What is a Dispatcher?

A Dispatcher acts as the main communication link between the public, field units, and emergency or non emergency services. Dispatchers receive calls, transmit messages, and track vehicles to make sure information moves quickly and accurately between the people who need help and the people responding to them.

Dispatcher Job Description

This Dispatcher job description template can be posted to online job forums and career pages to recruit candidates. You can modify the requirements and responsibilities given in this template according to the specific need of your company.

We are hiring a Dispatcher to act as the main communication link for emergency as well as non emergency calls. A Dispatcher receives requests, transmits messages, and tracks vehicles. The ultimate goal is to ensure timely and accurate transmission of information so as to enable various parties to effectively communicate with each other.

To succeed in this role, you must have exceptional communication skills with the ability to remain composed and calm in emergencies. In addition to that, you must have the ability to act with minimal supervision and execute various tasks at the same time.

What does a Dispatcher do?

• Receive and prioritize calls based on their importance and urgency
• Address requests and problems by providing solutions or by transmitting information to other parties
• Receive and dispatch orders for deliveries or products
• Respond to emergency and non emergency calls and record significant information
• Enter data into computers and maintain records and logs of activities, calls, and other similar information
• Provide information about traffic, orders, requirements, and obstacles to field units
• Use radio, phone, and computer systems for sending information to various units
• Monitor the route as well as the status of field units to coordinate and prioritize their schedule

How much do Dispatchers make?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators (the occupational category that includes police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers) was $53,040, or $25.50 per hour, as of May 2025. Employment in this occupation is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations, with about 9,000 openings projected each year on average. Actual dispatcher pay varies by industry, employer, shift, and region.

Skill Requirements

TIP: Glider AI enables recruiters, staffing firms, and hiring teams to assess skills across technical and non technical job roles, including customer service and operations positions. Use Glider AI Skill Intelligence Platform™ to evaluate communication skills, situational judgment, and multitasking ability before you hire.

Qualitative Skill Requirements

• Composure Under Pressure: Dispatchers need to stay calm and think clearly during emergencies and high pressure calls.
• Active Listening: Understanding a caller’s situation quickly and accurately is critical to routing the right response.
• Multitasking: Dispatchers often monitor multiple calls, radios, and field units at the same time.
• Sound Judgment: Prioritizing calls and coordinating a response requires quick, reliable decision making.
• Clear Communication: Dispatchers must relay information accurately between callers, field units, and other agencies or departments.

Formal Skill Requirements and Credentials:

• At least a high school diploma or equivalent
• Prior experience as a dispatcher is preferred
• Familiarity with relevant technologies such as computer aided dispatch (CAD) systems
• Sound knowledge of emergency guidelines and procedures
• Fast and accurate typing and data entry skills
• Proficiency in English; additional languages are a plus
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional multitasking and organizational skills

Example KPIs for a Dispatcher

• Call Response Time: Measures how quickly incoming calls are answered and prioritized.
• Dispatch Accuracy: Measures how accurately information is relayed to field units and other parties.
• Record Keeping Accuracy: Measures how completely and accurately calls, activities, and logs are documented.
• Call Handling Volume: Measures how consistently a dispatcher manages call volume during a shift.
• Coordination Effectiveness: Measures how well a dispatcher tracks and coordinates field units to keep response times low.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a dispatcher do?
A dispatcher receives and prioritizes calls, relays information between callers and field units, and tracks vehicles and personnel to coordinate an efficient response.

What skills does a dispatcher need?
Dispatchers need strong communication skills, the ability to stay calm under pressure, sound judgment, and fast, accurate typing and data entry skills.

How much do dispatchers make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for public safety telecommunicators, the category that includes police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, was $53,040 as of May 2025, though actual pay varies by employer and region.

What qualifications are needed to become a dispatcher?
Most employers look for at least a high school diploma, familiarity with computer aided dispatch systems, and strong communication and multitasking skills; some employers prefer prior dispatch experience.

How do I evaluate a dispatcher candidate’s skills before hiring?
A structured assessment of communication, situational judgment, and multitasking ability gives a clearer picture of a candidate’s real world readiness than a resume alone.

How can Glider AI help you hire a Dispatcher?

Glider’s recruitment platform is built on the mission of “competency over credentials”. This way, you can make the most of the hiring assessments through a structured and data driven candidate evaluation process. Access thousands of pre built assessments across hundreds of skills, including for customer service and operations roles like Dispatcher.

Glider AI’s Unique Features

• Conversational Chatbot for Talent Screening
• On Demand One Way Interviews
• Situational Judgment and Skills Assessments
• Task Based and Live Coding Enabled Video Interviews
• Advanced AI Proctoring
• Powerful Candidate Analytics

Go ahead and spotlight your Dispatcher with Glider AI today!