Communications Branch Director

Colorado State Patrol Communications Branch Director

The mission of the Colorado State Patrol is to ensure a safe and secure environment for all persons by utilizing the strengths of its members and providing professional law enforcement services that reflect honor, duty, and respect. Through high visibility, strict enforcement, maximum resource deployment, and community education, the CSP promotes safety, protects lives, and preserves state highways. The CSP Communications Branch provides 24/7/365 emergency public safety communications to designated federal, state, and local agencies within Colorado. The Branch provides and manages the resources to accomplish this task.

Work Environment

• 100% In-person position
• Primarily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm work hours, Monday-Friday
• Approximately 75% spent in the office, 25% spent traveling in the field
• Occasional overnight travel throughout Colorado
• Required to operate CDPS vehicles at times

About the Job

The Communications Branch Director leads, oversees, and supervises a professional public safety communications capability for the Colorado State Patrol, interoperability between Colorado State Patrol and other agencies, and public safety communications service to designated agencies, the public, and fee-for-service customers. This position supervises the performance of the branch headquarters staff, five regional communication centers, and all associated FTE, which support and provide information to the uniformed members of the State Patrol and other agencies, as well as 911 service to associated jurisdictions. This position supervises FTE who use privileged, confidential, and classified information with police, fire, and emergency service personnel. The position leads, supervises, and manages all aspects of the Branch and the communications portfolio, including the Branch's five lines of effort (personnel, equipment, training, facilities, budget). Develops and establishes policies and procedures, strategic planning, and budget justification. Identifies, procures, and oversees technical needs regarding public safety communications and ancillary systems within the Colorado State Patrol.

Key Responsibilities

• Program Management
• Plan the strategy, execution, and evaluation of functions and five lines of effort (personnel, finance, equipment, training, facilities) within the Branch. Creates appropriate procedures, processes, and systems for optimal public safety communication center functions.
• Monitor ongoing progression of program development and implementation, federal and legislative programs, to ensure activities follow applicable policy and federal and state laws.
• Approve internal policies for communication center operations and personnel activities, tracking and managing multiple program budgets (Comm Budget, Radio Budget, FFS revenue), purchasing activities, and coordinating Branch enduring programs and temporary projects.
• Determine, approve, and oversee technical public safety communications needs, including radio system, computer-aided dispatch, wireless, voice recording, server, bandwidth, and telephone (land line, IP, and cell) systems for the department.
• Invoice and receive monies from designated agencies for their fees associated with contracted dispatch.
• Ensure OIT compliance with public safety communications matters.
• Leadership and Supervision
• Directly supervise professional staff and Regional Managers who manage the five main public safety communication centers.
• Monitor and evaluate performance, approve hiring of communication personnel, and administer disciplinary actions.
• Oversee the investigation of complaints against communication personnel and/or violations of Colorado State Patrol policy.
• Utilize concepts of management theory and principles of interpersonal relations and adapts them to achieve maximum personnel motivation in an environment of continuously changing needs and situations.
• Ensure an environment for subordinates to perform at their optimal level.
• Administer agency-level communication and programs to carry out agency objectives by directly supervising and evaluating subordinate members; executes directives and assignments issued by the executive command staff; monitors field public information officer initiatives; communicates with command staff and middle managers on items or events of interest; initiates and reviews correspondence; and disseminates information to subordinate members.
• Investigate and administer corrective actions or make a recommendation for disciplinary actions.
• Internal and External Outreach
• Serve as the representative and spokesperson for the Colorado State Patrol on communications issues with federal, state, and local government agencies and relevant/designated Boards and Committees.
• Collaborate with departmental staff to answer requests for information from government officials, establish new agency programs and priorities, and fielding of new capabilities.
• Testify before legislative committees as required.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Note, to be considered for this position, you must meet one of the following options for consideration.

Proven Experience, Knowledge, Skills

• Ten (10) years of relevant experience in leadership and creating, managing and executing strategies, two (2) of which must have included experience with public or business administration, establishing goals and objectives, as well as developing and managing a budget to achieve program goals and objectives.
• This experience must be clearly documented on your application and the supplemental questions must be answered.

OR Education and Experience, Knowledge, Skills

• A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in leadership and creating, managing and executing strategies equal to ten (10) years, two (2) of which must have included experience with public or business administration, establishing goals and objectives, as well as developing and managing a budget to achieve program goals and objectives
• This experience must be clearly documented on your application and the supplemental questions must be answered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous police communications experience

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a Colorado resident at the time of application
• Requires successful completion of a background investigation that includes a polygraph exam, a fingerprint based criminal history search, reference checking, driving history, drug test and medical exam.

Appeal Rights

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination. Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at . A standard appeal form is available at: . If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: View phone number on click.appcast.io. Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination.