Public Safety Watch Desk Manager
Arlington County's Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management (DPSCEM) is hiring a Public Safety Watch Desk Manager to supervise the work of six (6) Watch Officers. The Watch Desk is often the first point of contact for ACG personnel and Arlington residents in an emergency. The position works with regional partners to identify areas of collaboration for shared systems on everyday operations and ensures the accurate and timely collection, analysis and dissemination of critical communications/information to the DPSCEM, County Leadership Command staff of the Police and Fire Departments, first responders, and Arlington Alert/EAS subscribers on a 24/7/365 basis. The position will also be responsible for monitoring emergency communications from multiple sources and sending notifications using multiple alerting systems to include the Fire Mutual Aid Radio System (FMARS), Police Mutual Aid Radio Systems (PMARS), National Warning System (NAWAS), Computer Aided Dispatch systems (CAD), local and national media, and other local, state, and federal systems.
To learn more about our department, please visit www.ArlingtonVa.US
Responsibilities include:
- Motivating, training, evaluating performance, counseling, disciplining and scheduling staff on and Watch Officers on 24/7/365 shifts.
- Analyzing impact of incidents and assisting the Emergency Management department with coordinating and deploying the County's emergency response;
- Implementing standard operational policies, procedures and guidelines to support emergency preparedness;
- Recommending cutting edge technology and informational systems to ensure the Watch Desk remains agile and responsive to the public safety environment and managing the implementation and integration of new systems;
- Developing and maintaining close working relationships with Emergency Communications Center (ECC), Police and Fire supervisory personnel, and other County agencies to promote communication and emergency message dissemination and exchange; and
- Participating in Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activations and planned event Unified Command (UC) and/or Tactical Operations Command (TOC).
The ideal candidate will have proven experience working in emergency management (including EOC operations), alert and warning/public information dissemination, and/or public safety plans and practices; working with disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, exercise planning and coordination; and ability work calmly and effectively with people and resources in rapidly changing and potentially stressful situations.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management, Public Safety, Public Administration, or a related field; and
- Considerable professional level experience in program administration and/or management which includes experience working with emergency management planning.
Substitution: Additional professional level emergency management experience may substitute for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis. A graduate degree in Public Administration, Emergency Management, or a related field may be substituted for one year of work experience.
Desirable: Preference will be given to candidates with the following experience:
- Working with and developing relationships with Police operations, Emergency Communications Centers, and Fire Departments;
- Knowledge of Police operations and Emergency Communication Center/PSAP;
- Working in an Emergency Communications Center or a call center environment; and/or
- Training others in work procedures.