Director of Emergency Communications - Department of Public Safety

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience. New hires are typically brought into the organization between $176,417 - $196,661 annually. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 wellness day, and 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

The City and County of Denver is seeking an innovative, community-centered, and strategic executive to lead Denver 911. As the front door to Denver’s public safety ecosystem, Denver 911 connects residents and visitors to the most appropriate response during emergencies and times of crisis.

This leader will oversee a complex, 24-hour emergency communications operation while advancing a coordinated response model that integrates law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, behavioral-health resources, alternative response programs, and community-based services. The Director will be responsible for operational excellence, workforce development, community trust, technological resilience, and measurable improvements in service delivery.

Specifically, as the Director of 911 you will:

Fiscal Management & Resource Stewardship

• Assists in developing and administering Denver 911's operating and capital budgets.
• Oversees procurement, contracting, and vendor relationships for emergency communications technologies and services.
• Identifies grant opportunities and ensures effective stewardship of public resources.
• Establishes long-range financial planning strategies to support operational and technology needs.
• Accountable for achieving established service-level goals related to call answering, dispatch performance, staffing stability, quality assurance, employee retention, and customer service.

Strategic Leadership & Public Safety System Integration

• Aligns Denver 911’s strategy and operations with the Department of Public Safety’s Safety Ecosystem and citywide public safety priorities.
• Advances a “right response, right resource, right time” model for police, fire, EMS, behavioral-health, alternative-response, and community-based services.
• Strengthens interoperability and coordinated operating protocols among Denver Police, Denver Fire, Denver Health Paramedics, alternative responders, regional communications centers, and other partner agencies.
• Serves as a visible and accessible representative of Denver 911 with employees, labor partners, elected officials, community organizations, the media, and the public.

Operational Excellence & Service Delivery

• Establishes measurable performance standards for call-answering, dispatch accuracy, response coordination, service quality, and community experience.
• Uses operational data and community feedback to identify service gaps, reduce disparities, and continuously improve outcomes.
• Provides transparent reporting on performance, staffing, service levels, major initiatives, and improvement efforts.
• Establishes a strong quality-assurance program that connects call review, coaching, training, policy improvement, and organizational accountability.
• Provides oversight of Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio communications, telephony systems, GIS integration, and Next Generation 911 technologies.

• Establishes strategic governance for technology investments impacting emergency communications.

Community Engagement, Equity & Partnerships

• Directs strategic partnerships with public safety, public health, behavioral health, housing, and community stakeholders to improve call triage, crisis response, referral outcomes, and service delivery; exercises decision-making authority over related operational priorities and resource allocations.
• Develops and executes a comprehensive community engagement strategy, overseeing outreach to neighborhoods, advocacy groups, schools, businesses, and historically underserved populations; establishes priorities, manages associated budgets, and ensures alignment with organizational goals.
• Ensures emergency communications programs are accessible, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and inclusive of individuals with disabilities and limited English proficiency; maintains operational accountability and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and equity standards.

Talent Management & Organizational Development

• Leads recruitment, retention, employee wellness, leadership development, and succession-planning strategies for Denver 911 personnel.
• Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing public safety communications.

• Maintains accreditation and professional standards through CALEA, APCO, NENA, and applicable regulatory bodies.
• Accountable for achieving established service-level goals related to call answering, dispatch performance, staffing stability, quality assurance, employee retention, and customer service.
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Technology, Innovation & Organizational Resilience

• Develops a multi-year technology roadmap for CAD, telephony, radio, data integration, Next Generation 911, and other emerging emergency-communications capabilities.
• Evaluates new technology, including artificial intelligence and automation, with appropriate privacy, security, accuracy, transparency, and human-oversight safeguards.
• Leads continuity-of-operations planning, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity coordination, system redundancy, and recovery from major technology disruptions.
• Directs emergency communications operations during major incidents, planned events, disasters, and continuity-of-government activations.
• Maintains alternate PSAP and emergency communications contingency capabilities.
• Ensures appropriate staffing models, training programs, certification requirements, and workforce deployment strategies to maintain uninterrupted emergency communications operations.                                           

About You:

Our ideal candidate will have experience in the following areas:

• Demonstrated executive leadership in a complex, 24-hour emergency communications or public safety environment.
• Experience leading organizational change, strategic planning, workforce development, and operational improvement.
• Knowledge of contemporary emergency communications, including call triage, alternative response, quality assurance, performance management, and Next Generation 911.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and partnerships with employees, labor representatives, public safety agencies, elected officials, and diverse communities.
• Experience using data, performance measures, and community feedback to improve service delivery and organizational accountability.
• Strong understanding of workforce wellness, trauma exposure, recruitment, retention, and succession planning within emergency communications.
• Exceptional judgment and communication skills, particularly during critical incidents, service disruptions, and matters of significant public concern.
• Commitment to equitable, accessible, transparent, and community-centered public service.
• Professional certification through APCO, NENA, IAED, or a comparable organization is preferred. 

Below are the minimum qualifications used to determine eligibility for this position: 

• Education requirement: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or a related field.
• Experience Requirement: Five (5) years of experience at the type and level of functional or operational management, which must have included management of subordinate supervisors.
• Education/Experience Equivalency: Two (2) years of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.
• License/Certifications: None

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CA2767 Director Emergency Communication Center

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$115,683.00 - $196,661.00

Target Pay

$176,417 - $196,661 annually

Agency

Emergency Communications

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [email protected] with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.