Communications Officer

Position

Communications Officer – Emergency Communications Center, Fire & EMS Department, City of Colonial Heights.

Annual Salary: $46,577 (prior experience may be considered for final candidates).

Must be available to work 12‑hour shifts, including days, nights, weekends, holidays, on‑call, and required overtime.

• Serve as primary point of contact for 9‑1‑1 emergencies and non‑emergency calls.
• Represent the City and Department professionally with high customer service.
• Provide information or directions to callers, police, fire & rescue, EMS, and other agencies.
• Operate advanced workstation: 9‑1‑1 telephone system, GIS, CAD and other critical information repositories.
• During a life‑threatening emergency, establish communication with the caller, provide safety instructions, and maintain conversation until units arrive.
• Interact with injured, distressed, or emotional callers and field personnel via phone and radio.
• Gather, classify, and supplement pertinent information and enter into CAD system.
• Establish TTY communication with hearing‑impaired callers.
• Enter and update information in statewide and national databases, ensuring completeness and accuracy.
• Perform clerical duties and other assigned tasks.

• Age 18 or older.
• High school diploma or equivalent with at least 3 years of experience in a related field.
• U.S. citizenship.
• No felony convictions.
• Typing speed of 50 words per minute.
• Clear verbal and auditory communication skills under stress.
• Willingness to obtain and maintain VCIN/NCIC Level A certification, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) and CPR/AED certifications during employment.
• Must successfully complete all phases of the selection process: written test, panel interview, background investigation, typing speed proof, medical and drug screening.
• Availability for required shift schedule (12‑hour shifts, on‑call, overtime).

Work performed in an office environment with occasional walking, standing, stooping, light lifting, and driving. Requires use of standard office equipment and safety precautions.

• Health Insurance: The Local Choice Program (Anthem, Delta Dental, Blue Vision).
• Retirement: Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and supplemental Retirement plans (Mission Square Retirement).
• Paid Holiday Leave: 14 holidays observed annually.
• Paid Sick Leave: 1¼ days per month.
• Compensatory Leave: Accumulation up to 120 hours for non‑exempt employees; paid at 1.5 times regular rate for overtime over 40 hours/week.
• Voluntary Benefits: Pierce Group Benefits offering pre‑tax, post‑tax options, and student loan forgiveness program.
• Other Benefits: Bi‑weekly payday, Virginia Credit Union membership, employee assistance program, and various insurance options (term life, whole life, etc.).

Equal Employment Opportunity—City of Colonial Heights is an equal opportunity employer.