Sheriff's Senior Communications Dispatcher - Promotional

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Sheriff's Office (SHF) has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Senior Communications Dispatcher position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Department employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position . This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

The Sheriff's Senior Communications Dispatcher works in a team environment with co-workers, the shift Sergeant, the on-duty Watch Commander, and allied agencies. This position is responsible for the day-to-day duties of a Communications Dispatcher with the added responsibility of being a lead worker who can be relied upon to take control and make solid decisions in both emergency and non-emergency situations. Additionally, this position:

• Supports the shift supervisor, acts as a lead worker, and troubleshoots issues related to the centers more technical and complex dispatching activities
• May assume responsibility of coordinating and directing shift activities, ensuring shift minimums are met, and addressing immediate equipment or personnel needs
• Assists in the selection, promotion, and disciplinary action of subordinate dispatchers
• Contributes to training dispatchers in the procedures and techniques of emergency dispatch in accordance with departmental regulations
• Assists in performance evaluation activities in conjunction with the Supervising Communications Dispatcher

The ideal candidate will be a critical thinker who is compassionate, empathetic, and able to make critical decisions without judgment, and will possess:

• Superb interpersonal, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills
• Thorough knowledge of the wireless and landline 9-1-1 routing, misroute reporting, and the Relocation and Evacuation Policy
• The ability to give brief overviews/presentations of the Dispatch Center to small groups
• Mentorship skills to support others' learning and success in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.

Please note: This current vacancy is to fill an evening shift, Sunday through Wednesday. The dispatch center has four Senior Dispatcher positions for lead-level support seven days a week, during day and evening hours. Anticipated future shift bids will include either Saturday or Sunday off, with selection based on seniority.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education, training, and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include graduation from high school or possession of a G.E.D. and two years of emergency dispatch experience in a public law enforcement agency dispatching the full range of safety personnel in a position comparable to Communications Dispatcher II.

Special requirement: Within one year of employment, and as a condition of probation, employees in this classification must obtain a P.O.S.T. Public Safety Dispatcher's Certificate, as awarded by the State of California, Commission on Police Officers Standards and Training P.O.S.T.).

Special skill requirement: This classification requires the ability to type at a corrected speed of 45 words per minute.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Drivers License.

Considerable knowledge of: streets, roads, major buildings, and geography of Sonoma County; the functions of the Sheriff's Office and other public safety agencies; applicable rules, regulations, and procedures including those of the Federal Communications Commission and their application; communications equipment.

Working knowledge of: techniques and procedures related to training and leadership, data entry techniques and computer operations; techniques for effectively working with members of various ages, ethnicities and socio-economic groups; standard office practices and procedures, including filing and the operation of standard office equipment.

Ability to: train other employees in an effective manner; operate complex communications equipment; accurately dispatch public safety equipment and personnel in a coordinated manner; speak clearly and concisely in English; react quickly, efficiently and calmly in an emergency situation and adopt an effective course of action; handle inquiries from the public in a courteous and effective manner; interpret rules and regulations to others; operate a keyboard; understand and follow complex written and oral instructions; dispatch records; and work a shift schedule, including nights, weekends and holidays.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidates personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicants name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Being part of the Sheriff's Office and being expected to keep the public safe requires a thorough background investigation process. This process includes an assessment of prior work history, verifying educational experiences, court reports, public records searches, and understanding past patterns relating to drug usage, financial patterns, etc. This entails gathering a significant amount of information from job candidates and speaking to former employers, friends, family members, etc. Polygraphs, drug tests, and medical and physical examinations are also part of this process. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment. This process can take anywhere from 3-5 months. Many factors are taken into consideration and one should not assume a credit issue or prior drug use is automatically disqualifying. Candidates will be given the opportunity to present mitigating information they feel should be considered. You are encouraged to be as responsive as possible while this process is taking place to help expedite the timeline, and we encourage you to stay patient and interested in this great career opportunity while this process is taking place.

You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Please read the Sheriff's Office Pre-Employment Drug Use Guidelines for further information.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax ...), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: KK

HR Technician: VH