SEIU Healthcare IL IN MO KS is a dynamic, action-oriented union representing 95,000 healthcare and child care workers throughout Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas. We believe in a society defined by freedom and justice, where we can all have quality education, health care and jobs, and where we all can live a full and plentiful life of our choosing. SEIU HCIIMK’s mission is to organize together to build power and demand and win social and economic justice for our communities.

Purpose:

The Member Resource Center Specialist (MRCS) is expected to operate in the Member Resource Center (MRC) as part of its day-to-day operations. The MRCS will also work closely with union officers, staff, and leaders to communicate with union members about union programs and current issues.

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Member Resource Center Specialist performs a wide range of duties, which may vary according to Member Resource Center needs. Examples of those duties and responsibilities are listed below:

• Answering and effectively assisting members via phone calls, emails, faxes, and/or mail inquiries.
• Ensuring the productive and proper documentation of call content using SEIU HCII’s computer system and phone software.
• Researching, problem solving, and assisting members to understand their membership dues and COPE deductions, along with payroll calculations.
• Acting on every opportunity to effectively communicate with members in order to increase membership, COPE and member support for campaigns.
• Communicating in a proactive manner about membership benefits to ensure member retention.
• Answering basic questions about collective bargaining contracts, other union programs, marketing materials, services, and union events.
• Providing proper information and referrals to programs outside of the union.
• Probing with the intent to ensure appropriate case intake for filing first step and referral to specialty units on grievances.
• Handling inbound and outbound registration calls for the METC. Along with researching and problem solving for the same, while assisting callers on training questions and program explanations.
• Effectively communicate campaign messages and the union’s vision and mission.
• Building support for the union and organizing campaign efforts via phone calls, community outreach, and member events.
• Assisting in the training of new staff to the MRC, Member Interns or Stewards face-to-face or via the phone.
• Conducting outbound calls to Members for various reasons.
• Some examples of the duties and responsibilities are listed above and described in more detail on the following pages.
• Effectively communicate the Union’s vision and mission
• Other Duties as assigned

Scope and Nature of Supervision:

This individual must be able to organize his or her time, and develop and carry out workplans with minimum supervision or daily direction. S/he must also be able to effectively give and receive feedback, and work together with direct supervisor, peers, organizational leaders, members, and their direct staff, if applicable.

Criteria for Evaluation:

The MRCS will be evaluated on their ability and skills in assisting members to find answers and resolutions to the issues that initiated the call from the member. The MRCS will embrace the mission of SEIU HCII and the MRC and demonstrate our organization’s values on a daily basis. Among other criteria, they will be evaluated on their ability to work independently in the call center answering calls with one-call resolution, maintain working relations with the members and other staff, balance conflicting demands successfully, and to carry out assigned tasks in a competent and professional manner in keeping with SEIU HCII’s overall goals and expectations. On a regular basis, staff will participate in formal feedback and evaluation to include, but not be limited to Call Monitoring and Individual Statistics.

Working Conditions:

The MRC may offer extended business hours. Initial service hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST. Staffing will consist of different shifts, with possible weekend hours, and with anticipated extended hours in the future.

Other Expectations:

The MRCS is expected to have an understanding of the union contracts being administered through SEIU HCIIMK. The MRCS is expected to lead by example. The MRCS must be able to work with racially and ethnically diverse workers in both cities and in rural areas. They must be able to respect, learn from, and lead women, people of color and low-wage workers and others. All staff are expected to respect the processes of the organization and to work within the framework of the organization to resolve internal disputes and issues.

Key Qualification Criteria:

• Demonstrated understanding of the organizing model and how it can be used to empower members and ensure superior outcomes in the workplace.
• Demonstrated ability to formulate and meet measurable performance goals.
• Must have excellent writing skills for numerous forms of communications including business letters and other correspondence.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills as demonstrated by the ability to relate, establish, and cultivate respectful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to lead, motivate and inspire others and participate in key union organizing activities even in the face of employer opposition and intimidation (i.e. building organizing committees, member to member organizing, actions, etc.)
• Sound interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds
• Desire to learn about labor history, collective bargaining, organizing models and other relevant information, and ability to support others in doing the same
• Must be able to handle multiple priority projects simultaneously and meet established deadlines and remain accountable to leaders, senior staff, and organizational goals
• Good and ethical judgment. Willingness to take initiative, to work with a team
• Basic working knowledge of Microsoft Office, databases and Internet

Physical Requirements:

• Participate in Member Events in a customer service type capacity. This may include, but not be limited to:
  • Assisting members at the Check-in Desk, by sitting or standing and checking members in for the event.
  • Directing member traffic, which requires standing for a limited time and pointing members in the right direction for the event.
  • Event setup and/or clean-up, which may require decorating a room, setting up chairs, or throwing away plates, napkins, and completing general clean-up.

Salary and Benefits:

• Hourly, non-exempt position is competitive and commensurate with experience. Company-paid Benefits are included.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana is an equal opportunity employer; people of color and women are encouraged to apply.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are not able to receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons, you may seek approval for an exemption in accordance with applicable organizational processes.