Police Emergency Communications Network Manager

Under the general supervision of an Assistant Director, the Network Manager is responsible for leading a team in performing highly technical and complex work in the management of the Emergency Communications Commission’s (ECC) data communications networks and critical IT systems. These systems support Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), County and municipal police departments, fire protection districts, and local government agencies throughout St.

Louis County.

The role requires significant interaction with public safety agencies, County IT, outside service vendors, and communications partners. Work includes oversight of a multi-location, distributed server and network architecture that supports mission-critical, “zero-downtime” public safety operations. The employee exercises independent judgment in service modification, incident response, and the correction of service degradation or disruption. Work is reviewed for efficiency, responsiveness, system reliability, compliance, and quality of outcomes.

Duty

Hours:

8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, and is subject to recall for emergencies or for after-hours events.

Per the Department's Collective Bargaining Agreement, newly hired employees who do not possess corresponding experience will start at the base starting pay listed in this posting.

• Coordinates the installation, replacement, modification, upgrade, and maintenance of the ECC’s IT systems, data communications networks, and associated equipment.
• Works with County IT staff and contractors to ensure high-availability performance, cybersecurity compliance, and operational standards.
• Oversees commercial and vendor-provided network services to ensure optimal performance and adherence to service-level agreements.
• Ensures continuous operation of ECC IT systems and data communications networks, including readiness and failover capability of backup/redundant systems.
• Coordinates activities and manages equipment placement in the ECC’s primary data center and redundant core equipment sites; oversees cable and infrastructure management.
• Coordinates acquisition of IT systems, network equipment, and services; collaborates with ECC leadership, County IT, procurement, and outside vendors.
• Reviews contracts, evaluates bid proposals, maintains documentation, and ensures all services meet contractual, technical, and compliance requirements.
• Stays current on emerging network and communications technologies through ongoing vendor engagement and industry research.
• Provides strategic direction and assigns tasks to the ECC Network Unit team.
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of fiber optic, microwave, and IP-based data communication networks.
• Considerable knowledge of the operation of P25 digital trunked radio systems and 9-1-1 systems.
• Knowledge of network security principles, Zero Trust concepts, and cybersecurity compliance frameworks (e.g., CJIS, NIST).
• Proficiency with enterprise routing and switching technologies (e.g., OSPF, BGP, VLANs), network segmentation, and high-availability architectures.
• Skill in assessing network performance issues, troubleshooting complex systems, and implementing corrective actions.

• Skill in preparing system specifications, analyzing proposals, and managing vendor relationships.
• Develop and implement IT infrastructure strategies that keep the network current and reliable for all emergency communications systems.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders, public safety partners, and service vendors.

Undergraduate degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or a closely related field is preferred but not required; supplemented by advanced technical training in telecommunications or data communications and four years of experience in data communications or IT systems management and operations.

• Professional certifications:
• CCNP, CCNA, Network+, or equivalent
• Security+ or CISSP
• ITIL v4 Foundation
• Experience with:
• Firewall…