Wildland Fire Dispatch Coordinator 1 - Assistant Center Manager (PCN 10-9708)

State of Alaska•Palmer, AK

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, is recruiting for an Assistant Dispatch Center Manager in Palmer, Alaska. The Alaska Coastal Dispatch Center (ACDC) Assistant Center Manager plays a critical role in wildfire response, providing technical direction, coordination, and leadership to dispatchers while ensuring seamless operations in resource mobilization and logistics. In this role, you’ll assist in managing daily dispatch functions, including coordinating personnel, crews, equipment, and supplies, as well as handling transportation, meals, lodging, and flight following. Depending on fire activity, you may directly or indirectly oversee 20+ seasonal employees, ensuring a well-coordinated and effective team. As the ACDC Assistant Center Manager, you will play an active role in regional and statewide logistics operations, assisting with setting priorities and providing direction to staff to ensure the timely mobilization of critical resources in support of large incidents, Area Offices, and cooperating agencies. Collaboration is essential — you’ll work closely with Fire Management Officers (FMOs) to coordinate multiple simultaneous fire responses and allocate resources where they are needed most. The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection is dedicated to serving Alaskans through wildland fire suppression, management, and control. Our mission is to safely manage wildland fires that pose a threat to life, property, and critical infrastructure across 150 million acres of land throughout Alaska, providing cost-effective and efficient fire protection and aviation services on State, private, municipal, and contracted lands. Protecting life, property, and the safety of both the public and firefighters remains our top priority.

Requirements

Three years of experience in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field.
Certification from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) in any three of the following: Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher (EDSD), Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher (EDSP), Initial Attack Dispatcher (IADP), Aircraft Dispatcher (ACDP).
Wildland Fire Dispatch Coordinators must receive red card training and certification under the National Incident Qualification System.
Possess a valid driver's license.
Three years in any combination of post-secondary education from an accredited college in forestry, natural resources, or a closely related field will substitute for the required experience (2.67 semester hours or 4 quarter hours of post-secondary education are equal to one month of experience).
Must rate proficiency level for each competency listed in the supplemental questions.

Nice To Haves

Experience with the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) certifications: Expanded Dispatch Support Dispatcher (EDSD), Expanded Dispatch Supervisory Dispatcher (EDSP), Initial Attack Dispatcher (IADP), Aircraft Dispatcher (ACDP).

Responsibilities

Assist in managing daily dispatch functions, including coordinating personnel, crews, equipment, and supplies.
Handle transportation, meals, lodging, and flight following.
Directly or indirectly oversee 20+ seasonal employees, ensuring a well-coordinated and effective team.
Play an active role in regional and statewide logistics operations, assisting with setting priorities and providing direction to staff.
Ensure the timely mobilization of critical resources in support of large incidents, Area Offices, and cooperating agencies.
Work closely with Fire Management Officers (FMOs) to coordinate multiple simultaneous fire responses and allocate resources where they are needed most.
Take responsibility for employees’ performance by setting and communicating expectations and goals that are specific and measurable, tracking progress against the goals, supporting employees’ efforts to achieve job goals (by providing resources, removing obstacles, acting as a buffer, etc.), ensuring feedback, and addressing performance problems and issues promptly.
Organize work, set priorities, and determine resource requirements.
Determine short- or long-term goals and strategies to achieve them.
Coordinate with other organizations or parts of the organization to accomplish goals.
Monitor progress and evaluate outcomes.
Take a long-term view and build a shared vision with others; act as a catalyst for organizational change.
Influence others to translate vision into action.
Anticipate and meet the needs of both internal and external customers.
Deliver high-quality products and services; be committed to continuous improvement.
Protect, analyze, prioritize, and handle incidents.