Salary: $76,065.60 – $116,126.40 Annually
Location : Arlington *METRO-accessible*, VA
Job Type: Full-Time Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 1178-23B-CEM-EM
Department: Public Safety Communications & Emergency Management
Division: OEM Public Safety Communications & Emergency Mgmt
Opening Date: 05/12/2023
Closing Date: 6/1/2023 11:59 PM Eastern
Position Information
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
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.
Selection Criteria
Minimum:
- 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.
Desirables: 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.
Special Requirements
A complete application includes an attached letter of interest to the hiring manager which describes how your background and experience align with the qualifications of the position.
Certifications:
- Emergency Management Institute (FEMA) Incident Command Systems (ICS) 100, 200, 700 and 800 (or current versions). ICS 300 and 400 within six months of hire.
Background check: This position requires a comprehensive background check and will require a polygraph examination.
Applicant must possess, or obtain by time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator’s license from the applicant’s place of residence or the applicant must have the ability and willingness to use alternative methods of transportation to perform assigned duties and responsibilities at locations other than the primary worksite. The applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide, a copy of the applicant’s official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant’sdriving record.
A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.
Additional Information
Work hours:
The is a full-time position which requires the incumbent to be flexible and available as emergent situations demand.
This position is not a remote opportunity. Occasional telework may be permitted with prior approval from the supervisor.
Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection process and are required for this position. Please do not give “see resume” as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
The work is classified as an Emergency Management Specialist II.
#LI-Hybrid
Applicants who have questions or need assistance with the application may telephone (703) 228-3500 or visit the Human Resources Department. Our staff will be happy to work with you to enter your application into the system. Public access computers are available at all County Libraries, and in the Human Resources Department.
The examination process for this position may include: (1) training and experience evaluation; (2) written and oral examination; (3) personal interview; (4) performance test/work sample; and/or (5) physical examination.
Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process. Please call the ADA Coordinator at 703-228-3559 (voice) or email .
Arlington County Government employee benefits depend on whether a position is permanent, the number of hours worked, and the number of months the position is scheduled.
Specific information on benefits and conditions of employment can be found on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: www.arlingtonva.us/pers.
Permanent, Full-Time Appointments
All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:
Paid Leave: Vacation leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases every three years until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. There are eleven paid holidays each year.
Health and Dental Insurance: Three group health insurance plans are offered – a network open access plan, a point-of-service plan, and a health maintenance organization. A group dental insurance plan is also offered. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. A discount vision plan is provided for eye care needs.
Life Insurance: A group term policy of basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance is available with rates based on the employee’s age and smoker/non-smoker status.
Retirement: The County offers three vehicles to help you prepare for retirement: a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service. The County also contributes to this plan.
For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)) . The County also matches your 457 contribution, up to $20 per pay period, in this plan. The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to set aside money on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your base pay.
Other Benefits: The County also offers health, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; tuition assistance; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other employee benefits.
Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:
Part time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.
Limited Term Appointments:
Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.
Temporary Regular Appointments:
Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.
Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:
Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.
01
A complete application will include a letter of interest to the hiring manager which describes how your background and experience align with the requirements for this position. I have attached this letter to my application.
- Yes
- No
02
Do you have at least one year of full-time experience working in an Emergency Communications Center or a call center environment?
- Yes
- No
03
Please describe any program management or supervisory experience that you have including opportunities to train staff.
04
Please check all of the boxes which describe your experience.
- Emergency management technologies including emergency management applications and information management systems, emergency databases, computer-aided dispatch, digital communication, telephone and radio equipment and systems
- Social media and intelligence monitoring and information gathering software.
- Principles and practices of emergency preparedness
- County regional, State and Federal Laws which affect emergency management.
- Working with County, Police, and Fire Department operations
- None of the above
05
Please elaborate on all boxes checked in the previous question so that we gain a better of understanding of the depth of your experience.
Required Question