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Job Details for Chief U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officer

Court Name/Organization:	Louisiana Western Probation and Pretrial Services
Overview of the Position:	The U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, is accepting applications for the position of Chief U.S. Probation Officer (CUSPO). The CUSPO currently oversees a staff of over 40 employees, including probation officers, administrative and clerical staff. The CUSPO reports to the District Judges of the Western District of Louisiana and is under the administrative direction of the Chief U.S. District Judge.
Location:	Western District of Louisiana, LA
Opening and Closing Dates:	07/03/2024 - 07/31/2024
Appointment Type:	Permanent
Classification Level/Grade:	Judicial Salary Plan JSP 16-5 to 17-10
Salary:	$191,053 - $224,178
Announcement Number:	24-0001

Position Description

The CUSPO serves as the Court Unit Executive administering and managing the federal probation and pretrial services work for the entire District. The Western District of Louisiana has 11 District Judges, six Magistrate Judges, and serves five divisional offices (Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, and Shreveport). Travel within the District is required.

This is a “High-Sensitive” position. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a 10-year background investigation. The incumbent will also be subject to pre-employment and periodic random drug testing. The selectee may then be appointed provisionally, and retention will depend upon a favorable suitability determination of the background investigation. This requirement may be waived if the selectee is a U.S. Probation Officer. Further, the CUSPO will be subject to random drug screening and updated background investigations every five years.  

The Court requires employees to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Judicial Employees.

Employees of the U.S. Courts are not included in the government’s Civil Service classification. They are, however, entitled to the same benefits as other federal government employees depending on the appointment type. Employees who work at the Court are considered at-will and work at the pleasure of the Court.  

This position is subject to mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) participation for payment of net earnings.

This is a full-time permanent position with promotion potential up to JSP 17 without further competition. Starting salary commensurate with qualifications and salary history.

Representative Duties:

• Organizes the Probation & Pretrial Services office to ensure expeditious handling of investigative work for the Courts and other institutions and the effective case supervision of probationers and those on supervised release
• Reviews, analyzes, and interprets statutory Judicial Conference, Administrative Office, and local Court requirements for the administration of probation and pretrial services; promulgates policies, procedures, and guidelines necessary to meet these requirements
• Maintains administrative liaison with the Court, to include promulgating policies, procedures, and guidelines to meet the unique needs of the Court, along with standards to ensure an appropriate level of service delivery
• Serves as the office’s primary administrative liaison with the District’s Judges
• Collaborates and cooperates with other local federal Court Unit Executives to ensure appropriate levels of service delivery to the Court in an effective and efficient manner;
• Selects and recommends to the Court applicants for appointment as probation and pretrial services officers and appoints all non-officer personnel; provides specific recommendation to the Court in all other personnel matters, including promotions, salary increases, disciplinary/corrective actions, and terminations; determines that all personnel are carefully selected and adequately trained; and makes certain the work of all subordinates is systematically evaluated
• Manages the staff of the office, including all clerical, professional, supervisory, and administrative personnel
• Prepares the office’s operating budget and makes estimates for personnel, space allocation, and operating allowance needs; approves requisitions, certifies vouchers for payment, and maintains appropriate fiscal controls in all matters pertaining to travel expenses and purchases of services, equipment, and supplies
• Establishes and administers continuing in-service training programs to ensure high-quality service delivery through consistent staff development
• Establishes and maintains contact with public and private agencies that provide employment, medical, legal, or social services
• Maintains a system of communication, enabling awareness of pertinent information at all levels; delegates decision-making responsibility to appropriate levels; provides qualitative and quantitative measures of work performance; and assures accountability with minimal interference to service delivery
• Makes specific recommendations regarding Court-related criminal justice issues with particular emphasis on matters relating to sound sentencing practices
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with other Probation & Pretrial Services offices to assure that all requests for assistance from other Districts are met promptly and effectively
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with all components of the criminal justice system to include federal, state, and local law enforcement, correctional, and social services agencies
• Promotes and maintains conditions that encourage staff loyalty, enthusiasm, and positive morale
• Develops and maintains a public relations program which explains probation, parole, and other correctional services to the community; assumes responsibility for communication to the news media
• Monitors community events and issues with special attention on alleviating hazardous office and field incidents
• Responsible for the oversight of the District’s firearms and staff safety programs
• Delegates decision making to the appropriate level and ensures accountability of staff in the performance of their duties
• Responsible for the oversight of the solicitation and implementation of contractual services for substance abuse and mental health treatment of persons under supervision
• Occasionally, may perform the duties of Probation Officers (USPO) or Supervising Probation Officers (SUSPO)
• Performs related duties as required by the Court

Qualification

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible to work in the United States. To qualify for a position of CUSPO at the JSP level 14, 15, 16, or 17, the applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and possess three years of specialized experience, one of which has been at the next lower grade level or its equivalent. Specialized experience must be earned after the bachelor’s degree has been granted. To qualify for a position of CUSPO above the JSP 16 level, a person must, in addition to the three years of progressively responsible specialized experience, possess three years of substantial management experience earned after the bachelor's degree has been issued.
• The three years of specialized experience is mandatory and does not permit any substitutions
• Probation and pretrial services officers and assistants must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. The mandatory separation age for positions covered under law enforcement retirement is 57, with 20 years of service.

