UNITED STATES PROBATION OFFICE – DISTRICT OF KANSAS

500 State Ave., Room M-35

Kansas City, KS 66101

www.ksp.uscourts.gov

Supervising U.S. Probation Officer                                                                                                      Vacancy Announcement #KC 24-13

POSITION OVERVIEW 

The SUSPO is a federal law enforcement position which performs supervisory work related to the full range of probation and pretrial services officer duties, which primarily include directing officers assigned to the monitoring, investigation, and supervision of offenders and defendants. The SUSPO has district-wide responsibilities in his/her area of expertise and will fill a key leadership role within the district, serving as a member of the district’s management team. The incumbent must be committed to lifetime learning and performing as a self-starter as he/she grows in the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to excel in this position.  The incumbent leads by example and demonstrates mature judgment, technical excellence, policy execution, staff development, and maintains a service-based viewpoint.  The incumbent shall be knowledgeable in the full range of operations and services to the court and public.  This position requires integrity, initiative, teamwork, creativity, flexibility, dedication, and loyalty to the mission of the District of Kansas.  This position is considered hazardous duty, which may require irregular work hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays.  The incumbent will also be expected to travel, including to divisional offices, national events, and related to the supervision of persons under supervision.
The District of Kansas is an evidence-based organization, meaning that work is approached in a manner that has been empirically researched and proven to have measurable positive outcomes for defendants and offenders.  

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
•    Supervises officers within the Pretrial and Presentence Units, with potential for supervision of other units either primarily or as a backup.
•    Assigns and schedules work within the unit.
•    Reviews and evaluates work in the unit to ensure accuracy, quality, timeliness, and adherence to statutes, judiciary and court policies, procedures, and guidelines.
•    Confers regularly with probation officers; provides direction and assistance to the officers toward improving their supervision, investigation, and writing skills.
•    Assists probation officers in meeting the needs of offenders and defendants with complex problems and circumstances; provides leadership in the development of sentencing alternatives, utilization of community resources, and the application of professionally sound case management principles.
•    Assesses the adjustment of individuals under supervision in consultation with the assigned probation officer and assists in decision-making for recommendations for early termination, modification or extension of supervision, and revocation of supervision. 
•    Assures continuing staff development by recommending and, in consultation with the Training Coordinators and senior management, planning and implementing training programs in the district. 
•    Mentors and trains specialists and officers.  Responsible for preparing staff to seek future promotion opportunities, special project assignments, and professional development.
•    Assumes responsibility in unusually sensitive or complex cases, and in urgent matters arising in a subordinate’s caseload.
•    Conducts staff meetings to identify operational needs, and to develop appropriate solutions.
•    Evaluates the performance of probation officers in the unit on a systematic and regular basis.
•    Acknowledges the District of Kansas as an evidence-based organization and supports evidence-based practices.
•    Shares with other managers the responsibility of promoting staff morale and encouraging loyalty, interest, enthusiasm, and a positive work environment.  
•    Serves as a major communication catalyst and as a link between line staff and senior management, assuring implementation of administrative direction while concurrently providing information to senior management for future action.
•    Develops understanding and cooperative relationships with judges, members of the court family, other law enforcement, community service agencies and the public.
•    Supervises field travel to include review and approval of all travel vouchers of officers in the unit.
•    Represents the Probation Office and the Court at meetings, seminars, and conferences.  Makes formal presentations to interested groups. Utilizes external resources and organizations such as the United States Sentencing Commission and the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts to improve policies and procedures in the District of Kansas. 
•    Assists senior management in the formulation and modification of office management policies.
•    Performs related duties as required by the Chief Probation Officer, Deputy Chief Probation Officer and Assistant Deputy Chief Probation Officer.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Because this position is a secondary or “administrative” law enforcement position, the selectee must already be in a secondary law enforcement position or have been continuously employed in a primary/rigorous federal law enforcement position for at least 3 years without a break in service exceeding 3 days.
To qualify for the position of Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer, an applicant must possess the following:
1.    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;
2.    Three years of specialized experience (defined below), including at least one year as a probation/pretrial services officer in the U.S. Courts, which may not be substituted with post-graduate education; and
3.    Progressively responsible administrative, technical, professional, supervisory, or managerial experience that provided an opportunity to gain: 
    a) skill in developing the interpersonal work relationships needed to lead a team of employees; 
b) the ability to exercise mature judgment; and 
c) knowledge of the basic concepts, principles, and theories of management and the ability to understand the managerial policies applicable to U.S. Probation.
Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible experience 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 any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.

PREFERRED SKILLS  
•    Knowledge and/or experience with evidence-based practices.
•    Master's degree.
•    Previous management experience, education, or training relevant to probation office operations.
•    Participation and proven track record in administrative processes through active committee memberships or special assignments.
•    Experience in training staff on policy and procedural matters or other core issues.
•    Participation in the Federal Judicial Center's Leadership Program. 
•    Ability to work under pressure with short deadlines while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor.
•    Ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and foster high ethical standards.
•    Ability to interact and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people of diverse backgrounds. This includes offenders, law enforcement, collateral agency personnel at different government levels, and community service providers.

BENEFITS
1.    13 days paid vacation for each of the first three years
2.    20 days paid vacation during years 4-14
3.    26 days paid vacation annually with 15 years of service 
4.    13 days paid sick leave annually
5.    11 paid federal holidays
6.    Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System
7.    Participation in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with government match up to 5%
8.    Health, Dental, Vision, Group Life, and Long-Term Care Insurance Plans 
9.    Participation in the Flexible Benefits Program for Health and Dependent Care
10.    Up to 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for eligible employees
11.    Participation in Federal Occupational Health (FOH)/Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
12.    Student loan forgiveness for qualified individuals, pursuant to the terms of the PSLF program
13.    Free parking
14.    Free onsite fitness center

APPLICATION PROCEDURE 
To apply for this position, applicants must submit the following application materials in a single Adobe PDF document via email to hr@ksd.uscourts.gov. Please include “KC24-13 – SUSPO” in the subject line. 
1.    A cover letter describing your leadership style, familiarity with evidence-based practices, and how your particular skills and experience relate to the position,
2.    A current resume, and
3.    If not a current District of Kansas employee, a Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment (Form AO-78: separate forms available for PC and Mac users)
Applicants selected for an interview may be asked to submit college transcripts and copies of the two most recent job performance evaluations, if applicable.  

* You SHOULD respond to questions 18, 19, and 20 of the AO 78 application form, in accordance with the Fair Chance to Compete with Jobs Act of 2019.

EVALUATION PROCESS 
Applicants will be evaluated initially against their experience and educational background to determine if they meet minimum qualifications.  Eligible applicants will be screened and rated as to experience, education, and training.  Applicants may be required to respond to written assignments and undergo testing during the selection process.  

ADDITONAL INFORMATION 
The U.S. Probation Office reserves the right to modify or withdraw this job announcement without prior written notice. One or more positions may be filled from this vacancy announcement. This position is subject to mandatory participation in electronic payment of net pay (i.e. Direct Deposit) and a favorable background check, which may be subject to periodic updates. The U.S. Probation Office requires employees to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct. Due to the volume of applications received, the court may only communicate to those individuals selected for an interview. Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid. Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work for the United States Government.

THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER