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Job Description

TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATOR

JOB CODE 01720

Effective Date:	Rev. 04/04A

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:

The fundamental reason this classification exists is to operate and/or monitor telecommunications equipment such as PC-based operator workstations/consoles; multi-line telephone sets; TDD/TTY equipment for communicating with the hearing impaired; PC-based radio-dispatch consoles; fax machines; printers; the City's call location information system; and telecommunications system alarms. Equipment is located at the City's Switchboard. Operators answer, respond to, and transfer calls from citizens to the City's main telephone numbers and from employees dialing "0" from the City's PBX. Operators answer calls placed to the City's main TDD/TTY number from the hearing impaired and monitor the City's internal call location system in order to assist in tracing the location of hang-up calls from City extensions. Operators also respond to phone and microwave system alarms by dispatching vendor and/or internal support, answer the phone repair line, and create phone repair work orders. Operators keep written logs of significant events and send notification pages/messages to City employees. Operators dispatch essential City services during non-business hours for departments that do not staff their own operations 24/7. Operators use online databases and resources, such as the City's Seamless Service Directory, White and Yellow Pages, City Intranet web pages, and the Internet, as well as printed directories and resources, in order to locate information for callers. Operators must stay current on issues and information affecting the City. Incumbents work under the supervision of a Telecommunications Center Supervisor from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and a supervisory assistant from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, but are generally required to make immediate decisions on an individual basis without reference to the supervisor. Incumbents on overnight and weekend shifts are guided by general regulations and specific procedures.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Operates communications equipment;
• Speaks clearly and professionally;
• Answers, responds to, and transfers citizen and employee calls;
• Answers general questions about City hours or services;
• Dispatches for City departments during non-business hours;
• Monitors telephone and microwave communication systems for alarms, contacting and dispatching staff and/or vendor technicians as necessary;
• Sends pages/messages to notification lists or individuals with information on alarms, outages, or extraordinary events;
• Monitors the location information system and printer; assisting Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in identifying the location of hang-up calls from City extensions;
• Sets up conference calls;
• Creates trouble tickets for phone repair calls and requests service from maintenance technicians;
• Enters data and maintains accurate telecommunications-related databases, records, and logs, including the caller identification (CID) numbers used by employees for long distance access;
• Responds to elevator calls at sites not covered by security personnel;
• Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Skill in:

• The operation of telecommunications equipment.

Ability to:

• Operate a variety of standard office equipment and telecommunications equipment requiring continuous or repetitive arm-hand movements.
• Communicate orally with customers, clients or the public in a face-to-face, one-to-one setting or using a telephone or two-way radio.
• Learn job-related material primarily through oral instruction and observation. This learning takes place mainly in an on-the-job training setting.
• Enter data or information into a terminal, PC or other keyboard device.
• Understand and follow simple oral and written instructions in the English language.
• Comprehend and make inferences from written material in the English language.
• Work on-call 24 hours, as required.
• Work cooperatively with co-workers, customers, and the public to provide information or to respond to emergency calls.
• Deal calmly with difficult situations, upset customers, and public servants.

Additional Requirements:

• Some positions will require the performance of other essential and marginal functions depending upon work location, assignment, or shift.
• Some employees who are skilled in a second language will be called upon occasionally to utilize that skill in the routine performance of their duties.

ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:
One year of experience operating a telecommunications operator workstation/console. Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.