Information Technology Specialist – Computer Aided Dispatch ( GIS Specialist)

Information Technology Specialist – CAD GIS-Specialist position with Broward County Board of County Commissioners.

About the role

The GIS Specialist – Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) serves as a key technical resource supporting mission-critical geographic information systems and applications used to support the operation of Broward County’s Public Safety E911 Answering Points (PSAP) and CAD system with 99.999% reliability and uptime. This position is responsible for the creation, maintenance, validation, analysis, and distribution of geographic data supporting CAD, Next Generation 911 (NG911), Fire and Law Records Management Systems, and other public safety applications.

GIS for CAD requires specialized knowledge of emergency response geography, address validation, CAD boundaries, routing networks, emergency service assignments, and the integration of multiple local, regional, state, and federal data sources. Accuracy, timeliness, and reliability of these datasets are essential to ensuring that 911 calls for service are geographically located and dispatched to the appropriate public safety resources.

The position works closely with County GIS, the Property Appraiser, municipalities, law enforcement and fire agencies, E911 personnel, transportation agencies, the United States Postal Service, and public safety technology vendors to maintain highly accurate and operationally reliable geographic data. This position also serves as a critical institutional knowledge resource for Public Safety GIS and CAD operations. The role requires the ability to document processes and provide subject matter expertise to support continuity of mission-critical services.

Responsibilities

• Provides high-level technical expertise and project management direction of multiple large-scale information technology initiatives including technological research, analysis, design, development, and implementation of projects.
• Reviews County-wide information technology strategic direction, recommends approaches for incorporation of emerging technologies when appropriate, and implements the approved approach.
• Reviews programming techniques and recommends information technology solutions, enhancement plans, and related cost-benefit comparisons.
• Supervises professional and technical personnel in assigned work teams or sections.
• Plans, organizes, and implements approved emerging technologies.
• Administers County-wide technological specialty functions.
• Performs project management responsibilities for large-scale complex information technology projects.
• Reviews systems designs, development of applications, and documentation for accuracy, timeliness, and adherence to departmental standards.
• Documentation of deployment, security, quality assurance, change controls, and compliance.
• Public Safety GIS Data Management – supports and maintains geographic information used to locate emergency 911 calls, determine appropriate responding jurisdictions and resources, route emergency units, and support the operational functions of law enforcement and fire rescue agencies in accordance with public safety operational requirements and established GIS standards.
• Emergency Planning: Creates, maintains, updates, validates, and quality-controls geographic datasets supporting public safety applications to include CAD, Next Generation 911, Fire Records Management Systems, and Law Records Management Systems.
• Vendor Communications: Investigation, diagnosis, and reporting of application bugs, beta testing, system maintenance, system configuration, and system upgrades.
• Internal Systems Administration: Advanced troubleshooting, creation of geographical data packages, identification of database inconsistencies, documentation and implementation of corrective actions, and dataset maintenance affecting geographic components of public safety applications.
• Reconciles Automatic Number Identification/Automatic Location Identification (ANI/ALI) telephone data with regional geographic data to maintain a minimum 99.95% match rate.
• Provides 24/7 on-call support, engages stakeholders for incident progress, impending changes, outages, feature/functionality review, and proactive system enhancements.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or closely related field. (One year of relevant experience may be substituted for each year of required education.)
• Four (4) years of experience in systems analysis, systems design and/or applications programming relevant to area of assignment including experience supporting GIS data with the public safety CAD environment or closely related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2) years’ experience working in a position of or supporting Public Safety Emergency Services or 911 operations.
• ESRI Certifications (ArcGIS Pro Foundation, Professional, Enterprise Administration Professional, or closely related).
• Project Management Certificates (PMP, PgMP, Project+, or closely related field).
• Six Sigma Certifications (Green Belt, Black Belt, or Master Black Belt).
• Experience with performing research, data analysis, and feasibility studies for submission of technical and management reports.
• Presentation or Training Skills in Mission Critical Public Safety Services and Applications.
• Experience with Managing Complex and Sophisticated Mission Critical Projects.
• Technical Writing or Documentation Skills.
• Experience with leading continuous improvement programs related to public safety applications.
• Experience with GIS Data Automation, Scripting, Databases, or SQL.
• Experience supporting GIS data within a public safety CAD environment.
• Experience with E911/NG911 geographic data and addressing.
• Experience developing or maintaining emergency response routing networks, municipal addressing, and annexation data.
• Experience integrating GIS data from multiple governmental and authoritative sources.
• Experience with public safety CAD, records management, or mobile mapping systems.
• Experience with data quality assurance and validation processes for mission-critical applications.
• Experience processing aerial imagery and preparing imagery for CAD or mobile applications.
• Experience with the principles, methods, and procedures of modern police, fire, and medical services.
• Experience with disaster recovery procedures.
• Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) principles, practices, databases, spatial analysis, cartography, and geospatial data management.
• Advanced software application knowledge to include installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and hardware components.
• Experience with continuous patch management, application/system maintenance, and debugging processes.
• Fluency with Microsoft Office Applications: Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.

Skills

• Tech Savvy: Anticipates and adopts innovations in business-building digital and technology applications. Is an early adopter of new technologies, technical skills, and capabilities that improve performance. Regularly experiments with and leverages technologies and tools to substantially improve performance.
• Manages Complexity: Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. Consistently looks at complex issues from many angles; obtains a rich and deep understanding; swiftly cuts to the core issue; skillfully separates root causes from symptoms.
• Action Oriented: Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm. Takes immediate, decisive, independent action to resolve issues or problems. Persists as needed. Quickly and consistently identifies and pursues beneficial new opportunities.
• Plans and Aligns: Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals. Outlines clear plans that put actions in a logical sequence; conveys some time frames. Aligns own work with relevant workgroups. Takes some steps to reduce bottlenecks and speed up the work.
• Optimizes Work Processes: Knows the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement. Pays close attention to a variety of metrics and benchmarks; determines both major and subtle ways to optimize processes. Swiftly resolves process breakdowns; takes steps to ensure that problems do not recur.
• Courage: Steps up to address difficult issues, saying what needs to be said. Shares own ideas and points of view openly, regardless of potential criticism or risk; shows conviction when faced with adversity and challenges; raises difficult topics to be sure they are addressed.
• Self-Development: Actively seeks new ways to grow and be challenged using both formal and informal development channels. Demonstrates a strong commitment to development by regularly practicing and applying new knowledge and skills; is quick to share new learning with others. Creates a thorough, detailed development plan.

Technologies

• GIS Related Technologies: ESRI ArcPro, Extensis GeoViewer/GeoExpress, Deccan International
• Remote Access Technologies: Secure Access VPN, Endpoint Central, Citrix, Omnissa Horizon

Work Environment

Physical Demands: Performs sedentary work that involves walking or standing some of the time and involves exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular and recurring basis or sustained keyboard operations.

Unavoidable Hazards: None.

Benefits

• Eleven (11) paid holidays each year.
• Vacation (Paid Time Off) – 2 weeks per year.
• Tuition Reimbursement – Up to $2,000 annually.
• Up to 40 hours of Job Basis Leave for eligible positions.
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Health Benefits:
  • High-Deductible Health Plan – bi-weekly premiums: Employee $10.90 / Family $80.79. Includes a County Funded Health Savings Account of up to $2,000 annually.
  • Consumer Driven Health Plan – bi-weekly premiums: Employee $82.58 / Family $286.79.
• Florida Retirement System (FRS) – Pension or Investment Plan.
• 457 Deferred Compensation – County matches up to $2,000 a year.