Description

Director, Department of Emergency and Customer Communications

The City of Alexandria is seeking an experienced and innovative executive to serve as its next Director of Emergency Communications and Customer Communications (DECC). This is an outstanding opportunity to lead one of the City's most critical service organizations by overseeing emergency communications operations and advancing customer service excellence through Alex311.

Reporting to a Deputy City Manager, the Director will play a key role in shaping how the City responds during emergencies while improving how residents, businesses, and visitors interact with City government.

About the Department

The Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC) serves as the City's centralized communications hub, connecting residents, visitors, businesses, and first responders with the services they need 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

DECC encompasses both the City's Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and Alex311, the City's centralized customer service center. Together, these operations provide emergency and non-emergency communications, along with two-way radio communication and other essential services to Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and City services while ensuring exceptional customer service and operational excellence.

Emergency Communications professionals answer and dispatch emergency calls using advanced communications technologies, while Alex311 serves as the City's front door for constituent inquiries, service requests, and information. Working collaboratively with City departments and regional partners, DECC is committed to delivering timely, accurate, and compassionate service while continuously improving operational efficiency, technology, and the overall customer experience through its CALEA accreditation.

The Opportunity

The Director serves as the executive leader of the Department of Emergency Communications and Customer Communications (DECC) and is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating all departmental operations. Reporting to a Deputy City Manager, the Director provides strategic leadership for the City's emergency communications operations and, pending the revised class specification, customer communications services.

The Director oversees departmental administration, policy development, technology modernization, capital and operating budgets, workforce development, emergency communications systems, legislative initiatives, and long-range planning to ensure efficient, effective, and responsive service delivery.

Working collaboratively with City leadership, public safety agencies, regional partners, and other departments, the Director advances operational excellence, innovation, and organizational performance while ensuring exceptional service to the Alexandria community.

The Ideal Candidate

The City seeks an experienced, collaborative, and visionary executive with a passion for public service and operational excellence.

The successful candidate will possess:

• Executive leadership experience managing complex public safety NG911 call handling, communications or customer service operations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of emergency communications systems, NG911 call handling, Computer- Aided Dispatch, P25 radio communications, voice logging recorder, interoperability, and emerging technologies.
• Experience leading customer-focused service organizations and driving continuous improvement.
• Strong strategic planning, budgeting, and organizational leadership skills.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building abilities with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success leading organizational change, technology modernization, and workforce development.
• A commitment to innovation, accountability, employee engagement, and exceptional customer service. 

Projects & Priorities

The following represents, but is not intended to be a comprehensive list, of the key opportunities and priorities the new Director of the Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC) will encounter during the first 12 months. The Director will lead one of the City's most mission-critical departments while advancing operational excellence, innovation, workforce development, and exceptional service to the Alexandria community.

• Modernize public safety infrastructure by leading the strategic, financial, and operational transition of core technologies, including Call Handling Equipment (CHE), Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), P25 radio systems, voice logging recorder, and NG911 cloud architecture while ensuring maximum network redundancy and system resilience.
• Further integrate Alex311 across city operations, expanding digital service options to improve resident satisfaction and streamline non-emergency requests.
• Implement proactive strategies to recruit, develop, retain, and support a highly skilled workforce in a competitive public safety labor market through succession planning, leadership development, and continuous training.
• Prioritize employee wellness fostering a supportive workplace culture focused on mental health, peer support, and burnout mitigation for 24/7 public safety communications personnel.
• Strengthen public safety and regional partnerships with collaborative alignment with Police, Fire, Sheriff, neighboring jurisdictions, and regional public safety technology partners to ensure coordinated emergency response and service delivery.
• Uphold CALEA Accreditation standards, rigorous quality assurance and quality control programs, and compliance with state and national public safety mandates.
• Promote innovation and continuous improvement leveraging performance metrics, technology, and industry best practices to drive operational efficiency, accelerate emergency response, and elevate overall customer satisfaction.
• Maintain fiscal responsibility by aligning capital improvement plans (CIP), operating budgets, grant allocations, and vendor contracts to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability.

Compensation and Benefits

The Director of the DECC position offers a competitive salary range of $141,481.34 - $253,368.44 annually, depending on the selected candidate's qualifications and experience. The City of Alexandria offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes annual leave, holidays, and sick leave; participation in a retirement plan; health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance; optional deferred compensation plans; credit union membership; sick leave bank; employee assistance program; and opportunities for professional growth and development. Join a dynamic organization committed to public service and help shape the future of housing in one of the nation's most historic and vibrant communities.

Requirements

Minimum & Additional Requirements
Four-year college degree in a Public Safety-related field, Public or Business Administration, or a related field; and seven years' experience in public safety administration, preferably in public safety communications management; or any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree in Public or Business Administration, or related field. Certification by the Association of Public Safety Communications (APCO) and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is desirable.