Public Safety Communications Director

Public Safety Communications Director

Buncombe County's Public Safety Communications Department is hiring a Director to lead our team of dedicated emergency services & telecommunications professionals. Our Public Safety Communications Center is a 24/7 operation and is the central answering point for all public safety agencies within our County. As of 2022, all 911 services for the City of Asheville and Buncombe County are co-located, and all dispatchers and telecommunicators are employed by Buncombe County. Our Public Safety Communications staff dispatch for City of Asheville Fire and Police Departments as well as Buncombe County Sheriff and Emergency Services. Public Safety Communications receives approximately 400,000 calls and dispatches over 300,000 incidents annually.

This Director position directly supervises three managers over the following divisions: 911 Administration, Operations, and 911 Support Services. There are currently 79 regular full-time positions in the department. The selected candidate will have a thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, standards, and best practices governing public safety communications, emergency communications systems, NextGen911 operations, CJIS security requirements, emergency management, and PSAP administration.

Purpose of the position:

This position is responsible for planning, directing, and evaluating the operations and service delivery of the Public Safety (911) Communications Center, while ensuring continuity of service, compliance with statutory responsibilities, and alignment with the agency's strategic priorities. The role supports various county and outside agencies to include Emergency Management Services (EMS), Sheriff's Office, Police, Fire, and Volunteer Fire Departments (VFD) communications and dispatch services, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, effective management of technological systems, and collaboration with emergency response agencies.

The Public Safety Communications Director will be responsible for overseeing the following essential projects. Please note this list is not all-encompassing of responsibilities, projects and initiatives:

• Overseeing the agency's NCLEA accreditation process, which began in March 2026, and ensuring all requirements are met for anticipated completion in March 2028.
• Leading the transition of the organization's Computer‑Aided Dispatch (CAD) system from Central Square to Motorola, including coordination with internal teams, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Implementing AI‑based non‑emergency call‑taking technology and managing its integration into existing workflows.
• Participating in and supporting the organization‑wide Classification and Compensation Study, ensuring accurate representation of departmental roles and needs.
• Securing funding and driving strategic planning efforts to replace outdated radio hardware, addressing current inconsistencies between City and County dispatcher equipment.
• Managing the project consolidation and evaluation of City and County telecommunicator operations, including operational, staffing, and governance considerations.
• Implementing and supervising the PowerEngage Community Feedback Program to strengthen citizen engagement and enhance feedback collection after calls for service.

Essential Functions of the position:

• Direct and oversee the implementation of departmental strategic plans, goals, policies, procedures, and operational practices aligned with the County's strategic plan, while providing high-level analysis and recommendations to improve operations and service delivery.
• Provide leadership and direction to management, professional, and support staff through direct and indirect supervision, ensuring effective operations, employee development, policy compliance, and continuous improvement in service delivery, training, and performance standards.
• Ensure departmental compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and industry standards, including NextGen911/i3 requirements.
• Direct and manage Communications Center operations, including identifying equipment, staffing, technology, and funding needs; overseeing procurement, inventory, installation, maintenance, and repair of communications systems, software applications, and databases.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with internal departments, emergency response agencies, municipal partners, community organizations, and professional associations to coordinate public safety communications services and initiatives.
• Promote community awareness and effective use of Emergency Communications services through participation in emergency planning efforts, stakeholder meetings, interagency coordination, workshops, and community engagement activities.
• Direct the preparation, administration, and monitoring of departmental operating and capital budgets; identify and manage grant funding and contracts to support departmental programs and initiatives.
• Evaluate departmental operations, programs, and systems through audits, quality assurance reviews, activity reports, and analysis of communications data, implementing corrective actions and operational improvements as needed.
• Prepare and present reports, research findings, and recommendations to County leadership, boards, commissions, governmental agencies, and community groups.
• Receive, investigate, and resolve confidential, sensitive, and complex inquiries and complaints, recommending and implementing corrective actions as appropriate.
• Perform special projects and other related duties within the scope of responsibility as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of local, state, and federal laws, regulations, standards, and best practices governing public safety communications, emergency preparedness, emergency call processing, dispatch operations, Next Generation 911 (NG911), CJIS security requirements, emergency management, and PSAP administration.
• Knowledge of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems, interfacing technologies, public safety communications infrastructure, including radio, telephony, text, voice communications systems, computer systems, databases, and spreadsheet applications necessary to support efficient departmental operations (i.e. CAD (Motorola P1), NENA i3 Standards, Accreditation (CALEA, ACE, etc.), telephony systems (Viper, AT&T, etc.).
• Ability to direct and organize departmental operations and program activities; establish goals and objectives aligned with strategic plans; develop and evaluate policies, procedures, and quality assurance/improvement programs; identify and resolve operational issues; prepare reports; communicate effectively; and supervise the work of others.
• Ability and initiative to research, learn, and adapt to emerging technologies, trends, and advancements in emergency communications systems and operations.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and deliver proposals that are clear, engaging, data-based, accurate, and aligned with Buncombe County's strategic goals.
• Possess leadership and excellent team management skills. Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including experience working directly with users and collaboration across internal teams to deliver complex projects.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire):

Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Police Science, Political Science, Sociology, Emergency Management, Business Administration or a related emergency services field, and seven (7) years of experience in Public Safety communications, which includes at least three (3) years of supervisory and/or management experience at a Primary PSAP (911 Communications Center); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Training and Experience:

Master's degree in public administration or related emergency services field is preferred.

The following certifications are also preferred: Basic Certifications: Emergency Telecommunicator Certification (ETC), Emergency Police Dispatcher (EPD), Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD). Advanced Certifications: Center Manager Certification Program (CMCP), Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL), Certified Public-Safety Executive (CPE), Emergency Number Professional (ENP).

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation:

Valid U.S. Driver's License at the time of hire; Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) required within 60 days of hire date.

Buncombe County Government offers a robust benefits package:

• Relocation assistance
• 8% County contribution to employee 401(k)
• Free physical therapy
• Employee and Family Health clinic with $5 co-pay
• $0 Tier-1 generic prescriptions
• 10+ vacation days per year
• 12 sick days & 13 paid holidays

This position primarily works out of the newly renovated Public Safety Communications Department facility, located within 35 Woodfin Street in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. This position is required to be onsite. Candidates must live or relocate within a 2-hour drive from the worksite. There is no requirement that candidates reside within Buncombe County limits.

The salary for this position will be determined based on the selected candidate's qualifications. Applicants will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and County Management expects to fill this position by the beginning of August 2026. If you have questions, please contact Recruiting Manager Caroline Long at View email address on click.appcast.io.

Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.

It is the policy of