[Hiring] Contact Center Agent @Cherokee Federal

Role Description

The Contact Center Agent supports FEMA’s disaster-assistance mission by serving as a direct point of contact for individuals and businesses affected by disasters. Agents provide registration support, answer questions, deliver accurate information, and connect callers with appropriate resources while safeguarding sensitive information.

• Serve as a direct point of contact for individuals and households registering for federal disaster assistance, asking questions about a prior registration, or seeking relief program referrals.
• Conduct all calls with patience, tact, courtesy, and empathy to determine caller needs and provide instructions or referrals.
• Conduct a scripted interview and enter caller-provided information accurately into FEMA’s Windows-compatible database (NEMIS-IA) while the survivor is on the phone.
• Complete all data entry while the survivor is on the line. A maximum of 10 seconds of after-call work is permitted, and only in the event a call drops.
• Provide phone numbers and agency referrals for applicable secondary support organizations and other disaster assistance providers.
• Perform additional duties as assigned based on FEMA’s level of support to the event, which may include Registration Intake, Helpline, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, outbound calls, and document review.
• Attend all scheduled pre-shift briefing sessions of up to 30 minutes at the beginning of each shift to receive event-specific information on work priorities, procedures, policies, and performance.
• Meet established average handle time standards: Registration Intake 18 to 23 minutes; Helpline 10 to 12 minutes. Escalated and successive (Delta) calls may take longer.
• Maintain schedule adherence and support interval service level requirements, including availability to take calls throughout the assigned shift.
• Participate in quality control monitoring and evaluation, including a minimum of three evaluated calls or cases per week, and apply real-time coaching feedback.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and able to obtain and maintain FEMA/DHS favorable suitability adjudication before beginning training or call-handling duties.
• Must have resided within the United States for at least three of the last five years, as required for federal suitability adjudication.
• Prior customer service, contact center, administrative, clerical, or other public-facing support experience preferred, particularly in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, PDF documents, telephone systems, and multiple computer applications, including two-screen workstations.
• Must be able to successfully complete identity verification through Login.gov in order to access FEMA tools and guidance requiring secure logins.
• Must be able to pass E-Verify employment eligibility verification and provide a Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration.
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• Strong English reading, writing, and verbal communication skills; bilingual agents must be fluent in English and Spanish.
• Ability to follow detailed scripts, program guidance, job aids, reference materials, and established procedures while maintaining accuracy.
• Ability to navigate multiple Windows-based applications and FEMA systems while conducting live telephone interviews and accessing reference materials simultaneously.
• Ability to accurately collect, enter, and review caller information; assess needs; provide appropriate instructions and referrals; and address questions or concerns within assigned authority.
• Ability to safeguard PII, Sensitive PII, Sensitive But Unclassified, and For Official Use Only information; maintain a secure workspace; and promptly report suspected security or privacy incidents.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer; may occasionally require standing or moving about the office for extended periods.
• Must pass pre-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.

Requirements

• Spanish/English bilingual proficiency, including the ability to fluently speak, read, and write in both languages.
• Experience supporting disaster assistance, public assistance, health and human services, insurance, benefits, or comparable public-facing assistance programs.
• Experience using FEMA systems, NEMIS-IA, Registration Intake, Helpline, Transitional Sheltering Assistance, or comparable case-management systems.
• Experience working remotely in a secure, private home-office environment.
• Demonstrated ability to meet quality, productivity, schedule-adherence, and average-handle-time expectations in a contact center environment.

Benefits

• Up to a 6% 401(k) company match to help you build long-term financial security.
• Paid time off as part of our comprehensive benefits package, so you have the flexibility to rest, recharge, and enjoy what matters most.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus prescription drug coverage.
• Basic life and AD&D insurance, with supplemental life options.
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage.
• Paid holidays.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.
• Professional development, training, and certification support.
• Voluntary benefits including accident, critical illness, and identity theft protection.