IS Communications Supervisor (Open and Promotional)

Job Description:

IS Communications Supervisor (Open and Promotional)

Description

Description
The County of San Mateo's Technology Services Department is seeking qualified candidates for the position of IS Communications Supervisor to lead the Network Services team.

The IS Communications Supervisor position acts as the highest-ranking technical position within the Network Services team. Therefore, this position is often the ambassador for the team as it pertains to technical interactions with other divisions and departments. This position also supervises a team that is responsible for design, configuration, maintenance, fault isolation of the County enterprise network including: network security, routing, switching, wireless LAN, WAN, VOIP, and Virtual Private Networking. This individual will serve as a technical leader and subject matter expert and will exercise technical and functional direction over lower-level staff and may also provide technical training and knowledge transfer to ensure team member skills remain relevant. This position will also act as a solution architect and project liaison for other divisions within the County when required.

This position is accountable for performing the most complex and technical support work and acting as a working supervisor of Network Engineers engaged in information systems development or technical support.

DEFINITION
Under general direction, supervises, assigns, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for the design, installation, configuration, maintenance, and repair of a variety of telecommunications, and network equipment and systems; ensures work quality and adherence to established policies and procedures; performs the more technical and complex tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility; and performs related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives general supervision from assigned higher level manager. Exercises direct and general supervision over assigned staff.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
This is a full supervisory-level class in the Communications Specialist classification series that exercises independent judgment on diverse and specialized information services functions and has significant accountability and ongoing decision-making responsibilities associated with the work. The incumbent organizes and oversees day-to-day information services activities, projects, and programs for a major section within the division and is responsible for providing professional-level support to the management team in a variety of areas. This class is distinguished from other supervisors in the department by supervising staff primarily assigned to network systems support functions.

Ideal Candidate:
This is an ideal opportunity for a successful IT professional with supervisory experience to blend the exciting and rapidly-changing advancements in technology with quality and rewarding public service work.

The ideal candidate will:

• Demonstrate functional knowledge advanced network infrastructure design, engineering, configuration, installation, and maintenance methods and techniques.
• Demonstrate functional knowledge of long range and strategic planning concepts; ability to effectively administer, simultaneously, a variety of projects/abilities.
• Demonstrate functional knowledge of:
  1. Arista switching environment and Arista CloudVision
  2. HPE/Aruba switching, routing and Wireless experience.
  3. SDWAN technology with Silver Peak experience ideal
  4. Cloud network/peering with virtual private cloud configuration and troubleshooting
  5. Cloud datacenter support experience.
• Ability to provide technical support to a diversity of internal and external individuals/groups; to coordinate and facilitate diverse internal and external committees relative to implementing a networking project.
• Ability to provide technical support to a diversity of internal and external individuals/groups; to coordinate and facilitate diverse internal and external committees relative to implementing a networking project.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.
• Technical writing and diagraming skills for producing use case documentation and standard operating procedures.

Examples Of Duties
Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Organizes, implement, directs, trains, motivates and supervises the work of subordinate employees who perform tasks related to supporting the County of San Mateo Network enterprise.
• Provides a highly advanced level of professional support in the County's Enterprise Network systems.
• Analyzes customer technical and business operations, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; identify problems and/or areas of improvement, recommend solutions such as new or revised operational and technical policy and procedures, and make timely and effective decisions.
• Serve as the main interface for projects that need to interface with the County's Network Infrastructure.
• Develop work plans and methods to ensure that assigned work areas are functioning in the most effective and efficient manner.
• Prepares and maintains, and guides staff in the development of comprehensive procedures' manuals and documentation, technical reports, and correspondence.
• Gathers and evaluates information to reason logically, draw valid conclusions, take appropriate actions and/or make appropriate recommendations.
• Communicates technical information to a wide variety of users, both verbally and in writing for both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Interprets and applies complex and technical information pertaining to network systems.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those encountered during their work.
• Develops and maintains excellent relationship with other ISD work groups.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: completion of coursework and/or training in information systems, computer science, or related field and five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience, including two (2) years of lead, supervisory, or project management responsibility, in providing technical support in the installation, maintenance, and repair of systems specific to radio communications, telecommunications, or network.

Licenses and Certifications:

• 
  Some positions may require possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's License.
  
• Some positions may require possession of, or ability to obtain, industry-recognized information technology certifications.

If assigned to Radio Communications assignment (in addition to above):

• 
  Possession of, or ability to obtain, a General Radiotelephone Operator License issued by the Federal Communications Commission is desirable.
  

Knowledge of:

• 
  Principles and practices of employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review and evaluation, coaching, mentoring, and the training of staff in work procedures.
  
• Basic principles and practices of budget development, administration, and accountability.
• Operations, services, and activities of assigned information services program.
• Advanced system infrastructure design, engineering, configuration, installation, and maintenance methods and techniques.
• Advanced techniques and methods of system evaluation, implementation, and documentation.
• Advanced troubleshooting, configuration, and installation techniques.
• Principles and practices for identifying systems-related issues and actions needed to improve or correct performance.
• Methods and techniques of evaluating business requirements and developing information systems solutions for strategic County systems.
• The organization, operation, and functions of the department as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities and to determine appropriate point of escalation.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• English usage, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with vendors and County staff.

Skill/Ability to:

• 
  Plan, organize, schedule, assign, review, and evaluate the work of and train staff.
  
• Recommend and implement goals, objectives, and practices for providing effective and efficient services.
• Evaluate and recommend improvements in operations, procedures, policies, or methods.
• Analyze department procedures and data to develop logical solutions to complex systems problems.
• Recommend, evaluate, design, test, and install systems and supporting equipment.
• Provide advanced-level technical support in the design, installation, configuration, maintenance, and repair of a variety of telecommunications, radio communications, and network equipment and systems.
• Deal tactfully with the customers and staff in providing information, answering questions, and providing customer service.
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, laws, rules, and regulations.
• Effectively represent the department and the County in meetings with contractors and vendors.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Physical Demands
Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle and to visit various County sites; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Standing in and walking between work areas is frequently required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification frequently bend, stoop, kneel, and reach to perform assigned duties, as well as push and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift and carry materials and objects up to 50 pounds with the use of proper equipment and push and pull materials and objects up to 100 pounds with the use of proper equipment.

Environmental Elements
Employees work in an office environment with moderate levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff when providing telecommunications, communications, and network equipment and systems support.

Application/Examination

Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra help/limited term position prior to the final filing date w ill receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification . All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online . If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

T entative Recruitment Schedule:
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Application Screening: Thursday, July 30, 2026
Combined Panel Interviews: Wednesday, August 12, 2026

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

HR Contact: Arlene Cahill (IS Communications Supervisor - V307)

Salary:

$148,179.20 - $185,203.20 Annually