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Hopn2abwa

Public Safety Communications (911) Director

Hopn2abwa, Asheville, North Carolina, us, 28814


Buncombe County’s Public Safety Communications Center is the central answering point for public safety agencies within our County. In 2021, the Board of Commissioners approved an agreement consolidating 911 services for the City of Asheville and Buncombe County. With this consolidation, the County dispatches for the City of Asheville Fire and Police Departments as well as Buncombe County. Public Safety Communications receives approximately 200,000 calls and dispatches nearly 300,000 incidents annually.This Director position directly supervises four managers over the following divisions: 911 Administration, 911 Fire and EMS Operations, 911 Law Operations, and 911 Systems and Support. There are over 90 employees in these divisions and they work a 24/7 schedule.This position primarily works out of the Buncombe County Emergency Management office located at 164 Erwin Hills Rd, Asheville, NC 28806. There is no remote option for this position. The selected candidate must live within or relocate to a location within a 2-hour drive of their work location.Buncombe County Government offers a comprehensive benefits package for employees, including relocation assistance for executive-level positions. If the selected candidate relocates from outside the 2-hour window, they will be eligible for up to $7,000 total in relocation reimbursement.This position is posted until filled, with an initial review of candidates beginning on November 19th, 2024.Purpose of the position:The purpose of this position is to plan, organize, direct, and evaluate the overall activities of the 911 Communications Center to ensure all activities are executed properly and in accordance with applicable laws, policies, ordinances, resolutions, directives, and regulations.Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire):

Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, police science, sociology, or a related emergency services field and seven (7) years of experience in public safety communications, which includes at least three (3) years of supervisory and/or management experience at a 911 Communications Center; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.Additional Training and Experience:

Master’s degree in public administration is preferred, but not required; The following certifications are also preferred, but not required:

Basic Certifications:

Emergency Police Dispatcher (EPD), Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD),

Advanced Certifications:

Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL), and Emergency Number Professional (ENP).License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation:

NoneEssential Functions of the position:Plan and direct all operations, services, and resources for 911 emergency communications service delivery.

Develop the Center’s goals and objectives, and formulate/implement communications rules, standards, policies, and procedures consistent with the County’s mission; Identify Center needs for equipment, funding and/or staff.

Develop and maintain effective working and administrative relationships with the policy board and the various fire services departments, emergency medical service groups, law enforcement agencies and professional organizations dedicated to public safety communications the Center services.

Attend meetings of relevant agencies and organizations, confer with and counsel various emergency response agencies and other County and City departments regarding communications matters and the coordination of services, promote community awareness for effective use of emergency communications services.

Participate in various emergency planning efforts.

Develop and administer the Public Safety Communications Center budget.

Manage the Center’s communications equipment inventory and procurement; Coordinate and participate in the design, installation, maintenance and repair of equipment, software applications and databases.

Participate in the development and implementation of system and program strategic planning.

Appraise departmental activities and operations and take necessary steps to improve the department.

Monitor operations through auditing live transmissions, master communications audio recordings and activity reports, determining appropriate quality assurance action. Control access to such files and supervise the transcription of tapes.

Prepare regular and special reports of operations.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:Strong leadership skills with the ability to ethically influence human behavior and to achieve organizational goals serving the public and developing individuals and teams.

Leadership experience that includes staff motivation, change management, and continuous improvement.

Proven success in planning, organizing, and managing the day-to-day functions of an emergency dispatch call center.

Strong operational knowledge of a 911 communications center with an ability to foster productive interpersonal communication with subordinates.

Experience preparing and/or reviewing operational and statistical reports; presenting proposals and recommendations regarding departmental services and needs.

The ability to work collaboratively with the emergency and public safety agencies, and other officials to solve problems and make recommendations; inform appropriate agencies and management personnel of public safety communications situations and major incidents.

Experience building partnerships with other county, state and federal agencies and officials, and serving on community task forces.

Experience developing and implementing an operational budget, including establishing priorities for capital and material requirements; and monitoring expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budget.

Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws and regulations relevant to program activities and/or business functions; and of the principles and practices of public administration and management.

Authoritative knowledge of computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems, interfacing products, and vital public safety infrastructure, including radio, text, and voice communications.

Experience in developing emergency preparedness plans, knowledge of emergency services telecommunications, and familiarity with the emergency call processing and dispatch protocols and procedures. Thorough knowledge of recent trends and projects in the emergency communications realm, including but not limited to Next Generation 911 (NG911).

Demonstrable experience in quality assurance and quality improvement programs for emergency 911.

Ability to direct and organize program activities and/or business functions; to establish goals and objectives that support the strategic plan; to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, and implement effective solutions; to develop and evaluate policies and procedures; to prepare reports; to communicate effectively; and to supervise the work of others.

Knowledge of PC systems, databases, and spreadsheet use to ensure department efficiency. Self-motivated to research and master emerging computer technologies.

Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and deliver proposals that are clear, engaging, data-based, accurate, and aligned with Buncombe County’s strategic goals.

Ability to break complex projects into manageable tasks, identify and engage appropriate resources, and deliver accurate, on-time results. Critical thinker with strong problem-solving skills and a tendency to challenge the status quo.

Possession of leadership and excellent team management skills. Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including experience working directly with users and collaborating across internal teams to deliver complex projects.

Is a self-starter and able to drive work forward within an agile environment. Ability to look at the bigger picture within their department and the Organization.

In order to uphold internal pay parity and equity, salaries are non-negotiable for new and current Buncombe County employees. All new employees are paid according to their years of relevant education and experience above minimum requirements for the position and employees have the opportunity to obtain pay increases via cost of living increases and promotions.Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.It is the policy of Buncombe County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other legally protected class under federal or NC State law. In addition, Buncombe County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment or discrimination.Applicants for employment are invited to participate in the affirmative action program by reporting their status as a protected veteran or other minority. In extending this invitation, we advise you that: (a) workers (applicants) are under no obligation to respond but may do so in the future if they choose; (b) responses will remain confidential within the human resource department; and (c) responses will be used only for the necessary information to include in our affirmative action program. We are a company that values diversity. We actively encourage women, minorities, veterans and disabled employees to apply. Refusal to provide this information will have no bearing on your application and will not subject you to any adverse treatment.

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