Position Overview

U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services for the Northern District of Alabama is seeking applications for a Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer Type II (Deputy Chief) in the Birmingham office. A strong collaborative relationship is required between the Chief and Deputy Chief. The Deputy Chief assists the Chief U.S. Probation Officer (Chief) in the administration and management of all probation services in the district. As an integral part of the organization’s executive management, the incumbent will be responsible for providing high level leadership to formulate, supervise, and implement policy and initiatives to achieve organizational goals and objectives with a focus on strengths-based leadership and evidence-based practices. The ideal candidate will have thorough knowledge of the Federal Probation and Pretrial Services system and possess management experience.

The Northern District of Alabama’s jurisdiction encompasses 31 counties in the northern part of Alabama. We are headquartered in Birmingham with divisional offices in Anniston, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa.

Representative Duties

• The position entails administrative and managerial functions that include but are not limited to: Complies with the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, championing the Charter for Excellence, and maintaining court confidentiality requirements. Demonstrating integrity, sound ethics, mature judgment, and professional demeanor.
• In conjunction with the Chief, develops, leads, implements and manages programs and projects.
• Participates in the organization and management of the office to ensure expeditious handling of investigative work for the courts, institutions, and parole authorities, and the effective supervision of probationers and parolees.
• Meets with managers to discuss operational needs and issues. Uses statistical reports to monitor workload. Assists the Chief with making operational and administrative decisions, including allocating resources, developing procedures and strategies and overseeing programs.
• Assists the Chief in the formulation, implementation, and modification of probation and parole policies in the district.
• Assists the Chief in managing the district’s budget. Participates in budget preparation, planning, justification and execution.
• Manages, develops and mentors staff including establishing standards, performance management, addressing disciplinary actions, recommending new hires, promotions, personnel actions and terminations.
• Ensures the accountability and development of the management team and staff; encourages, mentors, and ensures continuous professional development and learning in the performance of their duties.
• Participates in systematic analysis of performance for all subordinates.
• Oversees the supervision of office staff including all clerical, professional, supervisory, and administrative personnel; pays particular attention to travel, leave, and scheduling of work hours.
• Assists in estimating personnel, space allocation, travel expenses, and purchases of services, equipment, and supplies.
• Assists in establishing and maintaining cooperative relationships with other U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Offices to assure all requests for assistance from other districts are met promptly and effectively.
• Assists in establishing and maintaining cooperative relationships with all components of the criminal justice system to include Federal, state, and local law enforcement, correctional, and social service agencies.
• Assists in promoting and maintaining conditions which encourage staff loyalty, enthusiasm, and morale.
• Identifies training needs within the district.
• Participates in public relations which explain probation, parole, and other correctional services to the community.
• Confers with judges, attorneys, and other interested parties to interpret office policy and procedures.
• Monitors community issues and events with special focus on alleviating hazardous office and field incidents.
• Occasionally, Deputy Chief may perform the duties of a U. S. Probation Officer (USPO) or Supervisory USPO.
• Performs related duties as required by the Chief and the court.

Qualifications

To qualify for a position of Deputy Chief at JSP-14, 15, or 16, a person must possess the following years of progressively responsible specialized experience earned after the bachelor’s degree has been issued:

Specialized Experience

• Progressively responsible experience in the investigation, supervision, counseling, and guidance of adult offenders in community correction programs is required.
• Experience in closely allied fields such as education guidance counselor, social worker, caseworker, psychologist, substance abuse treatment specialists, and correctional researcher may constitute a portion of the specialized experience.
• Experience in police officer, FBI agent, customs agent, marshal, or similar positions, other than any criminal investigation experience, does not meet the requirements of specialized experience.

Educational Substitutions

Completion of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) of graduate study in one of the social sciences may be substituted for one year of the specialized experience; or completion of a master’s degree or two years of graduate study (60 semester or 90 quarter hours) in an accredited university in one of the social sciences or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree may be substituted for two years of the specialized experience.

Note: A degree that relies primarily upon credit for life experience rather than academic course work is not considered qualifying for substitution of educational experience for actual work experience under this section.