General Experience

Court Preferred Skills
These additional qualifications, skills, and experience are preferred, but not required:

• A graduate degree in a closely related field received from an accredited university
• Proven skills in problem-solving, resource management and staff motivation. Excellent organizational leadership and management skills. Excellent analytical and writing skills. Ability to analyze relevant information and prepare an accurate written summary of technical information in an organized, objective, clear and concise manner, and well-versed in workplace technology.
• Comprehensive knowledge of and substantial experience in all areas of the operation and management of a federal probation and pretrial services office. Knowledge of U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, applicable statutes and case law, and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Knowledge of evidence-based and re-entry initiatives which clearly link to current and future operations and activities.
• Specialized high-level experience in budgeting and financial management, staffing and human resource functions, long and short-range planning, and oversight of information technology systems

Specialized Experience

• Progressively responsible experience in the investigation, supervision, counseling, and guidance of offenders placed in community correction or pretrial programs is required
• Experience as a police officer, FBI agent, customs agent, marshal, or similar positions, other than any criminal investigation experience, does not meet the requirements of specialized experience

Substantial Management Experience:

• Substantial management experience is high-level administrative experience that provided a thorough understanding of the organization, procedural, and human aspects of managing an organization. Such experience typically includes financial management, space and facilities management, oversight of the information technology and human resources functions, and long and short-range planning. 
• Possible titles indicative of this experience outside the judiciary would be president or vice president in charge of several departments or offices, director, or assistant director in charge of several departments or offices, head manager or owner-operator of a medium to large company
• Possible titles within the judiciary would include Deputy Chief Probation Officer, Deputy Chief Pretrial Services Officer, Assistant Deputy Chief Probation Officer, and Assistant Deputy Chief Pretrial Services Officer

Substitutions:

• Three years of substantial management experience may be substituted for the requirement that one of the three years of specialized experience be at or equivalent to the next lower grade level
• If the applicant does not have three years of substantial management experience, then one of the years of specialized experience must have been at or equivalent to the next lower grade level

Benefits

Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointment (not civil service). Employees working at least 20 hours per week, or more are eligible for benefits. The general Federal Employees benefits package includes:

• Social Security and Medicare benefits
• 10 paid Federal holidays
• Paid annual and sick leave
• Retirement benefits under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
• Tax Deferred Retirement savings and investment under the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with employer matching contributions
• Health benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB)
• Supplemental Dental and Vision Benefits offered through Federal Employees Vision and Dental Plan (FEDVIP)
• Life insurance benefits under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI)
• Group Long Term Care Insurance through CNA
• Flexible Benefits Program for Health Care Reimbursement and Child Care Reimbursement
• Federal Employees Group Long Term Disability Program (FEGLTD)
• Long Term Care Insurance through the Federal Judiciary or the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Miscellaneous

Desirable Personal Characteristics: Successful candidates must be leaders and motivators; must be mature and highly organized; must possess tact, strong integrity, mature judgment, poise, and initiative; and must maintain a professional appearance and demeanor at all times. Ability to meet with 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.

How To Apply

Qualified applicants should submit a complete applicant’s packet, which includes: a letter of interest (containing a statement as to why you feel you are the best candidate for the Chief U.S. Probation Officer position); a current, detailed resume with salary history; and a completed Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (Form AO 78).   

Applicants’ packets must be received by 5 p.m. CT on July 31, 2024 to be considered. Applications for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (Form AO 78) may be downloaded from the U.S. Courts website www.uscourts.gov. Please reference the announcement number in your letter of interest. Applications will not be considered complete until all the items listed above have been received by Human Resources. Applications may be emailed or mailed. If an application is emailed, Human Resources will send a reply email indicating “application received.” If a reply email is not received timely, please call the U.S. Probation Office at 337-593-5195.  

Applications may be emailed to:

Michelle_Kennedy@lawp.uscourts.gov

(Please save attachment as a PDF file.)

or

Applications may be mailed to:

Personnel Specialist
U.S. Probation Office
800 Lafayette Street, Suite 2400
Lafayette, LA 70501

Additional Information: The most qualified applicants may be invited to one (or more) personal interview(s) with the Court. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to travel to the designated location at their own expense. The Court is not authorized to reimburse applicants for travel and/or relocation expenses. Applicants progressing beyond the initial interview phase may be tested for eligibility. 

The Court has the right to modify the conditions of this vacancy announcement, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time before the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written notice.

The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify human resources at: Michelle_Kennedy@lawp.uscourts.gov

The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services Office for the Western District of Louisiana values diversity in the work place.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.