Communications Director

CONFIRE Joint Powers Authority (CA); Rialto (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

CONFIRE JPA in San Bernardino County, California seeks a Communications Director to lead the Emergency Communications Division, providing strategic direction, policy oversight, and long-range planning for regional 9-1-1 and public safety communications.

The role requires executive-level oversight, budget administration, workforce development, and coordination with fire, EMS, law enforcement, hospitals, and partner agencies to ensure reliable, compliant, and coordinated emergency communications

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in a related field.
• Seven years of progressively responsible emergency communications experience with at least three years in a management role.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate the Emergency Communications Division and regional 9-1-1 and public safety services.
• Provide executive-level oversight of strategy, budgets, and performance; ensure compliance and coordination with partner agencies.
• Direct staffing, training, and development; manage workforce planning and succession.
• Coordinate with fire, EMS, ambulance, law enforcement, hospitals, and other stakeholders for regional operations.
• Develop policies, continuity plans, and quality assurance programs for emergency communications.
• Represent CONFIRE before boards and partner agencies; report on performance and strategic priorities.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Public safety coordination

Policy direction

Resource allocation

Performance oversight

Executive leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Emergency Management, Public Safety Administration, Communications, Organizational Leadership, or Fire Administration

Equivalent combination of education, training, and qualifying experience

Tools

Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD)

GIS

Public safety information systems

Job description

CONFIRE, JPA is seeking a Communications Director to lead the Emergency Communications Division, providing strategic leadership, policy direction, resource allocation, performance oversight, and long-range planning for regional emergency communications operations. This executive role advises organizational leadership on system readiness, staffing needs, technology requirements, and public safety coordination while ensuring consistent and compliant practices through subordinate managers, supervisors, and specialized staff. The Communications Director maintains full administrative responsibility for the division and delegates daily operational, supervisory, and specialized duties through the established chain of command to ensure effective and reliable emergency communications across the region.

CONFIRE, JPA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) located in San Bernardino County, California, established to provide regional public safety communications, dispatch, computer information systems (IS), geographic information systems (GIS), and emergency medical services in support of its member and partner agencies. The CONFIRE Communications Center’s primary function is to provide 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year fire, EMS, rescue, and other public safety dispatch services to agencies throughout the region. Beyond its direct dispatch responsibilities, the Communications Center also serves as the San Bernardino County (XBO) Operational Area dispatch center, coordinating fire, local government, law enforcement, and emergency medical resources during large-scale incidents. CONFIRE is also preparing to launch a countywide ambulance transport system that will further integrate emergency communications and EMS operations while enhancing regional service delivery.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Work Availability: Must be available to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to support emergency communications operations, system readiness priorities, regional coordination needs, and other division demands. Incumbents must be able to report to CONFIRE facilities or designated locations to address urgent communication issues, support operational requirements, or assist with division-level initiatives.

Emergency Response: May be required to respond outside normal business hours to assist with emergency incidents, Continuity of Operations activities, system readiness needs, or other urgent operational demands affecting CONFIRE JPA. Responsibilities during such events may include coordinating communication-related support, ensuring system status documentation, providing operational guidance, and assisting with high-pressure public safety communication functions.

Travel: Travel between CONFIRE facilities, member and partner agency sites, subcontractor locations, project venues, and other operational or coordination sites may be required to support division oversight, regional communication integration, and system readiness activities. A valid California Driver License and proof of automobile liability insurance must be presented at the time of hire and maintained throughout employment.

Job Description

Representation Unit: Exempt

Under administrative direction of the Deputy Executive Director of Operations, the Communications Director plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates CONFIRE JPA’s Emergency Communications Division and regional 9-1-1 and public safety communications services.

The Communications Director is responsible for the overall administration, strategic direction, operational performance, fiscal management, and organizational effectiveness of CONFIRE’s emergency communications functions. The position provides executive-level oversight through subordinate managers and supervisors and ensures that emergency communications services remain reliable, coordinated, compliant, and responsive to the needs of member agencies, public safety partners, employees, and the communities served by CONFIRE.

