Description

The Communications Director oversees all aspects of emergency communications strategies and systems to enhance mission-critical business operations and is responsible for researching, formulating, and implementing long-range strategic goals that align with the County’s overall public interest. 

The position leads and manages the County’s 24/7 Emergency Communications Center, ensuring reliable, safe, and equitable call-taking and dispatch operations for law enforcement, fire, EMS, and allied agencies. The position is responsible for managing staff, budgets, technologies, and compliance. 

The position works under the direction of the County Administrator, or their designee, and the Sheriff, or their designee, in regard to VCIN and law enforcement specific duties, credentials, and expectations.

Requirements

Leadership & Strategy

• Set the ECC vision, multi-year roadmap, and annual objectives aligned to county supported public safety priorities.
• Develop and enforce policies, SOPs, and performance standards; ensure accreditation readiness (e.g., APCO/NENA best practices).
• Serve as primary advisor on 9-1-1 / NG9-1-1 matters to leadership and elected officials.
• Represent the ECC through written, verbal, and in-person communications. 
• Stay updated on trends and advancements in emergency communications technology.
• Oversee all staffing, including but not limited to: recruitment, supervision, management, scheduling, professional development, evaluations, and disciplinary actions.

Operations Oversight

• Understanding of two-way radio, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), and 911 systems.
• Own service-level performance (answer times, queue management, dispatch timeliness) through dashboards and Quality Assurance/Improvement (QA/QI) programs.
• Approve exceptions to staffing and operational plans during extraordinary incidents; activate incident command roles as needed.
• Coordinate with law/fire/EMS on run-cards, response plans, and operational changes.
• Exhibit strong project management skills and the ability to set/manage priorities effectively.

People & Culture

• Directly supervise ECC managers/supervisors to including setting performance goals, conducting evaluations, etc.
• Exhibit strong leadership skills especially in the areas of personnel management.
• Approve staffing plans, career ladders, and succession planning; oversee recruitment and retention strategies.
• Ensure training systems (initial, CTO, remedial, continuing education) meet standards; maintain a positive, accountable culture focused on wellness and resilience.

Budget, Grants & Procurement

• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets; research and process grants and/or cost-recovery programs.
• Work in conjunction with the Procurement and Contract Specialist on procurements for CAD/RMS interfaces, 9-1-1 call handling, recording/QA tools, consoles, facility upgrades, and similar products and services. 
• Work with vendors on equipment and software maintenance, evaluate new technologies, and oversee deployment and support of hardware/software based on ECC needs.
• Negotiate and manage contracts for hardware, software, and maintenance agreements.
• Advise management on financial and liability impacts of emergency communications.

Technology, Data & Security

• Work in conjunction with the Director of IT and when appropriate, the Sheriff’s Office in regards to technology maintenance, upgrades, replacements, and use. 
• Own lifecycle planning for CAD, 9-1-1/ESInet, recording, alerting, text-to-911, RapidSOS, and related platforms.
• Establish cybersecurity and resilience practices with IT (patching, MFA, logging, CJIS/HIPAA compliance, disaster recovery).
• Define metrics; publish monthly/quarterly performance reports and trend analyses.
• Research, advocate and implement technology solutions.

Compliance & Risk

• Ensure compliance with state and federal requirements (e.g., CJIS, HIPAA, EEO, ADA, FCC), records retention, and evidence handling for audio/metadata.
• Manage liability/risk mitigation, internal reviews, and corrective action plans.
• Familiarity with federal and state regulations governing radio transmissions, VCIN/NCIC, EMD, computer privacy, security, records retention, and emergency communication work.
• Knowledge of statutory and administrative codes, ordinances, and public safety communication regulations.

Interagency & Public Engagement

• Build and maintain strategic partnerships with municipalities, government agencies, vendors, and partner organizations.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with County staff, emergency response teams, and the community.
• Serve as ECC PIO for operational updates; promote community education (e.g., appropriate 9-1-1 use, text-to-911).

Emergency Management

• Participate in county EOC operations as directed by the Emergency Manager.