating role clarity and alignment.
• Deep knowledge of different learning modalities, evaluation methods, and human capital strategies for learning teams. Experience seeking to understand and create best practices of instructional design, adult learning theory and design thinking methodologies to build learning programs and content.
• Experience partnering with Technological teams, including Product, Data and Engineering and external resources to identify and implement innovative and empowering learning technology solutions.
• Excels at building strong relationships, credibility and trust with team members, peers, and external partners.

Reliable High-Speed Internet Required: Must have a stable high-speed internet connection to support seamless remote collaboration, virtual meetings, online job tasks, etc.

The full salary range for this position, across all United States geographies, is $104,412 - $120,000 per year. The upper portion of the salary range is typically reserved for existing employees who demonstrate strong performance over time. Starting salary will vary by location, qualifications, and prior experience; during the interview process, candidates will learn the starting salary range applicable for their location. We pay competitively in the tech-forward nonprofit space and offer a robust benefits package.

Only candidates in the following states will be eligible for employment: CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, IA, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA.

Benefits:

Crisis Text Line employee  benefits are thoughtfully designed using an equity lens, acknowledging that we are all unique human beings with individual life circumstances that require flexibility and support. 

 Benefits include: 

• 20 paid holidays including:
• Federal  holidays like Juneteenth and Labor Day
• Election day
• Holiday break from Dec 24  through January 1
• 2 renewal days 
• 2 floating holidays  
• Flexible  paid time off, including: 
• 15 vacation days
• 3 personal days
• 7 sick days 
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits for the staff member and family at no cost to the employee
• 403B retirement plan (the nonprofit equivalent of a 401K): 3% contribution by Crisis Text Line to support building financial wellness,  regardless of personal contribution
• 12 weeks paid parental leave (after 6 months of employment)
•  Student loan repayment (after 2 years of continuous full time service)
• Family support through a virtual childcare platform
• Stipends/Allowances
• Mental health  (Monthly) 
• Internet Service (Monthly) 
• Professional Development (Annual)
• Wellness (Annual)
• Home office setup (One time/First year)

(Benefits are only for US-based employees. International benefits may differ).

Crisis Text Line is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We provide reasonable accommodation to individuals who have a disability and meet the skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of the role to allow the individual to perform the essential functions of the job.