Assistant Production Manager – Telephone Survey and Support Operations (TSSO) - Onsite Chicago Loop

JOB SUMMARY:

Join NORC at the University of Chicago as an Assistant Production Manager in our Telephone Survey and Support Operations (TSSO) group. This is an exciting opportunity for a survey research/call center professional with a successful track record to join the leadership team of a nationally renowned non-partisan research institute that informs decision- and policymakers around the world. This position requires an individual with leadership skills and management experience in a relevant industry. Successful candidates will have experience managing staff and working on projects with competing timelines and resource demands.

NORC’s three call centers employ more than 800 full-time and intermittent staff across three contact centers located in Chicago IL, Albuquerque NM, and Wichita KS, as well as a fully equipped mail center in Chicago. TSSO conducts surveys for use in research studies for clients that include governments, corporations, and nonprofits.

Assistant Production Managers are responsible for overseeing the activities of leadership staff within the various functional areas of the facility. They manage more complex components of studies such as the development of training materials and sample management. Responsibilities also include training and mentoring leadership staff; maintaining and improving quality standards and service levels.

Location and Office Presence: This is an onsite role based in our Chicago Loop office, with the expectation of daily onsite presence 10:00am-6:30pm every day.

DEPARTMENT:  Telephone Survey and Support Operations (TSSO)

TSSO is primarily responsible for screening and interviewing respondents over the telephone, but the department also prompts respondents by telephone, locates respondents, codes, and enters data from survey responses, manages hard copy documents, mails survey materials and performs receipt control operations.

TSSO staff are vital to our nationwide survey research operation. Interviewers talk to people from every conceivable walk of life to obtain information on issues such as health care, employment, and education. The work we do at NORC has lasting social significance, and the data we gather helps legislators and others involved in setting policy make informed decisions for the welfare of all Americans in an increasingly complex society.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee the activities of supervisors, and, indirectly, the activities of interviewers and clerks, within the various functional areas of the facility. Supervise more complex components of a specific study or studies, including maintaining and improving quality standards and service levels.
• Identify problems and troubleshoot any potential roadblocks to completing project on time, on budget and to specifications by clearly communicating those issues and proposed resolutions to Production Managers.
• Enforce systems, policies, procedures, and productivity standards while maintaining a skilled, productive, engaged and satisfied team of Production staff.
• Help achieve set goals and further develop professional growth. Implement NORC policies in area of employee relations, disciplinary issues and performance appraisals.
• Communicate clearly when distributing work assignments and establishing priorities. This includes outlining the end goal, how the work assignment fits into the overall process and the allocated hours.
• Monitor budgeted hours for QAATIC and leadership level tasks. Inform task leaders if the allocated hours are not being met.
• Investigate and escalate any systems issues that will impact production to IT as appropriate.
• Train and coach supervisory and QAATIC staff on any new applications that are established in the workplace.
• Serve as a role model to staff by fostering positive work environment, collaborative work, and active communication with your colleagues in remote sites.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• High School Diploma (or equivalency), Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• At least 1 year experience in telephone data collection.
• Record demonstrating positions of increasing supervisory responsibility.
• Problem identification, troubleshooting, problem solving, attention to detail, oral and written communication, and leadership skills. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Timekeeping, CATI, CADE, Case Management and Call Scheduling packages.
• Solid experience managing and mentoring staff.
• Ability to create a teamwork environment by working cooperatively with peers, subordinates, managers, and staff in other departments; ability to motivate, coach, counsel, and evaluate others.
• Ability to handle multiple conflicting responsibilities.
• Available to work onsite in our Chicago Loop office Monday through Friday from 10:00am-6:30pm.
• At lea