Court Preferred Skills and Experience

• Advanced degree in a related field.
• Currently hold status as an Assistant Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer, Supervisory Probation/Pretrial Officer, or Probation or Pretrial Services Officer Specialist within the U.S. Courts.
• Broad knowledge of the criminal justice system and U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services systems.
• Project Management experience with the ability to think strategically with the big picture in mind and to use creativity and innovation to lead major change initiatives and oversee multiple projects simultaneously.
• Additional broad-based experience, training and/or knowledge in employee supervision, staffing and human resources, short and long-range strategic planning, budgeting and financial management, which includes procurement, contract proposals and monitoring, information technology systems, internal controls, agency operations, and other administrative tasks.
• Have a thorough understanding of Probation and Pretrial Case Tracking System (PACTS) and Decision Support System (DSS) and demonstrate how to use PACTS and DSS reports to formulate solutions to problems. Further, successful candidate must demonstrate how data has been used to access trends and ensure evidence-based practices within their respective discipline (i.e., Pretrial Services, Presentence, and/or Post-conviction).
• Direct management experience in developing, implementing, administering, and evaluating comprehensive result-oriented evidence-based programs, practices, and policies.
• Strong desire to foster information sharing and to work collaboratively with management teams and other court units.
• Dedication to fostering and supporting ideas and opinions, shared in a professional manner, to ensure continued growth and inclusion of all staff with the ability to motivate others.

Candidates must also demonstrate

Successful candidates must be leaders and motivators; must be mature and highly organized; must possess tact, good judgment, poise, and initiative; and must maintain a professional appearance and demeanor at all times. The ability to meet the public, work harmoniously with others, and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, is required. Must be flexible and conscientious about detail and accuracy. Must be able to balance the demands of varying workload responsibilities and deadlines. Excellent analytical and writing skills are required, along with the ability to analyze relevant information and prepare an accurate written summary of technical information in an organized, objective, clear, and concise manner.

Maximum Entry Age and Medical Requirements

Retirement is mandatory at age 57. Because officers must effectively deal with physical attacks and are subject to moderate to arduous physical exertion, applicants must be physically capable. The medical requirements and essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers are available for public review under Officer and Officer Assistant Medical Requirements.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen.
• Work is generally performed in an office setting, where persons with violent backgrounds may be present. Light lifting of boxes of case records and office supplies is required.
• Travel is required inside and outside of the district and may require working non-business hours.;
• Prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position will undergo a drug screening. Upon successful completion of the drug screening, the selectee may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the court.
  In addition, as a condition of employment, incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background investigations every five years and, as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.
• Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for direct deposit of pay.
• All court employees are EXCEPTED appointments and employed “at will.” Federal Civil Service classifications and regulations do not apply.
• Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.

Benefits

Federal benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, 11 holidays, health, life, dental, and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care, periodic salary increases, retirement benefits, Thrift Savings Plan, etc. For more information, visit: https://www.uscourts.gov/careers/benefits.

How to Apply

To be considered for this position, applicants are required to provide the following:

• Letter of interest, outlining experience as it relates to this position;
• Current resume with three professional references (name, address, and telephone number);
• Application for Judicial Branch Employment (Form AO-78 );
• College transcript(s) (an unofficial copy is acceptable) and
• Signed copies of the two most recent performance evaluations (if not applicable, include an explanation in your letter of interest).

Submit the above documents in the format below:

1. Combine all documents into one PDF in the above order and save document by your Last Name, First Name; 
2. On the subject line of the email, enter 2025-05 Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer; and 
3. Email the complete packet to resumes@alnp.uscourts.gov.
    

Please do not submit your application more than once. Multiple submissions will not be considered. Applicants who do not follow instructions may not be considered. Due to the volume of applicants, we will only communicate with those who are selected for an interview and only applicants who are interviewed will receive a response regarding their application status. Please no phone calls. Travel and relocation expenses are not reimbursable.

U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services reserves the right to modify/withdraw the announcement or fill more than one position from this announcement, any of which may occur without notice to applicants. If a subsequent vacancy of the same position becomes available within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the Chief U.S. Probation Officer may elect to select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool. 
 

THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

 Form AO-78 http://www.uscourts.gov/forms/AO078.pdf

This position is not covered under the Fair Chance to Compete (FCA) and requires you to complete the optional background information on the AO-78. The selectee for this position is subject to a criminal record check and satisfactory adjudication by the employing office to be eligible for employment. Due to the sensitivity level of this position, candidates may be asked about their criminal history prior to receiving a tentative offer of employment. Candidates completing the AO-78 must complete questions 18-20 regarding their criminal history. Criminal history is not in itself disqualifying. All available information, past and present, favorable and unfavorable, about the reliability and trustworthiness of an individual will be considered when making an employment suitability determination. Providing false and/or misleading information may be grounds for removal from the application and selection process, as well as disciplinary action if discovered after an individual’s date of hire.