"Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis."

Text messaging notifications are now available with the City of Billings on-line job application process.

Applicants can sign up to receive text messages from the Hiring Managers regarding the position you have applied for. To sign up, on the CERTIFY page of your job application, you will have to turn ON “Are you interested in receiving text message notifications from this organization?”  You will be required to enter the telephone number XXX-XXX-XXXX you want the text messages to be sent to.  Thank you.

UPDATED 6-28-2023

Complete applications (must include a resume) will be accepted on a continuous basis to fill vacancies.  Applicants submitting all required application materials will be contacted to schedule pre-employment testing. 

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY, this is a training position that will, upon successful completion of the (approximately 16 week) training period, lead to positions as both an emergency Call Taker and Dispatcher.  Examples of daily work duties include receipt of emergency telephone calls; prioritization of emergency telephone calls; preparation and entry of official public safety reports in a Computer Aided Dispatch system; entry and retrieval of data from the Criminal Justice Information Network and the National Crime Information Center; radio procedure and operation in accordance with FCC regulations. The applicant must be able to think clearly in emergency situations; must have a clear, distinct voice to transmit information; must be able to sit for long periods of time; must be available for shift work; and must maintain a phone. The Billings City-County Communication Center is a 24 hour a day operation; as a result, hours and days of work will vary.   Upon successful completion of the training period, working overtime will be a common and frequent occurrence and is a condition of employment.

Compensation: $21.1398/hour with fast growing pay increases, starting salary is Step 4 of a 7-step pay scale at the Emergency Services Operator (Training) grade.  Hourly wage increases are available as radio qualifications are completed.   Current hourly wage tops out at $30.9233/hour.  Salary reflects a 3% COLA increase effective 7-1-2023

Job Summary:

Under close supervision and upon completion of training, to receive emergency and non-emergency telephone calls from the public; to question callers to determine information pertinent to responder and public safety; to compose official dispatch reports to generate an informed law enforcement, fire, or medical response; to provide life safety or medical pre-arrival instruction to callers in emergency situations; to operate computer systems, dispatch and telephone systems; to furnish general information to non-emergency callers.

Scope of Responsibility:

 Incumbents have a high degree of understanding of department or functional operations and are able to work with considerable initiative.  Working under limited supervision, incumbents perform work requiring interpretation of data and must make decisions considering overall objectives.   Work product has noticeable impact on departmental operations.  Incumbents must have the ability to exercise discretion regarding confidential matters.   

Communication Center Operations

• Answer multiple in-coming emergency and non-emergency telephone calls utilizing computerized telephone equipment, question callers and gather information pertinent to the specific problem or emergency.
• Compose official dispatch reports using a computer aided dispatch system to generate a law enforcement, fire and/or medical response.
• Provide life safety information or Emergency Medical Dispatch pre-arrival instructions such as CPR, Heimlich, and rescue breathing to callers.
• Provide routine information to callers in non-emergency situations.
• Transfer callers not requiring public safety response to appropriate government agency.
• Perform a variety of record keeping, filing, indexing and other general clerical work; maintain a variety of logs relating to emergency services activities; maintain records or recordings of telephone calls.
• Communicate with deaf citizens via teletype.
• May serve as a dispatcher on a two-way radio in times of emergency and in training to become an Emergency Services Dispatcher.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• High school diploma or GED
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test and an extensive criminal history background check

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• One or more years of combined education and experience in customer service, or a related field
• Experience with city government and knowledge of department and function operations

Work is indoors in a normal office environment.  Moderate physical effort involving lifting between 5 and 25 pounds is required.   Work requires high attention to detail or deadlines between 45% and 70% of the time.  A typical workday involves exposure to one disagreeable element present in moderate intensity, none of which are greater than moderate intensity between 45% and 70% of the time.

Some requirements in this job description may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.  All requirements are subject to modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and experience required.  To perform this job successfully, the worker must possess the abilities and aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise.  The City retains the discretion to add duties or change the duties of this position at any time.