Engineering Aide Dispatcher

A complex communication position, providing services for the Florence Electricity Department. Receives calls, dispatches information to the proper persons, and performs clerical and engineering-aide duties. Assists other sections by providing necessary information. Demonstrates extremely good judgment and possesses the ability to remain calm under stressful conditions. Deals with the public and employees in a courteous and tactful manner. Fills in as supervisor of the evening, midnight & swing shift dispatchers in the absence of the Technical Systems Engineer.

Florence Electricity Department (FED) is a municipal utility providing electric service to Florence/Lauderdale County, AL. FED offers a customer service-driven environment to provide high-quality, low-cost, safe, and reliable electric service to our customers. 

1. Operates all communication equipment necessary for dispatching.
2. Receives and transmits radio communications associated with the Department's operation.
3. Receive and process service calls for (power outages, equipment failure, equipment and facilities damage, after-hours reconnections, restoration, of service, and customer problems).
4. Determines priority of service calls and dispatches calls to proper personnel.
5. Assists operational personnel by analyzing the outage management system and records and relays the data to correct problems on the system.
6. Informs customers of the Department's rules, regulations, and service policies.
7. Assists other sections by furnishing requested data and forwarding after-hour transactions to proper personnel.
8. Files and logs records and data pertaining to the operation of the system.
9. Records service and trouble calls, reconnections, and fills out other communicative forms.
10. Posts dispatch board daily to update the status of electrical equipment on the distribution system.
11. Performs engineering-aide duties: filing, posting, calculating maximum kW demand and Department's wholesale power bill.
12. Operates Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) equipment.
13. Scans and enters work orders, easements, and transformers in the RVI Program.
14. Works overtime when required. Fills in for other dispatchers when necessary.
15. Must be able to attend meetings and seminars.
16. Dispatches for the Water Department and Gas Department when required.
17. Serves as a contact for Underground Utility Locating, Inc., and BellSouth Telecommunications. Operates Geographical Information System (GIS).
18. Tracks storms and advises appropriate personnel and crews of weather conditions.
19. Assists the Safety Department by making notations of meter cutoffs, blanked covered meters, and pending charges for illegal diversion of power.
20. Assists utility service crews by locating directions on transformer stations and service directions that are not available to the crews.
21. Solves problems with work schedule and answers questions about work when Technical Systems Engineer is not available.
22. Contact Building Department Inspector when needed for electrical inspections.
23. Fills in as supervisor of the evening, midnight, and swing-shift dispatchers in the absence of the Technical Systems Engineer.
24. Performs other duties when required.

1. Two years of college or equivalent training and experience. 
2. Three (3) years of previous dispatching experience or working with electrical distribution systems.

1. Ability to speak clearly and enunciate properly the English language.
2. Must have a pleasant voice that transmits well over a radio communication system and telephone.
3. Ability to discern communication messages transmitted simultaneously.
4. Thorough knowledge of general office practices and procedures.
5. Ability to remain calm and to function under stressful conditions.
6. Ability to learn and interpret Department rules and regulations and service policies.
7. Ability to maintain good public and employee relations.
8. Ability to deal with the public courteously and tactfully.
9. Ability to make judgmental decisions as to setting service priorities, dispatching the proper crew(s), and contacting engineering and technical personnel.
10. Ability to operate radio communication equipment.
11. Ability to learn and analyze a power system dispatching board.
12. Ability to learn to operate a computer terminal and a SCADA (Supervisory Control) system for monitoring and controlling substations.
13. Must be able to keep customer transactions and records confidential.
14. Ability to learn and operate a Geographical Information System (GIS).
15. Must have knowledge of certain geographical and landmark features of Lauderdale County when obtaining information for service calls.

Physical Demands (with or without accommodations):

1. Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs. to move files or equipment.
2. Must be able to sit at a desk/computer terminal for extended periods of time.

Equipment/Tools Used:

1. Radio communication equipment
2. Supervisory Control System (SCADA)
3. Personal computer
4. AS/400
5. Geographical Information System (GIS)

Additional Notes:
The above job description is intended to represent only the key areas of responsibility; specific position assignments will vary depending on the Department's business needs and assigned by the Manager. All employees in pursuit of their job duties should demonstrate the behaviors of the FED Mission & Vision.

For similar job postings, applications may be used for up to ninety (90) days.

The City of Florence, Alabama is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.