Communications/Operations Dispatcher Level I/II

The Position

This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on: 11/20/26, 12/4/26 (final) Level 1: $4259.52 - $5178.25/month Level 2: $4832.00 - $5874.25/month Level 2 - Range B: $5150.42 - $6258.78/month Under supervision, Communications/Operations Dispatchers perform a variety of communications dispatch functions; receive, evaluate and respond to requests for emergency and non-emergency services by contacting or dispatching medical, fire, law enforcement, county, or other appropriate personnel and equipment in accordance with established regulations and procedures; and receive routine calls and transmit information to field units and/or route calls to proper bureau or detail for action. The Communications/Operations Dispatcher is a single class with two salary levels. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed, and the level at which appointments are made is at the discretion of the appointing authority. The Communications/Operations Dispatcher (Level I) is the entry level in this class series. Under close supervision, incumbents are given detailed instructions in the performance of routine communication dispatch functions. Incumbents perform tasks that are more structured and repetitive than those assigned at Level II. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, incumbents are expected to perform increasingly responsible and difficult assignments. At the discretion of the appointing authority, incumbents may advance to the higher level after satisfactorily demonstrating the ability to perform the full journey level duties of the class, which generally requires twelve months of experience at Level I. The Communications/Operations Dispatcher (Level II) is the journey level in this class series. Under general supervision, incumbents perform a variety of increasingly responsible and difficult communication dispatch duties. This is the targeted competency and performance level of all Communications/Operations Dispatchers, and incumbents are technically proficient in performing their assigned duties. The Communications/Operations Dispatcher (Level II) has a Range A and Range B. Communications/Operations Dispatcher (Level II - Range B) is reserved exclusively for those positions that the appointing authority designates as "shift leaders" with the accompanying duties of such designation. The Communications/Operations Dispatcher (Level II - Range B), assumes leadworker responsibilities; leads, plans, schedules, and oversees the work of Communications/Operations Dispatchers (Level I/II); analyzes situations and adopts effective courses of action while at the same time performing nonsupervisory work that is usually of the same kind and level as that of employees at Range A.

Examples of Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge Of Office procedures, methods, and equipment used within a communications center including computers and applicable software applications, multi-channel radios, telephone communication consoles with multiple lines and other communications equipment Radio codes Rules, regulations, and dispatch procedures related to non-emergency and emergency/trouble service calls Map and GIS reading for major streets, highways and districts in City/County Federal communication rules and regulations Report writing techniques for basic report preparation English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation Principles of effective customer service Ability To Operate a computer aided dispatch system, multi-channel radio and/or telephone, and other communications equipment Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing Respond quickly and calmly to emergency and other stressful situations Prioritize, plan, coordinate and organize simultaneous incidents and assignments Receive and transmit information accurately Notify and dispatch to multiple agencies quickly Maintain tact and self-control when dealing with difficult/irate people and those in stressful situations Learn geography of County/City areas; read and locate main geographical reference points Learn and perform the principles and techniques of radio communication Follow written and verbal directions, policies, and procedures Work with frequent interruptions Memorize numbers and locations Develop and maintain cooperative, effective working relationships with others Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations Apply customer service skills, including the identification of customer needs and follow up with customers as needed based on departmental requests

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications Either: 1. Six (6) months of full-time paid experience performing work where the primary duties included use of a computer, and contact with the public via telephone, and/or in person, and/or an assignment providing customer service and resolving queries, and/or work experience with closely related duties. Or: 2. Six (6) months of full time, paid experience in radio dispatching, call directing, or operating communication equipment such as radio transmitter and receiver or radiotelephone; involving public contact while receiving, recording and transmitting messages. Note: The word "experience" referenced in the minimum qualifications means full-time paid experience unless the job announcement states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements. General Qualifications Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate's ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained. The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act. Physical Requirements: Positions in this class require the incumbents to: Have sufficient hearing to perform all the required duties. Have sufficient color vision to perform all the required duties. Good hand/eye coordination and finger dexterity. Work in a confined environment. Wear head-sets that restrict physical movement in the work area. Sit and view video displays for extended periods of time. Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Working Conditions: Some positions in this class require the incumbents to: Work weekends, holidays, and shift assignments. Probationary Period The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.

Application and Testing Information

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date. Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified. A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application. Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification. Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question. If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely. Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question. For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted. If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete. All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination. This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job. All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the