Alabama Northern Probation and Pretrial Services - Supervisory Probation Officer

Position Overview

U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services for the Northern District of Alabama, headquartered in Birmingham with divisional offices in Anniston, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa, is seeking applications for a Supervisory Probation Officer in Pretrial Services. The Chief U.S. Probation Officer (CUSPO) will determine the duty station. The Supervisory Probation Officer performs supervisory work related to the full range of probation or pretrial services law enforcement duties. The Supervisory Probation Officer primarily directs law enforcement officers assigned to the monitoring, investigation, and supervision of offenders/defendants. The incumbent may also supervise certain technical and administrative staff.

Representative Duties

• Supervise professional law enforcement, technical, and support staff in their duties, including establishing standards, evaluating performance, handling minor infractions, and recommending disciplinary actions. Confer regularly with staff to provide direction and assistance in case situations and with general operational procedures. Receive, prioritize, and assign work to staff, ensuring that work is assigned fairly and equitably. Monitor time and attendance and evaluate and approve leave requests. Provide training and orientation for new staff members. Serve as a resource for officers and other staff to assist with performing work successfully and efficiently. Develop and implement training programs for officers and staff. Make recommendations regarding new hires, personnel actions, and terminations
• Review and edit written work, including case plans, correspondence, and reports submitted to the court. Ensure that recommendations made by officers to the court adhere to local and national policy and guidelines. Ensure adequate coverage for office activities, court appearances, etc. Conduct audits and reviews of case work. Analyze management reports for efficient distribution of work. Establish schedules and deadlines for completion of work
• Develop recommendations and advise the court on appropriate issues. Assist senior managers in the formulation and modification of office management policies. Assist in monitoring the work of vendors and contractors, including negotiating terms of agreement, evaluating work, ensuring that contract terms are met, and related activities.
• Communicate and respond to management requests regarding case operations. Answer procedural questions for judges, staff, and the public. Provide customer service and resolve difficulties while complying with regulations, rules, and procedures. Abide by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees and court confidentiality requirements. Demonstrate sound ethics and good judgment at all times. Handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrate knowledge of the roles and functions of the federal probation and/or pretrial services office, including knowledge of the legal requirements, practices and procedures used in probation, parole, and/or pretrial services. Display knowledge of the roles, responsibilities, and relationships among the state and federal courts, U.S. Parole Commission, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Attorneys Office, Federal Public Defender’s Office, and other organizations. Exhibit an understanding of how other judicial processes and procedures relate to officers’ roles and responsibilities. Display knowledge of federal law and the criminal justice system particularly as it relates to federal probation, pretrial services, probation and parole policies and procedures. Demonstrate knowledge of surrounding communities and available community resources. Display skill in investigative techniques and skill in investigating offenders’/defendants’ backgrounds, activities, and finances, and determining the legitimacy of their income. Exhibit an understanding of the Bail Reform Act, sentencing guidelines, statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and applicable case law and changes in the law.
• Demonstrate skill in analyzing and summarizing legal concepts and issues, legal reasoning, and critical thinking. Display skill in supervising offenders/defendants, risk assessment, and developing appropriate alternatives and sanctions to non-compliant behavior. Exhibit skill in counseling offenders/defendants to maintain compliance to conditions of their release. Display skill in evaluating and applying sentencing guidelines. Demonstrate the ability to follow safety procedures. Demonstrate the ability to discern deception and act accordingly.
• Apply knowledge of supervisory and employee management principles. Display performance management skills through assessing and documenting employees' performance against established goals and objectives within a specific rating period. Display an understanding of applicable employee rights, protections, and avenues of appeal. Use mediation and problem-solving skills when managing conflicts in the workplace.
• Display the ability to effectively represent the probation/pretrial services unit among work groups and between the court and external organizations. Demonstrate proficiency in problem solving, trouble shooting, and identifying alternative solutions. Display the ability to make timely and effective decisions.
• Demonstrate skill in the use of automated equipment, including word processing, spreadsheet, database applications, and applicable automated systems, websites, and other computer-based systems used by the court. Display the ability to manage new local and national applications. Use computer software, internet, and automated systems to perform record checks, track detection test results, conduct research, compile criminal history information, and complete similar activities.

Qualifications

All probation or pretrial services officer positions require completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position.
In addition to meeting the education requirement, an individual must:

1. Have at least three years of specialized experience, including at least one year as a probation/pretrial services officer in the U.S. Courts to qualify as a CL-30; and
2. Have specialized experience that included progressively responsible administrative, technical, professional, supervisory, or managerial experience that provided an opportunity to gain:
   • Skill in developing the interpersonal work relationships needed to lead a team of employees,
   • The ability to exercise mature judgment, and
   • Knowledge of the basic concepts, principles, and theories of management and the ability to understand the managerial policies applicable to the judiciary unit involved.

Specialized experience is progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment, public administration, human relations, social work, psychology, or mental health. Experience as a police, custodial, or security officer, other than criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.

Maximum Entry Age and Medical Requirements

First-time appointees for this position must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants age 37 or over, who have previous federal law enforcement experience in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position, the maximum entry age is increased by adding the number of years of previous law enforcement experience to 37.

Because officers must effectively deal with physical attacks and are subject to moderate to arduous physical exertion, applicants must be physically capable.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen.
• Work is performed in an office setting and, in the community, and may be subject to variable hours, including nights and weekends. Work requires regular contact with persons who have violent backgrounds. These contacts may be made in both generally controlled office settings as well as in field situations (such as uncontrolled and unsafe neighborhoods/environments where illegal activities and violence may occur). Travel is required.
• 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. The medical requirements and essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers are available for public review at https://www.uscourts.gov/ under Officer and Officer Assistant Medical Requirements.
• All court employees are EXCEPTED appointments. Federal Civil Service classifications and regulations do not apply.
• Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for direct deposit of pay.

Benefits

Federal benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, 11 holidays, health, life, dental, vision insurance, and flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care, periodic salary increases, retirement benefits, Thrift Savings Plan, etc. For more informations, 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,
• 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;
2. Save the single document by your Last Name, First Name;
3. On the subject line of the email, enter 2025-01 Supervisory Probation Officer; and
4. Ensure all information is included and 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 individuals 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.

The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office 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 CUSPO may elect to select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool.

[1] 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. Applicants 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.

THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.