Communications Shift Supervisor
Posted
Description
Job Title | Communications Shift Supervisor |
Location | Jacksonville, Florida |
Department | Operations |
Status | Non-Exempt/Hourly |
Reports to | Communications Leadership Team |
Position Summary
The Communications Shift Supervisor - Coordinator provides direct shift-level leadership and operational oversight within the Communications Center. This position supervises Communications Specialists and Call Takers responsible for receiving, coordinating, and dispatching emergency and non-emergency ambulance and transportation service requests. The Supervisor - Coordinator supports safe, timely, accurate, and efficient service delivery by monitoring communications activity, personnel performance, resource deployment, response times, data quality, and adherence to established protocols. The position requires exceptional customer service, strong leadership, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm and decisive in a fast-paced 24/7 emergency medical services environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide direct shift-level supervision, guidance, and operational support to Communications Specialists, Call Takers, and other assigned Communications personnel.
- Promote and model exceptional customer service during every interaction with healthcare providers, facilities, patients, field personnel, coworkers, and other customers, ensuring a courteous, helpful, professional, and solutions-oriented approach.
- Monitor Communications Center workflow and staff activity throughout the assigned shift to support appropriate coverage, workload distribution, service continuity, and operational readiness.
- Maintain a calm, professional, and decisive leadership presence during periods of high call volume, emergency situations, service disruptions, unusual events, and other high-stress operational conditions.
- Ensure telephone calls, radio traffic, emails, and other communications are monitored and handled promptly and professionally using established call-handling and information-management systems.
- Ensure established protocols, procedures, required formats, and service-request processes are consistently followed by assigned personnel.
- Ensure all requests for service are entered accurately, completely, and timely into the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and address identified documentation or data-quality concerns.
- Review, schedule, prioritize, coordinate, and assign transportation requests using approved procedures, operational protocols, and sound decision-making.
- Allocate and coordinate available resources based on service needs, unit availability, operational priorities, response requirements, and approved protocols; make appropriate adjustments as conditions change.
- Monitor, update, and maintain situational awareness of the location, status, availability, and movement of field units throughout the assigned shift.
- Monitor and document unit response times, identify delays or emerging operational concerns, and take or escalate appropriate action to support on-time performance and service delivery.
- Act as a liaison with on-duty Shift Commanders, Area Managers, and other operational leadership to coordinate resources, address service concerns, support compliance, and promote on-time performance.
- Document and communicate trip information accurately, including confirmations, patient or facility information, equipment needs, special instructions, delays, and other relevant operational details.
- Ensure data entry and documentation associated with assigned shift responsibilities are complete and accurate before the end of the shift, and address identified discrepancies when appropriate.
- Assist field units with routing and navigation information, when necessary, using available mapping and location resources.
- Relay supervisory instructions, operational messages, emergency information, and other critical communications accurately and promptly.
- Conduct routine review of on-duty personnel performance in accordance with established Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) procedures, document identified trends or concerns and provide coaching or escalation to Communications Leadership as appropriate.
- Provide real-time coaching, direction, and feedback to assigned personnel regarding customer service, communication practices, protocol compliance, documentation accuracy, dispatch performance, and other job expectations.
- Promptly communicate significant operational, personnel, customer-service, safety, or compliance concerns to the Communications Leadership Team through the appropriate chain of command.
- Maintain current working knowledge of Company policies, procedures, General Orders, memoranda, Communications Center protocols, and other directives applicable to the position; reinforce compliance among assigned personnel.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the operation of Communications Center equipment and systems, including communication consoles, radio systems, recording systems, telephony, Computer-Aided Dispatch systems, and other assigned technology.
- Monitor the operational status of Communications Center equipment and promptly report equipment or system failures to the Communications Leadership Team through the appropriate reporting process.
- Protect confidential, operational, patient, employee, and Company information and ensure compliance with applicable information systems security policies and procedures.
- Demonstrate integrity, professionalism, accountability, teamwork, sound judgment, and leadership in support of Excelsior Ambulance Service and departmental standards.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Minimum Required Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Minimum of three (3) years of public safety, EMS, emergency communications, or comparable dispatch experience. Private EMS experience is preferred.
- Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.
- Ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and effectively by telephone, radio, email, and other communication platforms.
- Demonstrated customer service skills and the ability to professionally manage and resolve concerns involving internal and external customers.
- Ability to accurately receive, record, transmit, review, and report detailed operational information.
- Ability to supervise personnel, provide clear direction and coaching, address performance concerns, and appropriately escalate issues through the established chain of command.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously, maintain situational awareness, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.
- Proficient typing skills with the speed and accuracy necessary to efficiently process service requests and maintain accurate records.
- Experience using a two-way radio system.
- Basic proficiency with computers and common software applications, with the ability to learn and effectively utilize specialized dispatch and communications systems.
- Ability to efficiently operate assigned Communications Center equipment and technology.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior lead, supervisory, training, quality assurance, or other demonstrated leadership experience within a dispatch, communications, call center, EMS, or public safety environment is preferred.