The position oversees emergency communications operations, system performance, command center readiness, workforce development, quality assurance, continuity planning, regional coordination, and operational integration with fire, EMS, ambulance transport, mutual aid, and other public safety systems. Performs related duties as assigned.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

1. Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate the programs, services, personnel, and activities of CONFIRE JPA’s Emergency Communications Division.
2. Establish division goals, priorities, performance expectations, policies, and long-range plans consistent with CONFIRE’s mission, strategic direction, and regional public safety responsibilities.
3. Provide executive-level oversight of 9-1-1 call processing, emergency dispatch, fire and EMS communications, mutual and automatic aid coordination, emergency medical dispatch, ambulance deployment coordination, quality assurance, and related emergency communications functions.
4. Direct division activities through subordinate managers and supervisors; establish expectations, review performance, resolve significant operational or administrative issues, and ensure accountability throughout the chain of command.
5. Oversee personnel administration within the division, including workforce planning, recruitment priorities, succession planning, training and development, performance management, and disciplinary processes in coordination with Human Resources and subordinate managers.
6. Monitor division performance, including call-processing times, dispatch performance, service levels, staffing trends, workload, system reliability, quality assurance findings, operational risks, and other performance indicators.
7. Ensure the Emergency Communications Center remains prepared to support routine operations, major incidents, disaster response, planned events, emergency activations, system disruptions, and periods of increased operational demand.
8. Direct the development, review, and implementation of emergency communications policies, procedures, operational guidelines, continuity plans, quality assurance programs, and performance-improvement initiatives.
9. Coordinate operational integration among emergency communications, fire agencies, EMS providers, ambulance transport operations, Emergency Communication Nurse System functions, mutual aid partners, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and other regional stakeholders.
10. Coordinate with the Management Information Systems Director and technology personnel regarding Computer-Aided Dispatch, radio, telephone, network, records, data, mapping, cybersecurity, and other technology systems supporting emergency communications operations.
11. Identify technology, infrastructure, equipment, facility, and system needs affecting emergency communications operations; participate in planning, procurement, implementation, testing, continuity, and replacement initiatives.
12. Develop and administer the Emergency Communications Division budget; justify proposed expenditures, monitor revenues and expenditures, evaluate resource needs, and recommend budget adjustments as necessary.
13. Direct or oversee special projects, studies, contracts, procurements, operational analyses, and organizational initiatives related to emergency communications and regional public safety coordination.
14. Analyze laws, regulations, standards, industry practices, service requirements, and regional trends affecting 9-1-1 and emergency communications operations; recommend appropriate organizational responses.
15. Advise the Deputy Executive Director of Operations, Executive Director, and other executive leadership regarding emergency communications performance, staffing, operational risks, technology needs, continuity planning, regional coordination, and strategic priorities.
16. Prepare and review reports, agenda items, presentations, correspondence, policies, recommendations, and other materials for executive leadership, committees, governing bodies, and partner agencies.
17. Represent CONFIRE, as assigned, before the Board of Directors, Administrative Committee, member agencies, public safety organizations, government entities, professional associations, and other stakeholder groups.
18. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with fire agencies, EMS providers, law enforcement, hospitals, County departments, labor representatives, technology partners, vendors, and other public safety stakeholders.
19. Participate in emergency planning, continuity-of-operations planning, disaster preparedness, after-action reviews, regional coordination efforts, and major incident or emergency activations.
20. Respond to time-sensitive operational incidents, emergency activations, system disruptions, or other significant events at CONFIRE facilities or remote locations as required.
21. Promote a professional, accountable, service-oriented, and mission-focused work environment throughout the Emergency Communications Division.
22. Provide vacation or temporary relief as required.
23. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Education

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Emergency Management, Public Safety Administration, Communications, Organizational Leadership, Fire Administration, or a closely related field.

OR

An equivalent combination of education, training, and qualifying experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position may be considered.

Experience

Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience involving emergency communications, public safety communications, fire service, emergency medical services, emergency management, public safety administration, or a closely related operational environment. Experience must include at least three (3) years of management responsibility involving organizational leadership, personnel administration, budget oversight, policy development, operational performance, or program administration.

• Experience managing or directing a public safety emergency communications center, regional dispatch organization, emergency operations center, or comparable 24/7 public safety operation.
• Experience overseeing managers, supervisors, and multidisciplinary personnel in a complex operational environment.
• Knowledge of 9-1-1 call processing, emergency dispatch, fire and EMS communications, emergency medical dispatch, mutual aid systems, ambulance deployment, and regional public safety coordination.
• Experience with Computer-Aided Dispatch systems, radio systems, telephone systems, GIS, data analytics, quality assurance programs, and emergency communications technology.
• Experience developing and administering budgets, contracts, procurement activities, performance measures, policies, continuity plans, and strategic initiatives.
• Experience working with governing boards, member agencies, labor organizations, public safety executives, elected officials, and regional stakeholders.
• Knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, standards, and best practices governing emergency communications, 9-1-1 services, public safety operations, personnel management, and public agency administration.
• Strong leadership, communication, decision-making, organizational, fiscal management, and interpersonal skills.