Product Support Specialist

The Product Support Specialist is responsible for delivering exceptional customer service to end users of ILAO's products and coordinating support across the organization. This role serves as the first point of contact for website users, including staff, and is responsible for managing ILAO's Zendesk instance — triaging incoming requests, resolving issues directly, and escalating as appropriate. They are also responsible for aggregating input from multiple channels and providing regular analyses to inform content, product, and operational improvements.

In addition to user feedback and support functions, this role takes on key product tasks, including reviewing site redirect reports, providing URLs to update site search, updating internal and external documentation, and developing knowledge base content to support both staff and end users.

Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff. Working with great people with a wide variety of lived experience brings us closer to meeting our vision of a society where all people can get justice. Because our services and products - like the law - are for everyone, we believe in including everyone. We strongly and enthusiastically encourage people of color, individuals who identify within and beyond the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, women, and people with disabilities to apply.

ILAO is fully remote, with periodic, in-person meetings. We welcome applications from across Illinois.

Feedback & User Support Management

60%

• Be an expert on how ILAO’s products work from an end-user perspective
• Serve as the first point of contact for end users of ILAO’s software products, including community members, advocates, and staff users
• Respond to user support requests in a timely manner
• Monitor all user feedback and escalate critical issues to the appropriate staff.
• Administer and configure ILAO’s Zendesk feedback system, including ticket workflows, queues, macros, tags, and automations
• Maintain ILAO's planned automated support chat, which helps users find resources on their own and sends issues it can't resolve to Zendesk
• Aggregate feedback from Zendesk, email, and other channels; analyze trends and recurring issues to identify problems, improvements, and positive outcomes to share with staff on a monthly basis
• Manage incoming support requests via Zendesk, phone, and email — resolving issues directly or routing to appropriate staff — and produce regular reports on support volume, response times, and resolution rates
• Conduct an annual user feedback survey and approximately 20 user interviews per year, in coordination with the User Research and Experience Manager
• Provide backup coverage to our Debt Help Illinois help desk as needed

Product Support

30%

• Ensure that website testimonials are created and updated regularly
• Develop and maintain Zendesk Help Center content to improve processes for responding to user inquiries.
• Train ILAO staff on the website, Zendesk, and related tools as needed
• Provide first-line website and CMS support to staff, independently resolving routine website issues and escalating when necessary.
• Review, update, and expand internal product documentation and knowledge bases to reflect current workflows and product changes.
• Work with the User Research and Experience Manager and UI/UX Quality Assurance Manager to screen and recruit participants for usability testing, stakeholder groups, user interviews, and advisory panels.

Other activities

10%

• Participate in staff meetings and other organizational meetings.
• Participate in organizational ARDEI activities.
• Participate in fundraising activities, such as making thank you calls, signing letters, working in-person events, reviewing grant proposals, and contributing to grant reports as required.
• Other activities as assigned.

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience) required
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to empathize with digital audiences and community members, curiosity about people’s challenges, decision points, and journeys
• Superior organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently as well as on a team
• Excellent oral presentation and written communication skills
• Excellent computer skills, including fluency in using the Internet and Google Apps for Office
• Enthusiasm for the use of technology in the delivery of legal services and interest in ILAO’s mission and goals
• Team player who is enthusiastic about supporting website users and helping colleagues accomplish the goals of the organization

Preference given to candidates with

• Fluency or proficiency in Spanish
• Experience in legal aid or a general understanding of the legal system
• Experience working with people facing legal issues, or with Illinois courts, legal aid organizations, or community partners
• Familiarity with the basics of usability testing
• Experience with Zendesk or similar customer service software
• Located in the Chicago metropolitan area

Pay scale and benefits

Salary: The salary range for this position is $58,000 - $63,000. Bilingual Spanish staff receive an additional stipend.

ILAO offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, health and dependent care flex spending account; 15 paid days off and 15 holidays in the first calendar year of employment; and a 403(b) retirement plan, to which ILAO contributes a required 1% of salary monthly. ILAO has a flexible workplace policy that supports remote work, wellness and work-life balance.