General Description

POSTING TYPE: Open-Competitive
DEPARTMENT: Metropolitan Emergency Services Board
HOURS: Full-Time
HIRING RANGE: $82,180-$128,406/year
LOCATION: 2099 University Avenue, St. Paul
UNION: None
CLOSE DATE: 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 9th, 2023

This position is being posted by Dakota County as a service for the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board (MESB). Any applications submitted for this position are an expressed interest of employment with MESB and will in no way be considered an expressed interest of employment with Dakota County.

Performs highly responsible technical analysis and administrative functions in the planning, organizing, and directing of administrative policies, activities and services that relate to the operation and technology of an integrated regional 9-1-1 emergency communications network and system; represents the interests of the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board (MESB) and its constituent agencies, and carries out the functions and tasks as necessary to achieve Board objectives; performs related activities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, public policy, communications, political science, organizational leadership, business or computer science; and
• Five years of progressively responsible management experience in public safety communications, telecommunications, telephony; IT networks, or similar public administration organizations;
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS BEYOND MINIMUM REQUIRED:

• Graduate degree in public administration, business, public policy, communications, political science, organizational leadership, or computer science.
• Experience working in an emergency communications center.
• Knowledge of the Minnesota Statewide Emergency Communications Board and its processes.

Duties & Responsibilities

These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this classification. Regular attendance according to the position's management approved work schedule is required for all positions.

1. Conducts contingency planning, investigates malfunctions, monitors restoration and develops with service providers preventative actions to ensure service continuity. Performs issue identification, investigation, proactive solution development, including for network service disruptions and trouble reporting, implementation and ongoing monitoring for all aspects of the emergency communications network technology to ensure optimum system integration and operation. Develops documents, studies, and analyses for 9-1-1 Technical Operations Committee recommendations to the Board, communication tools, reference materials, etc. to effectively document the emergency communications systems, issues and recommended changes.
2. Monitor 9-1-1 network service disruptions; notify the Executive Director of said disruptions; evaluate resulting root cause analyses and reasons for outage; recommend remedies to issues found in root cause analyses and reasons for outage and trouble reporting; serve as a liaison to local emergency communication centers during service disruptions, provide them information; and testing resulting protocols.
3. Recommends service and performance standards. Develops draft standards for approval to ensure service levels are defined and appropriate for effective operation in the metro area emergency services system. Educates various parties on those standards. Monitors compliance and conducts corrective action planning and implementation. Directs the development of, provides feedback, and evaluation of 9-1-1 Plans from telecommunications service providers to ensure service performance levels are maintained in accordance with the Board's service standards. Prepares formal written comments and recommendations regarding a telecommunications service provider's 9-1-1 Plan should be approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
4. Monitors technology developments in telecommunication services, 9-1-1, and public safety industries, along with the regulatory and legislative environments; conducts research and assessment on trends and emerging technologies pertinent to the metro emergency communications systems. Evaluates new service offerings and their effects on 9-1-1 technology; develops and monitors plans to integrate those services with the metro area emergency communications systems; provides oversight and direct involvement of the implementation of new 9-1-1 services.
5. Provides input to Board policy development and direction. Assists in the development of long and short-range strategic plans to ensure that program goals are consistent with overall goals of the Board.
6. Acts as liaison and coordinator among multiple parties as necessary to communicate the expectations of and achieve the goals of the Board. Assists in the activities of the Board and its committees. Acts as liaison and coordinates with local emergency communication centers, regional and state emergency response agencies, telecommunications service providers and the State of Minnesota. Provide staff support to the 9-1-1 Technical Operations Committee.
7. Performs complex analysis of documents and activities of key policy makers or industry developments at the local, state, and national level to determine the impacts and identify areas requiring advocacy.
8. Prepares and submits on-going updates to the consolidated Metropolitan Emergency Services Board 9-1-1 Plan for submission to the State of Minnesota in accordance with M.S. 403.
9. Develops recommendations and coordinates the implementation of network configuration design or modifications including the analysis of the impact of such changes on the provision of emergency services, and the financial impact to the Board and the members. Determines financial impact of contract services from service providers; analyzes impact of tariffs and price lists. Negotiates price levels, pricing structure and service definitions to the financial advantage of the Board.
10. Coordinates 9-1-1 and PSAP-related committee meetings, develops documents, studies, analyses, recommendations to the Board, communication tools, reference materials, etc. to effectively support the metro emergency communication system.
11. Supervises 9-1-1 program staff; coordinates and prioritizes 9-1-1 projects and work plans; performs annual performance reviews for 9-1-1 program staff.
12. Provides input to the Executive Director for the annual operational and capital budgets.
13. Attends meetings of the Board, prepares meeting notes and meeting minutes for the 9-1-1 Technical Operations Committee. Ensures the policy issues are accurately and thoroughly documented. Assists in the activities of the Board and its committees.
14. Maintains records and documents related to the metro region emergency communication system.
15. Write/edit informational and promotional material for dissemination to the public and/or users or other interested parties for the metro emergency communication system. Maintain and update the Board website in consultation with the Executive Director as needed.
16. Performs a variety of additional duties as directed.

Essential Job Functions: Duties listed are essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Work Environment

• Considerable knowledge of, and direct experience in, the operation of 9-1-1, emergency communication centers, and emergency communication networks as a program or department manager.
• Considerable technical knowledge of the design and operation of regional 9-1-1, including automatic location identification, selective routing databases, default routing, IP Wide Area Networks, Next Generation 9-1-1 functional elements, and the processes for maintaining each system.
• Considerable technical knowledge of evolving or new emergency communications technology research and development; to the extent that the 9-1-1 Manager can advise the 9-1-1 Technical Operations Committees and the Board relative to future system design considerations.
• Considerable knowledge and demonstrated ability as a project manager.
• Detailed knowledge of the structure and nature of local, state, and national government, including knowledge and understanding of the legislative process, regulatory functions, and budgeting for governmental entities.
• Skill in preparing and presenting complex technical material clearly and effectively; including detailed knowledge of the theories, principles and techniques of planning, research, and analysis processes.
• Skill in the interpretation, development, and application of 9-1-1 service provider and emergency communications vendor tariffs, performance standards, and contracts.
• Ability to demonstrate leadership in the areas of responsibility.
• Considerable ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is sedentary and is usually accomplished while incumbent is comfortably seated at a desk or table. Some walking and standing may occur in the course of a normal workday in connection with attendance at meetings and conferences, or while researching files. Items carried typically are light objects such as briefcases, notebooks, and data processing reports. Lifting of moderately heavy objects is not normally required. No special physical effort is required to perform the work.

SELECTION PROCESS: The examination/selection process for this classification will consist of a rating of your training and experience from the application materials submitted. The top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.

Dakota County Employee Relations
www.co.dakota.mn.us
Main Number 651.438.4435 (contact 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday)
Fax 651.438.8178