Emergency Call Handler

The Hato Hone St John Ambulance Communications North team are looking for resilient, empathetic and customer focused superstars to join us taking emergency calls as an Emergency Call Handler, based in the easily accessible Mt Wellington Hub in Auckland!

We are looking for people who want a new challenge in their career and are seeking a meaningful and rewarding role where they can contribute to ensuring the best patient outcome at every shift! This role suits a person who shows empathy, has exceptional communication skills and the ability to gather and analyse critical information quickly and accurately.

Take a read through the information provided below to get a better understanding if this is the right role for you! 

Day in the life of a Call Handler:

The role of a Call Handler is an exciting and unique role where your main outcome is to ensure the patient receives the right care at the right time.

What will taking a call be like?

Call Handlers take inbound calls (often sometimes back-to-back), ensure we get the right information from the caller, such as their current location, phone number, and the reason for their call and then, utilizing our internationally accredited triage system you will ask a series of clinical questions to determine the priority of the response required for Dispatch.  Some callers may be given advice and referred to their GP for follow up.

Where a patient requires a response, our Dispatch team (a separate team within the Communication Centre) then dispatches the closest or most appropriate resource

At times, you will stay on the call and provide assistance and instructions directed to you while receiving updated information from the caller, for example:

• Imminent childbirth
• CPR
• Bleeding control instruction

Does this sound like you need to have a medical background? Good news, you are not required to have any medical background knowledge as you will undergo an intensive training period to enable you to give initial advice and instruction to callers!

Training:

You will go through a 10-week training and mentorship program which will be broken down into 5 weeks of classroom training and 5 weeks of mentoring before you are signed off to take solo calls. The training provides the successful candidates with the skills and knowledge to undertake all key aspects of the role, including higher level first aid, prioritising calls, giving telephone advice, and using the computerised triage system. 

Must have skills:

1. Computer savvy, able to operate in a dual screen environment and type accurately is a must
2. Resiliency is key in this type of role
3. Able to analyse critical information quickly
4. Able to listen, understand while under pressure
5. Empathetic, professional and caring manner with each caller
6. New Zealand Citizen or NZ Permanent Resident
7. Ability to work rostered shifts, including day and night shifts
8. Have excellent communication skills

 Shift pattern:

As we are a 24/7 service, you will work an average of 42 hours per week on rostered shifts over a 24/7 pattern of 12-hour shifts - two days and two nights followed by four days off

Career development and progression:

We have future opportunities for you to become a mentor, and potential to move into a Dispatcher role with training provided. Within the Amb Comms Centre there are other leadership roles if you are interested in career progression such as a Call Handling Team Leader, Duty Centre Manager and the wider St John...…the opportunities are endless!

Remuneration and benefits:

The full-time starting salary is $53,829 rising to $56,521 when signed off to take calls solo and again to $59,347 at around the one-year mark subject to meeting performance requirements, and ongoing training requirements (which continue throughout your career). This salary is also increased with penal rates due to unsociable hours work while in this role!

 We will be holding an Assessment Centre for successful shortlisted applicants on Wednesday 14th of June. The anticipated commencement date is Monday 31st July 2023. There will be training/mentoring from that start date which will require your full attendance.

Applications close on Sunday 4th June 2023; Please apply by clicking the "Apply" button - we strongly encourage you get your application in as early as possible due to the high number of applications we receive, please address your cover letter to Teneale Duncker (Ambulance Communications Manager North Comms)

For any queries please contact the Recruitment Experience Advisor Sammie McIntosh at 0800 St John 

We welcome and encourage diversity in our workforce and adhere to best practice equal employment opportunity principles as well as commitment to delivering equitable outcomes in all aspects of our recruitment and our ways of working.

Haramai ngā tai o te āniwaniwa, he kāhui rangatira tēnei, he kāhui whakamana tāngata whaimahi, e te iti, e te rahi e