Helpline Team Lead


Type: Staff - Full Time

Hours: 40 hours/week

Reporting Line: Head of Helpline and Support Services

Salary: £32,000-£35,000

Location: Remote (UK-Based)

Role Summary

The Helpline Team Lead plays a key role in supporting the Head of Helpline & Support Services in the day-to-day management and delivery of helpline operations. This includes overseeing Service Level Agreements (SLAs) within the helpdesk across designated projects, ensuring that service standards are consistently met and that Helpline Responders remain active, engaged, and well supported in their roles.

The postholder will lead and coordinate a team of Helpline Responders, ensuring that service users receive timely, appropriate, and high-quality responses. They will monitor performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), identifying trends, addressing gaps, and implementing improvements where required to maintain service excellence.

A core responsibility of the role is to track and monitor responder engagement, providing regular support, supervision, and encouragement. The Helpline Team Lead will ensure that responder capacity aligns with service demand, proactively identifying recruitment or retention needs and maintaining a well-resourced and effective team.

The role also involves the daily oversight of a triage system to review incoming helpline tickets, prioritising cases based on risk and need, and ensuring appropriate allocation across teams. The Helpline Team Lead will be support in the identification of safeguarding risks and making timely and appropriate referrals to the safeguarding team, in line with organisational procedures. They will also identify when cases require escalation and ensure these are directed promptly to the appropriate internal teams, maintaining oversight of risk and responsiveness throughout.

In addition, the Team Lead will work closely with the Quality Assurance (QA) framework and QA team to ensure that responses meet agreed standards, contributing to consistency in delivery and continuous service improvement.

The Helpline Team Lead will also support the onboarding and ongoing development of new volunteers, helping them to integrate into the service, build confidence in their role, and uphold expected standards.

Finally, the role includes supporting the Head of Helpline & Support Services in building and strengthening external partnerships and relationships across the cyber security sector, enhancing collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the overall impact of the service.

Key Responsibilities

The Team Lead will:

  • Lead and manage a team of Helpline Responders, ensuring high levels of engagement, performance, and wellbeing

  • Oversee day-to-day helpline operations, ensuring Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are consistently met across designated projects

  • Monitor performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), identifying trends and implementing improvements to maintain service quality

  • Manage and oversee the triage of incoming helpline tickets, prioritising based on risk and need, and ensuring timely and appropriate allocation

  • Identify safeguarding concerns and make appropriate, timely escalations and referrals in line with organisational procedures

  • Recognise when cases require escalation and ensure they are directed promptly to the relevant internal teams

  • Monitor ticket progression and responder activity, ensuring timely responses and resolution for service users

  • Work closely with the Quality Assurance (QA) function to ensure consistent, high-quality responses and continuous service improvement

  • Actively manage volunteer engagement, providing supervision, guidance, ongoing support and encouragement as needed

  • Ensure appropriate staffing levels by identifying gaps in capacity and supporting recruitment and retention of volunteers

  • Support the onboarding, induction, and ongoing development of new Helpline Responders

  • Contribute to building and maintaining effective external partnerships across the cyber security sector

  • Support the Head of Helpline & Support Services with operational improvements and service development initiatives

Requirements

Candidates must be 18 years old or older and resident in the UK with the right to work in the UK. 

Due to the nature of this role, successful candidates will be required to undergo a criminal record check (e.g. DBS). This is because the role involves access to sensitive personal data and supporting individuals experiencing cybercrime and online harm. Any disclosures will be considered on a case-by-case basis in line with relevant legislation.

Person Specification

Essential

Experience

  • Experience of leading, supporting, or supervising a team (paid or voluntary)

  • Experience working in a helpline, support service, or customer-facing environment

  • Experience managing workload, prioritising tasks, and working to deadlines or service targets

  • Experience handling sensitive or potentially distressing situations in a calm and professional manner

Skills & Knowledge

  • Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively

  • Ability to assess risk and make sound decisions, including identifying safeguarding concerns

  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to adapt tone appropriately

  • Ability to monitor performance data (e.g. KPIs) and use insight to drive improvements

  • Confidence in using digital systems (e.g. helpdesks, ticketing platforms) and learning new tools

  • Understanding of confidentiality, data protection, and professional boundaries

Personal Attributes

  • Empathetic, supportive, and the ability to work in a trauma-informed and victim-centred manner

  • Proactive and solution-focused, with a willingness to take initiative and make decisions

  • Resilient and able to remain calm under pressure

  • Collaborative, with the ability to build positive working relationships

  • Committed to continuous improvement and maintaining high service standards

Desirable Criteria

Experience

  • Experience working with volunteers, including recruitment, onboarding, or supervision

  • Experience within the cyber security, online safety, or digital support sector

  • Experience working within a Quality Assurance (QA) framework or service improvement environment

  • Experience of safeguarding processes and making referrals

Skills & Knowledge

  • Understanding of safeguarding principles and best practice

  • Knowledge of risk assessment and escalation processes

  • Familiarity with Zendesk or similar ticketing/helpdesk systems

  • Awareness of challenges faced by individuals experiencing online harm or cyber-related incidents

What we offer

  • Enhanced annual leave - generous leave package with an extra day off to celebrate your birthday.

  • Pension scheme - 8% employer contribution to your workplace pension scheme

  • Employee discounts - thousands of discounts on travel, shopping, wellbeing, entertainment and more.

  • Remote working cost budget - an annual allowance to cover eligible remote working costs

  • Flexible, remote-first working - we are a remote-first organisation, you’ll have the freedom to work from home (or away - subject to approval), supported by a flexible working culture. 

  • Cybersecurity at home - we offer free cybersecurity tools, including endpoint protection and VPNs to protect your personal devices.

  • Professional development - access to ad-hoc training based on your role and professional growth interests

  • Enhanced leave - including sick pay, paternity/maternity, compassionate and bereavement leave. We operate with flexibility during periods of illness, family need or unexpected events.

  • Cybersecurity community - Join a supportive network of over 150 cybersecurity professionals in the UK and USA.

  • Time off for learning - request time off to pursue training or development opportunities

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