Somerset County - Communications Center Deputy Director

Start Date: June 10, 2024 | End Date: December 30, 2024
County: Somerset County
Job Type: Other

SOMERSET COUNTY

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Department: Communications Center                               Job Title: Deputy Director

Classification: Exempt/Non-Union                                     Office Hours: As Assigned

Starting Salary: $37-39 per hour                                        Total Hours:  40 hours

Job Relationship:

            A.  Responsible to:  Director, Somerset Regional Communications Center

            B.  Supervises: Line supervisors and full-time line dispatchers.

C.  Manner of Review and Approval of Work:  Through direct observation of activities.

Job Summary:          

The Deputy Director serves as the operations manager for the Somerset Regional Communications Center. She/he is a fully trained Public Safety Dispatcher with a minimum of three years dispatching experience and one year of supervisory experience. She/he provides a technical review of current operations, ensures personnel are adequately trained and provides the operational specifications in future planning. He/she maintains dispatch proficiency, and is heavily involved with hardware and software operations and maintenance.  The employee will be in a probationary status for the first six months of employment.  

Representative Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains all qualifications as outlined in the dispatcher job description and the line supervisor job description.
• Directly supervises the line supervisors and line dispatchers.
• Authors, edits and updates communications center policies and procedures, and ensure policies and procedures are in alignment state and federal guidelines and requirements.
• Ensures the line supervisors manage personnel on their shift as outlined in the Communication Center's Standard Operating Procedures and other directives, oral or written.
• Oversees all aspects of training communications center personnel, including continuing education of existing personnel and new hire training.
• Provides input to the director regarding the need for long-range equipment replacement and technology upgrades for budget planning purposes.
• Is an active participant in seeking out and applying for grants and other revenue sources.
• Manages employee evaluation program.
• Maintains an active quality control program.
• Ensures radio logs, CAD entries, Metro policies and EMD/EFD requirements are kept in accordance with established policies.
• Responsible for repairing or replacing inoperative or broken equipment as reported by the line supervisors.
• Takes complimentary and negative comments from civilians and first responders and ensures those comments are routed up the chain of command.
• Works with line supervisors and the director to ensure employees are appropriately recognized for positive actions.
• Manages corrective actions and training needs identified by the line supervisors.
• Primary administrator of digital voice recorder.
• Serves as the director in the director’s absence.
• Other duties and responsibilities as directed by the communications director.

This description is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities associated with this position.  While this is intended to be a reflection of the current position, management reserves the right to revise these responsibilities or require other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (i.e., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, technological development, etc.)

Working Conditions and Job Hazards:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

A list of the physical demands is listed below:

1. Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
2. Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs.
3. Must work at computer keyboard for extended periods of time.
4. Must have hearing acuity for processing telephone and radio communications.
5. Must be able to work for long periods of time (12 hour shifts)

The employee will be expected to work days, nights and weekends as necessary.   Some travel can be anticipated, with the cost borne by the county. In the director’s absence, the deputy director will be expected to attend meetings at the state and county level, and be active in local inter agency functions.

Specifications/Qualifications:

1. Education and training:  A two year degree or equivalent mid-level management experience in a relevant field is desired.  
2. Excellent writing and organizational skills essential.  Employee is expected to manage various long- and short-term projects.
3. Must possess the ability to supervise in a diplomatic, even-handed manner, and must maintain a positive working relationship with subordinates, supervisors and the public safety community served by the Communications Center.
4. Successfully complete a state and national criminal history check including fingerprinting.
5. After a preliminary offer of employment, successfully complete a limited medical physical examination.
6. The ability to complete required Terminal Certification training within one year of employment.
7. The ability to complete required Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch certification training within one year of employment.
8. The ability to complete required E9-1-1 Operator Certification training within one year of employment.
1. The ability to complete other training required to perform responsibilities of this Communications Center; classroom, OJT, etc. 
10. Possess computer and keyboard skills, as well as familiarity with office procedures and operation of communication center equipment.
11. Significant interpersonal and communications skills, oral and written, used through a variety of mediums including radio, teletype and computers.
50. The ability to work independently as well as a team member, working diplomatically and effectively with the public and under adversely stressful situations with strict attention to detail.
1000. The ability to establish and maintain in a professional rapport with employees. 

The duties above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.