Director of 911 Emergency Communications - Department of Public Safety

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

2d • $115,683 - $196,661

About The Position

The City and County of Denver is seeking an innovative, community-centered, and strategic executive to lead Denver 911, the connection between residents and visitors and the appropriate response during emergencies and crises. The Director oversees a complex, 24-hour emergency communications operation and advances coordinated responses involving law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, behavioral-health resources, alternative-response programs, and community-based services. The role is accountable for operational excellence, workforce development, community trust, technology resilience, and measurable improvements in service delivery.

The Director assists with development and administration of operating and capital budgets; oversees procurement, contracts, and vendor relationships; identifies grant opportunities; and establishes long-range financial strategies. The position aligns Denver 911 with the Department of Public Safety’s Safety Ecosystem and citywide priorities, sets performance standards, uses data and community feedback to improve outcomes, and provides transparent reporting. It also oversees emergency communications technology and technology governance, including CAD, radio, telephony, GIS integration, and Next Generation 911.

The Director builds partnerships across public safety, public health, behavioral health, housing, and community organizations; leads community engagement; and ensures programs are accessible, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and inclusive. The role leads recruitment, retention, wellness, leadership development, and succession planning, and maintains compliance and professional standards. The Director develops a multi-year technology roadmap, evaluates emerging technologies with appropriate safeguards, leads continuity and emergency-preparedness planning, directs communications operations during major incidents and events, and maintains alternate PSAP and contingency capabilities.

Minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field and five years of experience at the functional or operational management level, including management of subordinate supervisors. The stated education/experience equivalency permits two years of appropriate experience to substitute for each required year of post-high-school education, and additional appropriate education may substitute for minimum experience requirements. No license or certification is required. Professional certification through APCO, NENA, IAED, or a comparable organization is preferred.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field, or an applicable education/experience equivalency.
• Five years of experience at the type and level of functional or operational management, including management of subordinate supervisors.
• Demonstrated executive leadership in a complex, 24-hour emergency communications or public safety environment.
• Experience leading organizational change, strategic planning, workforce development, and operational improvement.
• Knowledge of emergency communications, including call triage, alternative response, quality assurance, performance management, and Next Generation 911.
• Ability to build trust and partnerships with employees, labor representatives, public safety agencies, elected officials, and diverse communities.
• Experience using data, performance measures, and community feedback to improve service delivery and organizational accountability.
• Understanding of workforce wellness, trauma exposure, recruitment, retention, and succession planning in emergency communications.
• Exceptional judgment and communication skills, particularly during critical incidents, service disruptions, and matters of significant public concern.
• Commitment to equitable, accessible, transparent, and community-centered public service.
• Valid U.S. work authorization that does not require visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Professional certification through APCO, NENA, IAED, or a comparable organization.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing and administering Denver 911 operating and capital budgets.
• Oversee procurement, contracting, and vendor relationships for emergency communications technologies and services.
• Identify grant opportunities and steward public resources effectively.
• Establish long-range financial planning strategies for operational and technology needs.
• Achieve service-level goals related to call answering, dispatch performance, staffing stability, quality assurance, employee retention, and customer service.
• Align Denver 911 strategy and operations with the Department of Public Safety’s Safety Ecosystem and citywide public safety priorities.
• Advance coordinated response involving police, fire, EMS, behavioral-health, alternative-response, and community-based services.
• Strengthen interoperability and operating protocols among Denver Police, Denver Fire, Denver Health Paramedics, alternative responders, regional communications centers, and partner agencies.
• Represent Denver 911 with employees, labor partners, elected officials, community organizations, media, and the public.
• Establish measurable performance standards for call answering, dispatch accuracy, response coordination, service quality, and community experience.
• Use operational data and community feedback to identify service gaps, reduce disparities, and improve outcomes.
• Provide transparent reporting on performance, staffing, service levels, initiatives, and improvement efforts.
• Establish a quality-assurance program connecting call review, coaching, training, policy improvement, and accountability.
• Oversee Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio communications, telephony systems, GIS integration, and Next Generation 911 technologies.
• Establish strategic governance for emergency communications technology investments.
• Direct partnerships with public safety, public health, behavioral health, housing, and community stakeholders; set related operational priorities and resource allocations.
• Develop and execute community engagement, outreach, and associated budget priorities.
• Ensure programs are accessible, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, inclusive of people with disabilities and limited English proficiency, and compliant with applicable requirements.
• Lead recruitment, retention, employee wellness, leadership development, and succession planning for Denver 911 personnel.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local public safety communications regulations.
• Maintain accreditation and professional standards through CALEA, APCO, NENA, and applicable regulatory bodies.
• Develop a multi-year technology roadmap for CAD, telephony, radio, data integration, Next Generation 911, and emerging capabilities.
• Evaluate technologies, including artificial intelligence and automation, with privacy, security, accuracy, transparency, and human-oversight safeguards.
• Lead continuity-of-operations planning, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity coordination, system redundancy, and recovery from major technology disruptions.
• Direct emergency communications operations during major incidents, planned events, disasters, and continuity-of-government activations.
• Maintain alternate PSAP and emergency communications contingency capabilities.
• Ensure appropriate staffing models, training programs, certification requirements, and workforce deployment strategies for uninterrupted operations.

Benefits

• Guaranteed life-long monthly pension after vesting following five years of service.
• 457B Retirement Plan.
• 140 hours of PTO earned within the first year.
• 12 paid holidays, one personal holiday, one wellness day, and one volunteer day per year.
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans effective within one month of start date.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director