Administrative Dispatcher

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, westward through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play and learn. For more information about Placer County, please visit www.visitplacer.com.

The Department of Public Works is hiring an Administrative Dispatcher to support services in the Tahoe Area. This position within the Tahoe-Truckee Area Regional Transit Services division has a unique role in assisting Transit staff and the public with their transportation needs. It involves the use of customer service skills in day to day exposure to the travelling public as well as acting as a liaison between the County and several State and local agencies, providing answers to transit questions as well as providing transit fare guidance to those who request it. This position is also responsible for the maintenance of several reporting and transit specific databases in the course of the position’s normal duties. The successful candidate will need to possess excellent customer service and office administrative skills. This position will receive direct and functional supervision from TART supervisors and Transit Administrative managers. This position is located in Truckee.

Please note that this position is considered safety sensitive and employees are subject to the Department of Transportation (DOT) 49 CFR Part 40 and other applicable DOT Agency regulations such as random drug testing.

Salary plus up to an additional $875 per month Tahoe Branch Assignment Premium for employees who meet residency requirements.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view General benefits

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To perform dispatching duties within an operating department; and to perform a variety of general clerical and routine administrative duties related to the department assigned.

Receives general supervision from management or supervisory positions.

• Receive and dispatch routine and emergency communications to the appropriate department staff; dispatch appropriate personnel and equipment to reported situations or conditions.
• Continuously monitor computer, telephone, cellular, and two-way radio for information regarding scheduling issues and field situations; notify supervisor of situations requiring attention when appropriate.  
• Perform general clerical and administrative duties related to assigned functional area and department.
• Provide information to the general public or other public agencies related to service area; provide quality customer service and respond to public inquiries and requests for service in a courteous manner.  
• Compose, type, proofread and process a variety of documents including general correspondence and memos.
• Act as a receptionist; answer the telephone and wait on the general public, giving information on department and assigned program policies and procedures.
• Coordinate repair work and vehicle substitution to maintain service levels.
• Issue, receive, type and process various applications, permits and other forms; process bills for fees; process and secure cash transactions and record payments.
• Perform a wide variety of clerical work including filing, billing, checking and recording information on records. 
• Compile operational information and input data into computer.
• Sort and file documents and records, maintaining alphabetical, index, and cross-reference files.
• Operate standard office equipment and follow standard office procedures including modern office methods, procedures, and computer software programs as related to job assignment.
• Receive, sort and distribute incoming and outgoing mail.
• Deal with the public and defuse potentially critical incidents through conflict resolution skills.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• When assigned to Public Transit, ensure compliance with federal and state safety sensitive regulations and requirements; monitor and report issues and concerns regarding routes and services to supervisor; analyze ridership information and make recommendations on schedules and routes; support drivers and passengers regarding day-to-day operational activities.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any Combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Two years of experience performing duties comparable to that of an Administrative Clerk – Entry with Placer County.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade.      

License or Certificate:
May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of administrative and/or technical area to which assigned including, but not limited to, two-way radios, multi-line phone systems, general office equipment and technology, employee scheduling, and customer service.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, punctuation, routine mathematical calculations, and statistics and statistical calculations. 
• Office methods and equipment including filing systems and computers.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, sit at desk while operating radio and/or stand at counter for long periods of time.  Intermittently twist and reach office and radio equipment; write or use keyboard to communicate through written means; occasionally run errands; lift light weight.
• Intermittently review documents related to department operations; observe, identify and problem solve office and field problems; understand, interpret and explain department policies and procedures to the public and staff.
• Perform clerical work including maintenance of appropriate records and preparation of general reports.
• Convey critical information in a manner consistent with dispatching standards.
• Verify and check files and data.
• Understand and carry out both oral and written directions.
• Perform routine mathematical calculations.
• Operate a variety of modern office equipment including two-way radio.
• Type accurately at a speed of 45 words per minute.
• Use computer word processing equipment, as assigned.
• When assigned to Public Transit, accurately sort, count and receipt cash and other fare media on a routine basis.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

Specific position(s) within this classification designated as Safety Sensitive may require applicants to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse and to provide consent for Placer County to conduct a full query of their records within the Clearinghouse prior to an offer of employment.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.