The City of Lee’s Summit is a thriving, progressive community situated 16 miles southeast of downtown Kansas City. With an estimated population of over 107,000, Lee’s Summit has all the very best attributes of a small town while enjoying the amenities of a large city. Complemented by a growing business community and superior quality of life, Lee’s Summit has become one of the largest cities in Missouri. Lee’s Summit boasts an award-winning school system and holds national accreditations for its Parks and Recreation, Fire, Police and Public Works services. Lee’s Summit has a strong appreciation for arts, culture and entertainment, making it a vibrant place to live and work. The cultural scene includes public art installations, musical performances, theatre productions and Fourth Friday Art Walks. Recently named America’s Great Neighborhood by the American Planning Association, Lee’s Summit’s historic downtown district provides a unique network of restaurants, boutiques and businesses. Special events such as Oktoberfest and Downtown Days draw visitors from all over the Kansas City metro. Lee’s Summit offers countless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. With 30 parks, 92 miles of trails and numerous regional lakes, most residents live within close proximity to a recreational activity. Lee’s Summit continues to receive regional and national recognition for its endless amenities for residents of all ages. Among the notable recognitions, the city received gold certification as a Community for all Ages and was designated a Walk Friendly Community and Bicycle Friendly Community. The City of Lee’s Summit Fire Department is seeking highly motivated applicants to fill current openings for the position of Fire and EMS emergency dispatcher. This is a non-sworn position, titled as a Communications Specialist, working in a 24/7 dispatch center responsible for Fire and Medical dispatching for the Lee’s Summit and Sugar Creek Fire Departments as well as the Fort Osage, Inter City, Lone Jack, Sni-Valley, and Southern Jackson County Fire Protection Districts. Nature of Work: Responsible for answering and processing 911 and non-emergency calls for service. Dispatching fire, medical, and other emergencies by radio and telephone utilizing a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. Responsible for providing a communication link between the public, other agencies and the fire departments. Must be able to adjust well to changing environments from a fast paced, high stress environment that involves multi-tasking activities, strong keyboarding skills, interpersonal and judgement skills; to slower activity which requires the ability to remain focused and alert to situational changes. Minimum qualifications: High school diploma or certificate of equivalency 18 years of age at time of application No felony or serious misdemeanor convictions Preferred Background/Skills: Background in emergency dispatching and/or public safety Background and/or working knowledge in fire and/or medical services Proficient in keyboarding Must have the ability to communicate effectively in various forms, i.e. verbally and written Preferred Certifications (will be provided by the Department as needed): Priority Dispatch Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Certificate Priority Dispatch Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD) Certificate Basic Telecommunications certificate from Mid America Regional Council, Priority Dispatch, NENA, or APCO International NIMS ICS 100, 200, 700, & 800 Certificates Desired Qualities/Abilities: Commitment to professional service delivery through training and personal development. The ability to effectively prioritize situations and information and make appropriate decisions based on information received The ability to communicate effectively and with compassion coworkers, other agencies, and the community. Ability to establish respectful, effective relationships with supervisors, command staff, and other city departments. Willingness to provide a high level of service to the community and work toward continual quality improvement of department operations. Able to perform multiple tasks simultaneously and remain focused under stress and situational changes in a professional manner. Ability to communicate effectively with various resources; verbally through a communication headset with radio and telephone consoles, as well as non-verbal communication via CAD, email or handwritten documents Flexibility to changing operations based on different situations and/or changing priorities Ability to effectively perform job tasks under pressure for sustained periods of time. The Lee’s Summit Fire Department is committed to retaining a diverse, progressive, and competitive workforce to provide exceptional service to the citizens and visitors of Lee’s Summit. Processing approximately 21,000 calls for service annually, dispatchers work 12-hour shifts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., including weekends and holidays. Upon completion of initial training, Communications Specialists will be placed on one of four shifts with set days off. Shift work consists of two 3-day work weeks, followed by one 4-day work week. Dispatchers have a beginning hourly rate of $22.45. Pay is adjusted annually as outlined in the established step pay system. Benefits offered by the City of Lee’s Summit Include: Health, Vision, Dental, and Life Insurance FSA or HSA medical spending accounts Missouri Lagers L-6 (non-contributory) retirement plan. Full retirement at age 55 with 5 years of vested service. 457 deferred compensation plans Tuition reimbursement Partial fitness reimbursement On-the-job training Paid holidays Eight hours of guaranteed overtime earned each 3-week FLSA period The department offers an excellent benefit package including employer supported health, dental and life insurance, and education reimbursement up to 12 credit hours per year. The fire department participates in Missouri Lagers L-6 (non-contributory) retirement plan with dispatchers eligible for full retirement at age 55 following 5 years of vested service. Selection Process: Applicants must complete an application and submit a resume by the posted deadline. Following review of each application packet, applicants will be selected to participate in the selection process, which will consist of a competency based online testing process and up to two oral interviews. During the selection process candidates will also be required to participate in a two (2) hour job shadowing observation of the communications center. Hiring Timeline: Application period open (3/25/2026 – 4/8/2026) City of Lee’s Summit Career Fair (4/2/2026) Online CritiCall testing period (4/9/2026- 4/12/2026) Oral board interview (Week of 4/13/2026) Job Shadowing: Two-hour scheduled sit-in of dispatch center between interview dates Interview with the Fire Department Executives (Week of 4/20/2026) Projected first day of employment. (5/26/2026) (dates are subject to change) Virtual accommodation may be made during the interview process for those individuals outside of the Kansas City Metropolitan area to limit travel. The City of Lee’s Summit offers a variety of municipal career opportunities with more than 150 job classifications. Those interested in a public service career with the City of Lee’s Summit may review vacancies and obtain applications. Applications and resumes are accepted for all vacant positions. Applications/resumes may be submitted online, on or before the deadline posted. The City is fully committed to a policy of hiring without regard to sex, age, color, race, religion, national origin or disability as prescribed by federal and state laws. The City will require a post-offer background check and physical which includes a drug/alcohol screening. The City is a drug-free workplace.