Director Of Court Services (director, General District Court)

Job Announcement

Under the administrative direction of the Deputy County Executive, the Director is responsible for the overall management and operation of court services of the General District Court; directs and manages the administrative and operational functions including the pre and post-trial evaluation and supervision of clients for multiple courts; oversee the administrative and volunteer/intern units and grant activities of the Court Services Division (CDU) of the of the General District Court; and performs related work as required.

Administrative Operations includes management of disciplines such as Policy Development, Legislative Review, Strategic Planning, Budget, Grants Management, Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, Volunteer/Intern Program, Facility Management, and Emergency and Continuity of Operations Planning.

Case Management includes management of a Pretrial Evaluation Program, community supervision of Pretrial and Probation adult clients, and other specialty programs related to community supervision.

Policy Development

• Reviews, interprets, establishes and maintains policies and procedures to ensure compliance with laws and regulations such as Code of Virginia, Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and County of Fairfax.
• Monitors to ensure compliance, efficiency, and program integrity.
• Serves on the Fairfax County Legislative Review Team to provide guidance on legislation that impacts the court, community supervision, and the criminal justice system.

Research Analysis

• Keeps abreast of changes of related laws, research, best practice, trends and emerging technologies to support new initiatives and opportunities; analyzes details and impact on the programs and operations, making necessary modifications to the programs accordingly.
• Directs record keeping and report preparation; analyzes research data and advises the county executive, deputy county executive and the Chief Judge of the GDC.
• Coordinates with the Court Department of Information Technology for support.
• Responds to and manages special inquiries and studies as directed by the board of supervisors, state legislature and DCJS.

Strategic Planning, Budget Development, Grants Management

• Develops and guides the agency’s strategic plan to ensure adequate and equitable service delivery that meets the needs of the community and the mandates of the court, and local, state, or federal government and aligns with the County’s mission, vision, and priorities.
• Directs development and maintenance of performance measures and collection of statistical data, timely submission of statistical reports, and conducts analytic research to identify trends and to assess attainment of program objectives.
• Ensures Capital Improvement Program needs are documented and advocates for agency.
• Develops grant applications at state and federal level for programs impacting all aspects of the GDC and supervises such grant activities.
• Provides financial oversight of multiple funding streams, including agency and grant budgets where extensive financial reporting is required at frequent intervals.
• Formulates and justifies budgetary requirements, monitors budget execution and adherence to the target for all units.
• Reviews budget priorities and plans for overall agency budget submission.

Program Management

• Manages the agency operations on a day-to-day (i.e., facility, human capital management, financial, procurement, budget) and long-range basis to ensure that the GDC mission and goals are met, and an adequate level of services and support is provided equitably and efficiently.
• Plans, coordinates, and advocates for the advancement of GDC programs.
• Routinely meets with county officials, judges, and management staff within the court to resolve complex administrative and policy issues.
• Ensures agency has or develops an emergency response plan and continuity of operation plan to include identifying alternate facility space, logistics.
• planning, and procedures to perform critical duties during emergency declarations.
• Reports on emergency issues impacting services to the public and assists in developing and improving service delivery that meets the needs of the community and the mandates of the court.

Community Involvement and Collaboration

• Serves on the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB), the Fairfax County Community Criminal Justice Board (CCJB), the Fairfax County Diversion First team, the Virginia Community Corrections Justice Association (VCCJA) Director’s team and BOS Legislative Committee, and other committees as needed.
• Attends and represents the agency at senior management, director level, and Board of Supervisor Committee meetings, as required.
• Maintains cooperative relationships with federal, state, and local public and private agencies and handles sensitive and high-profile cases.
• Collaborates with other courts and criminal justice agencies such as DCJS to plan and implement programs and initiatives.

Financial and Procurement

• Oversight and management of purchases in compliance with procurement regulations.
• Authorizes or delegates authority for invoicing and payments and timely financial reconciliation in accordance with policy.
• Oversees proper recording of revenue and expenditures, both personnel and operating, in County financial system and DCJS grants management system.
• Participates on IT Project Teams and selection advisory teams to screen and select vendors or delegates responsibility.
• Full participates in audits conducted by both county and state auditors.

Human Capital Management

• Ensures efficient use of human capital (career, interns, volunteers) allocated to achieve program objectives and advocates for additional resources when needed.
• Provides oversight and management of the hiring process.
• Provides direct supervision to Assistant Directors and ensure they adequately manage and train staff to foster employee engagement and development.
• Oversees diversity analysis and ensures Americans with Disability Act requests from staff and citizens are handled properly.
• Oversees some HR functions of GDC staff that may be deployed to other departments such as IT or Paralegals who’s daily work is under others’ direction, including time management and employee relations.

The ideal candidate for the Director of Court Services position:

• is a proactive, innovative leader with a successful track record of increasingly responsible experience in the field of pre-trial supervision and probation services, including an in-depth knowledge of, and a strong background experience working within, local, regional, state, and federal legislative mandates;
• has knowledge of the legal requirements and best practices in the areas of case management, including pretrial supervision (both incarcerated and bonded defendants awaiting trial) and defendants on probation;
• has extensive senior management level experience in managing and operating complex organizations and is a customer-focused individual with strong interpersonal skills;
• has proven experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including regional partners, human services agencies, public safety agencies, county-level leadership and executive boards, and community-based partners;
• has experience setting departmental strategic direction and providing oversight of strategic planning, operational implementation, data analysis, and evaluation efforts;
• cultivates the development and professional growth of staff and creates a culture of engagement and innovation;
• has demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning, grants management, and budget development; financial oversight to include risk assessment reports and audits; human capital management; facilities management; and emergency/continuity of operations planning; and
• has experience overseeing departmental workforce development efforts as it relates to established competencies.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listening this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

• Knowledge of and the ability to apply the principles of administration, including organizational and human resource planning;
  
• Knowledge of budget and management analysis related to court operation and management;
  
• Knowledge of the applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, codes and regulations applicable to court administration;
  
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of psychology and sociology; Knowledge of the practices and procedures of casework supervision and intake activities;
  
• Knowledge of current trends and methods of treating delinquency and related problems; Knowledge of court computer systems and applications;
  
• Ability to speak and write effectively;
  
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals and public officials.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
A master's degree in social/behavioral sciences, criminal justice, law enforcement, business or public administration or related field; plus six years of professional responsible experience in probation/court services work.

CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
National Crime Information Center/Virginia Crime Information Network (NCIC/VCIN) level B certification within six months of appointment and recertification every two years.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIRMENTS:

• All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.
• The appointee to the position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a credit check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Job is generally sedentary in nature but may require lifting up to 15 pounds. Required to read data on computer monitor. Operate keyboard driven equipment. Must communicate with others clearly and with tact and diplomacy. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.