Public Safety Communications Manager

City-of-Santa-Maria,-C; Santa Maria (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Santa Maria Police Department seeks a Public Safety Communications Manager to lead the Communications Center, ensuring 24/7 dispatch operations and coordination with field units. The role emphasizes policy, training, and budget oversight to maintain service quality.

Ideal candidates will have five years of dispatch experience, supervisory skills, and a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with POST certs desirable.

Qualifications

• Ideally five years of public safety dispatching experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Public Administration, Criminal Justice, or related field desired.
• POST Basic Public Safety Dispatcher certificate or equivalent; supervisory/management certificates desirable.
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluation skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day Operations of the Communications Center and participate in division goals and budgets.
• Provide admin and technical direction to dispatch staff; assign work and evaluate performance.
• Coordinate staffing to ensure coverage on all shifts and data-driven processes.
• Research and procure dispatch equipment; work with vendors for best pricing.
• Develop and implement operating procedures and training aligned with P.O.S.T.
• Maintain relationships with state reps on 911 funding opportunities.
• Supervise training programs and manage records; prepare dispatch activity reports.

Skills

Teamwork

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Customer service

Integrity & accountability

Learning agility

Problem solving

Initiative & leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration or related field

High school diploma

Tools

CAD/RMS systems

Public safety dispatch software

Job description

Application Period

OPEN: September 10, 2026

CLOSE: October 2, 2026

INTERVIEW DATE: October 21, 2026

WHO WE ARE

The City of Santa Maria is a full-service City with a City Council/City Manager form of government with over 700 employees and serves approximately 108,000 constituents. The City of Santa Maria is located on the beautiful central coast of California and covers over 23 square miles. The City has a harmonious balance of maintaining coastal and agricultural lands while promoting business. Santa Maria has been recognized nationally as an All-America City by the National Civic League and offers reasonably priced housing, community festivals, quality schools, and is in close proximity to beaches, cultural arts, a local airport, wineries, and higher education institutions.

WHAT WE DO

The Santa Maria Police Department strives to protect and serve all those who live, work, and/or visit Santa Maria. This is accomplished by working in cooperation with the community, promoting safety and enforcing the law. The Department offers a full range of professional police services that include patrol operations, investigations, traffic and parking enforcement, criminalistics, crime prevention, and many other services necessary to ensure the development of a safer community.

The Santa Maria Police Department Communications Center is the vital link between our community and the public safety professionals who respond when help is needed. Operating 24/7, our dispatchers answer emergency 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls, gather critical information, and coordinate the appropriate response.

Dispatchers communicate directly with officers in the field, monitor multiple radio channels, coordinate with other public safety agencies, and use advanced technology to help keep our community safe.

Every call is different. Every decision matters. As a member of our Communications Center, you will be the voice of the Santa Maria police Department, providing calm, compassionate, and critical assistance when people need it most.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Teamwork & Collaboration


• Interpersonal Skills & Empathy


• Communication Skills


• Customer Oriented


• Integrity & Accountability


• Learning Agility


• Problem Solving & Sound Decision Making


• Initiative, Leadership & Professional Judgment

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION

Public Safety Communications Manager

(Note: This position is a part of the Non-Represented Management and Confidential employee salary group).

REQUIRED SUBMITTALS

Due upon application:

• Cover Letter


• Resume

Job Duties

These duties are a representative example; position assignments may vary depending on the business needs of the department and organization.

• Coordinates and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Communications Center, including participation in the development of division goals objectives, budget, and policies and participate in county wide committees pertaining to emergency service issues.


• Plans, coordinates and reviews the work plan for assigned projects and responsibilities, provides administrative and technical direction to dispatch staff, including assigning work, preparing performance evaluations, employee development, hiring, disciplinary recommendations, etc.


• Coordinates and supervises the preparation of work schedules to achieve operational efficiency, staffing strategies to provide for adequate coverage on all shifts, and ensure standardized data driven processes.


• Monitor combined communication center equipment needs, research dispatch equipment, make recommendations on equipment purchase; work with vendors to secure best product and pricing


• Reviews, implements, and interprets operating procedures and submits recommendations for change.


• Understand state 911 funding availability and policies and develop a working relationship with state reps to secure available funding and opportunities.


• Supervises formalized training programs for Communications personnel within P.O.S.T. guidelines; supervises maintenance of records and files; prepares summary reports of dispatch activity.


• Scope of assigned area will depend on departmental structure and is at the discretion of the department director.


• Upholds the values of the organization and has strong customer service orientation.


• Performs other related projects and duties as assigned.


• Demonstrates regular, reliable and punctual attendance.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Middle Manager: Incumbents should have a solid foundation of Individual Contributor and Front-line Supervisor core competencies identified by the organization, as well as the following core competencies identified as essential for Middle Manager (click the hyper link to see the full definition Middle Manager Competencies):

• Talent Development- Effective performers keep a continual eye on the talent pool to monitor skills and needs of team members. They expand staff skills through training, coaching, and development. They evaluate and articulate present performance and future potential.


• Organizing & Planning- Effective performers have strong organizing and planning skills that allow them to be highly productive and efficient, manage time wisely, and effectively prioritize multiple competing tasks.


• Organization Knowledge- Effective performers understand the workings of a municipal organization, formal and informal policies, and structures, and know "how the place works."


• Relationship Building- Effective performers understand that a primary factor in success is establishing and maintaining productive relationships. They interact with people and are good at it. They devote appropriate time and energy to establishing and maintaining networks.


• Results Orientation- Effective performers maintain appropriate focus on outcomes and accomplishments, are motivated by achievement, and persist until the goal is reached.


• Industry Knowledge- Effective performers understand the general workings of local government within which the organization functions and maintain a current knowledge base.


• Written Communication- Effective performers write clearly and concisely, composing informative and convincing documents. They use written language to convey substance and intent with simplicity, accuracy, and clarity.


• FinancialAcumen- Effective performers understand the financial framework of the organization. They are cost conscious and fiscally responsible and use financial data to make informed business decisions.


• Change Agility- Effective performers are adaptable, are effective in the face of ambiguity, and support an orientation for change.


• Technology Savvy- Effective performers use technology to be successful in their organizational role. They value technology and leverage existing and new technology to achieve efficiency.

Qualifications

• Ideally, five years of public safety dispatching experience with a police and/or fire agency, preferably in a consolidated emergency communications center including three years in a supervisory capacity; and


• Graduation from high school. Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Criminal Justice, or related field is desired.


• Current technical/professional knowledge of complex principles, methods, standards and techniques associated with the scope of work of a recognized profession, such as:
  
  
  
  1. Principles of leadership, coaching, mentoring, training, and performance evaluation
  
  
  2. Organization, procedures, and operating details of the emergency communication function
  
  
  3. Basic laws and procedures relating to police and fire field operations
  
  
  4. CAD/RMS systems and related hardware that affect operational and technical issues of a public safety communications environment.
  
  


• An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.


• Desired licenses and/or certifications associated with the assignment.
  
  
  
  1. Possession of, or ability to obtain a Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Basic Public Safety Dispatcher certificate, or equivalent. Post Supervisory Certificate and/or Management Certificate is desirable.
  
  

The most qualified candidates will be selected to appear before a panel of subject matter experts for an oral interview. Those applicants invited to an interview will be notified electronically at the email address provided by each candidate through the application process. Therefore, it is the applicant's responsibility to provide an accurate email address and to allow their inbox to receive emails in regard to this recruitment. The oral board will recommend a limited number of candidates to the eligibility list from which the new Public Safety Communications Manager may be selected.