LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED BTWN 2 ACFT AT FL330 IN THE ZDV AREA.

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ON AUG/XA/98 AT APPROX XA36Z ON SECTOR 8 IN AREA 2 THERE WAS A LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN 2 ACFT IN THE HAYES CTR NEBRASKA AREA. UNLIKE OTHER OPERRORS; THIS SIT HAD SOME UNUSUAL CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS. THE FIRST EVENT LEADING UP TO THE LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS THE FACT THAT THIS SECTOR WAS ALERTED 15 MINS PRIOR THAT IT WILL BE EXCEEDING THE NUMBER OF ACFT THE SECTOR CAN SAFELY HANDLE. SECOND; AND MOST IMPORTANTLY; WHEN THE SUPVR IN CHARGE WAS NOTIFIED BY TFC MGMNT THAT SECTOR 8 WAS ABOUT TO EXCEED THE RECOMMENDED VOLUME OF TFC; HE PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE CTL ROOM ON A WORK BREAK. NORMALLY; SUPVRS WILL TAKE THESE WORK BREAKS DURING LIGHT TFC PERIODS. IF NEEDED; SUPVRS WILL ASSIGN A CIC TO WATCH THE AREA WHILE HE/SHE IS AWAY ON A BREAK. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE THE CIC WAS NOT CAPABLE OF HANDLING AREA DUTIES DURING PEAK TFC PERIODS. IN HER DEFENSE; SHE DID NOT RECEIVE PROPER TRAINING; THUS NOT ABLE TO MAKE STAFFING OR TFC MGMNT DECISIONS; AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED THESE DUTIES DURING THESE HIGH VOLUME TFC PERIODS. SUPVRS HAVE THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN A SAFE CTL ROOM ENVIRONMENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT SUPVRS NEED BREAKS JUST AS CTLRS DO. HOWEVER; THEIR FIRST PRIORITY SHOULD BE TO OVERSEE THE OPS OF THE AREA; ESPECIALLY DURING BUSY TFC PERIODS. ALTHOUGH SUPVR IN CHARGE WAS NOT CTLING THESE ACFT; HIS PRESENCE MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT.