Senior Public Safety Dispatcher

Job Description:

Senior Public Safety Dispatcher

Description

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at [email protected] .

About the Department

The San José Fire Department's (SJFD) core mission is to serve the community by protecting life, property, and the environment through prevention and response. SJFD is a high-volume, high-performance, all-risk Fire Department that protects approximately 200 square miles including, residential, commercial, high-rise, wildland interface areas, and several high-hazard occupancies. For additional information visit click here.

Click here for information about the Fire Communications Division.

Click here for the California Equal Pay Act

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third-party job board application system. To apply, applicants must complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers .

Position Duties

The San José Fire Department (SJFD) is seeking to fill one (1) Senior Public Safety Dispatcher position in the Communications Division.

Senior Public Safety Dispatchers (Senior PSDs) are responsible for supervising a team of Public Safety Communication Specialists (PSCSs) and Public Safety Radio Dispatchers (PSRDs) assigned to a shift in the Communications Center. PSCS is the journey-level class responsible for processing all incoming requests for fire and medical assistance. PSRD is the journey-level class for public safety dispatching within the City of San José wherein incumbents are required to handle the full range of telephone answering and dispatch functions.

Responsibilities of the Senior PSD include, but are not limited to the following:

• Supervising PSCSs and PSRDs, including approving time-off and other scheduling requests in accordance with the established guidelines.
• Assigning PSCSs and PSRDs to work the various call taking and dispatch positions within the Communications Center.
• Conducting training sessions and drills to maintain the efficiency and coordination of their assigned team.
• Evaluating the performance of team members and giving frequent feedback to subordinates.
• Preparing written training evaluations and performance appraisals.
• Investigating and responding to resident, department, and allied agency concerns or complaints.
• Coordinating with Chief Officers in the field regarding matters affecting department operations.
• Performing additional support tasks when assigned to an administrative role in the Operations Unit, Training Unit, Quality Improvement Unit, or Systems Support Unit.
• Performing all duties of the PSCS and PSRD classifications.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment. The starting salary will be determined by the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

In addition to the salary, employees in the Senior Public Safety Dispatcher classification shall also receive an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation pay and a (3.75%) Public Safety Radio Dispatcher Certification Pay.

Salary range(s) for this classification is/are:

$120,577.60 - $146,723.20 (pensionable)

$131,354.22 - $159,836.59 ( including non-pensionable and certification pay )

This recruitment is open until filled, however applications received on or before February 22, 2026, will be given first consideration.

Minimum Qualifications

(These qualifications are typically required. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to satisfactorily perform the duties of the job may be substituted.)

Education and Experience

Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND three (3) years of experience answering, processing, and dispatching emergency requests from the public for law enforcement, fire department, or emergency medical services resources.

Required Licensing (such as driver’s license, certifications, etc.)

• Possess a valid State of California driver's license.
• Must possess within three (3) months of employment and maintain the Emergency Medical Dispatch and Emergency Fire Dispatch certification through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

• Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
  

• • Ability to provide direct supervision to subordinates by establishing realistic priorities within available resources, assigning work functions to others appropriately, and ensuring adherence to applicable policies and procedures.
  • Ability to coach subordinates by providing guidance, opportunities, and motivation to improve employee’s capabilities.
  • Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to resolve conflict between two or more people.
  • Ability to display initiative by exhibiting resourceful behaviors, anticipating possible problems and being proactive.

• Building Trust - Communicates an understanding of the other person's interests, needs and concerns; identifies and communicates shared interests and goals; identifies and communicates differences as appropriate; demonstrates honesty, keeps commitments, and behaves in an appropriate manner.
  
• Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
  
• Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.
  
• Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.
  
• Flexibility - Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.
  
• Multi-Tasking - Can handle multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously; has handled a wide variety of assignments in past and/or current position(s).
  
• Problem Solving - Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.
  
• Reliability - Completes quality work assignments in a timely and efficient manner; fulfills responsibilities and maintains confidentiality as appropriate.
  

• Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
  

Selection Process:

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews, one of which may include a practical/writing exercise.

This job posting is open until filled, with applications reviewed monthly. The schedule for future steps of the selection process will be determined following application review. Internal candidates will be granted leave time (if needed) to participate in the selection process but must participate off-duty.

Steps of the Selection Process

*Dates will be provided at time of review
Review of ApplicationCandidates not currently employed as a PSRD with San José Fire Department: CritiCall exam (online) Assessment Center - which may include written, practical, and/or scenario exercise(s) and/or an oral board-style interview Selection Interview Candidates not currently employed as a PSRD with San José Fire Department: Background investigation Candidates not currently employed as a PSRD with San José Fire Department: Conditional Job Offer subject to medical, psychological evaluation, and polygraph Final Job Offer
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Lorena Diez at [email protected].

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email [email protected] and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary:

$131,354.22 - $159,836.59 Annually