911 Communications Manager

Douglas County, CO•Castle Rock, CO

1d•$120,643 - $147,453•Onsite

About The Position

The Communications Manager provides executive-level leadership, strategic planning, and operational oversight for the regional emergency communications center serving the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Operations Center, United Fire Dispatch Authority (UFDA), and Elbert County Communications Authority (ECCA). This role is responsible for directing comprehensive administrative functions, managing personnel, and establishing critical policies that safeguard public safety across multiple jurisdictions. The position is distinguished by its extensive delegated authority, fiscal accountability, and the complex specialized knowledge required to lead a multi-agency public safety communications infrastructure.

Requirements

Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing 911 infrastructure, alongside advanced familiarity with national industry standards including CALEA, APCO, NENA, and NFPA.
Deep operational mastery of multi-jurisdictional communications center functions, with an exceptional working knowledge of critical dispatch infrastructure, including CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) platforms, multi-frequency radio systems, and emergency telephony networks.
Expert ability to interpret, enforce, and proactively update agency directives, department policies, and Communications Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Superior written and verbal communication skills, including a proven ability to author high-level administrative reports, official business correspondence, and formal agency procedural manuals.
Outstanding interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to maintain professional credibility, execute strategic diplomacy, and build collaborative relationships with internal personnel, command staff, elected officials, and regional partner agencies.
Possession of a valid Colorado Driver’s License at the time of appointment.
Comprehensive geographic and boundary knowledge of Douglas and Elbert Counties, including major transit corridors, jurisdiction lines, and regional mutual-aid response areas.
Advanced understanding of current and emerging E911 and Next-Generation 911 (NG911) infrastructure, including the operational and fiscal impacts of evolving cellular, VoIP, and satellite technologies on emergency call routing.
Extensive management-level experience overseeing Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocols, Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) program design, and public safety communications accreditation processes.
Mastery of critical public safety systems, including NCIC/CCIC databases, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), Law Enforcement Records Management Systems (LERMS), Next-Gen location platforms (e.g., RapidSOS), Mass Notification Systems, Integrated Public Alert & Warning Systems (IPAWS), and digital voice recording networks.
Thorough knowledge of the theory and practical application of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and Incident Command System (ICS), certified up to the ICS-300 level.
Proven capability to deploy professional mediation and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques to effectively manage internal personnel friction and resolve inter-agency operational conflicts.
A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Criminal Justice, Emergency Management, Business Administration, or a closely related field. Equivalent years of relevant, professional experience may be considered on a year-for-year basis to satisfy the educational requirement.
Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive, full-time career experience in a public safety communications or emergency dispatch environment.
Within the ten-year requirement, a minimum of five (5) years must have been served at a supervisory or managerial level (e.g., Communications Supervisor, Assistant Manager, or Manager) demonstrating comprehensive oversight of personnel and technical operations.
Demonstrates an advanced operational knowledge of and strict compliance with all department policies, procedures, and executive directives.
Controls personal emotional responses and maintains decisive composure, operational focus, and clear communication under high levels of stress and unusual or critical circumstances.
Demonstrates strong emotional intelligence and sensitivity to the feelings of others, listens with genuine empathy, and displays compassion to those in distress.
Controls personal aggressive responses and routinely acts in a highly professional manner designed to de-escalate and calm volatile or confrontational persons.
Applies sound logic and reasoning rapidly in a legally and procedurally correct manner when operating under physical, emotional, and intellectual stress.
Comprehends, synthesizes, and processes complex new technical and operational information quickly and accurately, and successfully retains critical data for decision-making.
Possesses, maintains, and models the ability to utilize advanced verbal control and de-escalation techniques.
Maintains the physical capacity to stand or sit at a management workstation or command console for extended periods of time during standard or prolonged emergency operations.
Regularly utilizes hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls, and occasionally reaches with hands and arms, stoops, kneels, crouches, or crawls to manage physical workspace setups.
Manages direct contact with the public by providing authoritative information, personally researching and resolving escalated high-level citizen complaints, and overseeing the development and delivery of public safety education initiatives.
Establishes and sustains highly collaborative, professional relationships with peers, subordinate supervisors, command staff, and the general public.
Confidently and diplomatically asserts managerial authority when necessary to enforce workplace accountability, manage conflict, or exert control over operational challenges.
Speaks English clearly and converses with high efficacy across diverse ethnic, cultural, and educational backgrounds.
Demonstrates the advanced ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex data studies, statistical reports, professional journals, technical procedures, or government regulations.
Highly proficient in authoring executive-level reports, official business correspondence, and formal agency procedural manuals, with the ability to effectively present information and respond to inquiries from diverse groups.
Maintains the highest standards of personal and professional integrity to ensure the continuous ability to provide credible, unimpeachable testimony in a court of law, administrative hearings, or any other official legal proceeding or internal investigation.

Responsibilities

Provides executive-level leadership, strategic planning, and operational oversight for the regional emergency communications center.
Directs comprehensive administrative functions, manages personnel, and establishes critical policies.
Exercises direct supervision over shift supervisors and administrative staff, and maintains indirect, high-level oversight of all subordinate dispatch personnel.
Directs personnel management actions such as hiring, promotion, training, performance evaluation, and disciplinary measures.
Identifies, develops, and implements short- and long-range strategic plans, goals, and objectives regarding personnel forecasting, operational efficiency, and capital equipment/technological upgrades.
Prepares, presents, and administers the division’s annual operating and capital budget; establishes rigorous internal budgetary controls and monitors expenditures.
Monitors evolving legislative, regulatory, and technical developments affecting public safety communications; evaluates their impact and recommends proactive policy or procedural modifications.
Provides decisive leadership on a daily basis and during critical incidents; coordinates or deploys to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or Mobile Command Post to oversee emergency communications infrastructure during major events.
Represents the County and the Sheriff’s Office to outside contracting agencies; draft and assist in the negotiation of Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs).
Maintains active leadership and representation on regional and national boards.
Responds to complex inquiries from municipal, county, state, and regional entities; oversees the development and dissemination of community educational programs and public information.
Manages and coordinates the continuous operations of County 911 emergency lines, multi-frequency radio networks, CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch), and emergency communications data systems.
Directs initiatives regarding voice and data system interoperability across local, state, and federal networks; manages administrative system access, including assigning user codes and conducting operator login compliance audits.
Ensures absolute departmental alignment with applicable Federal Communications Commission (FCC) codes and regulations governing local government emergency communications.
Authors, updates, and enforces Communications Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure strict compliance with CALEA, APCO, NFPA, and NENA standards.
Assumes overall responsibility for agency compliance regarding NCIC/CCIC teletype systems, ensuring strict adherence to state and federal audits, rules, and security policies.
Plans, organizes, administers, and evaluates the comprehensive activities of technical and communications staff through direct supervision of subordinate shift supervisors.
Manages the formal and informal performance evaluation systems for the division; reviews and inspects all monthly center metrics and statistical reports.
Develops, presents, and coordinates advanced training programs and long-term career development strategies.
Conducts complex problem-solving regarding systemic divisional issues; maintains the authority to initiate and conduct internal administrative investigations.
Performs periodic operational reviews of backup and contingency communication systems, protocols, and redundant facilities.
Develops and oversees comprehensive preventative maintenance programs and strict inventory validation protocols for all sectional equipment and technical hardware.
Performs other professional duties as assigned, necessary, or required by statutory law and agency mandate.