Communications Specialist Manager - Public Safety - Police Operations

Department:

Public Safety - Police Operations

Professional Standards and Strategic Services

Position Title:

Communications Specialist Manager - Public Safety - Police Operations

Job Family Group:

Professional Staff

Job Description Summary:

The Communications Specialist Manager is responsible for managing and directing all aspects of the KUMC Police Dispatch Center, including, but not limited to managing staff, equipment procurement, maintenance, coordination with key stakeholders, writing policies and procedures, and providing training as needed. The position is also responsible for working with Police Command assigned to manage the KUMC’s campus-wide radio. City, county, and state networking will also be a part of this role. This position requires the ability to think and act quickly and appropriately in emergencies and highly stressful situations; the ability to elicit important information as necessary and to work effectively with regulatory agencies (FCC, REJIS/NCIC, etc.) as well as with campus stakeholders and customers.

Job Description:

Job Duties Outlined:

• Provides leadership and supervision within the KUMC Police dispatch division.
• Ensures the dispatch division runs smoothly and officer safety is of the highest priority.
• Serves as the direct manager for Communication Specialist Supervisors and other assigned personnel.
• Ensures Communication Specialists maintain their own timekeeping, with Supervisors approving only.
• Maintains constant and consistent communication with appropriate Police Command.
• Responsible for making recommendations regarding hiring, termination, discipline, promotion, and other personnel actions within assigned area
• Assists with budget for dispatch as necessary.
• Serves as the chairperson of interview boards for both initial hiring and promotions within the area assigned.
• Liaisons with the Patrol Captain that serves as the radio system manager for the KUMC radio system, including the recommendation of system and maintenance as necessary.
• Responsible for ensuring communications to multiple campus entities including public safety, facilities management, and other support agencies.
• Ensures conformity and compliance with FCC, State, and Federal laws and statutes as well as KUMC rules and regulations.
• Works with local, regional, state, and federal partners to ensure interoperability for communications systems.
• Represents the department and university for emergency communications at the local, regional, state, and federal level.
• Responsible for working with both internal personnel and external vendors to ensure system maintenance and performance.
• Recommends improvements and purchases to improve system performance and capabilities.
• Operates a two-way radio equipment in accordance with FCC regulations and departmental policy.
• Writes and submits clear, concise, legible, and timely reports.
• Possesses well-developed overall communication skills. Employee must be able to testify effectively during depositions and court appearances, when necessary.
• The incumbent will be required to be on-call. This is a requirement of the job and does not include any additional compensation.
• The incumbent will be prepared to travel for work as required. Travel may include trainings, city, county, and state meetings, professional development opportunities, and any incidents that affect KU campuses.
• Maintains control and accountability of keys, uniforms, and other department equipment/property.
• Receives and participates in training, as required.
• Maintains relevant certification credentials.
• Maintains dispatch equipment, including radios and computer consoles to ensure all calls for service are responded to by the appropriate personnel in a safe, prompt, and efficient manner.
• Creates and maintains policies and procedures for operations that are subject to approval by the Police Chief.
• This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. It is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, duties, and assignments. Furthermore, job duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
  
  

Work Environment

Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment which does not usually subject the employee to any unpleasant elements.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, criminal justice, public administration, dispatch operations, emergency management, or related field. A combination of relevant professional experience and education may be substituted for degree on an equivalent basis

Work Experience:

• Minimum four (4) years relevant experience
• Minimum two (2) years supervisory or management experience
• Must be knowledgeable in public safety communications and radio systems.
• Proficient with the use of computers, software packages, and systems (Microsoft Office).
• Must possess superior critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Must have strong communication skills and the ability to interact with a variety of people at all levels of the organization as well as remain calm in crisis situations.
• Must be able to develop and maintain professional relationships.
• Must be organized and detailed-oriented.
• Must display the highest levels of integrity and character.
• Must be able to successfully pass a background check conducted by the KUMC Police Department.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Master’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, communications, emergency management, or related field.

Work Experience:

• Experience or certification in programming P25 radio systems utilizing Tait radios.
• Professional accreditations, such as, but not limited to: Association Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), National Emergency Number Association (NENA), or Emergency Number Professional (ENP).
• Experience as a type III communications unit leader and communications technician in an incident management team.
• National Emergency Management Basic and/or Advanced Academy, and Kansas Certified Emergency Manager (KCEM) or Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), and Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) are also preferred.
  
  

Required Documents:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
  
  

Comprehensive Benefits Package:

Coverage begins on day one for health, dental, and vision insurance and includes health expense accounts with generous employer contributions if the employee participates in a qualifying health plan. Employer-paid life insurance, long-term disability insurance, and various additional voluntary insurance plans are available. Paid time off, including vacation and sick, begins accruing upon hire, plus ten paid holidays. One paid discretionary day is available after six months of employment, and paid time off for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and parental leave is available after 12 months of employment. A retirement program with a generous employer contribution and additional voluntary retirement programs (457 or 403b) are available. https://www.kumc.edu/human-resources/benefits.html

Employee Type:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Rate Type:

Salary

Compensation Statement:

The pay range listed for this position is determined by our compensation program using market data and salary benchmarking. A combination of factors is considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, education, experience and training, qualifications relative to the requirements of the position, and funding. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, a reasonable estimate for the starting pay range will be the minimum to midpoint of the posted range, taking into account the combination of factors listed above.

Pay Range:

$65,000.00 - $99,000.00

Minimum

$65,000.00

Midpoint

$82,000.00

Maximum

$99,000.00