Division Chief (Civil Division)

Division Chief

Do you have supervisory or management experience? Are you able to establish and maintain working relationships with all levels of staff? Do you work well under the pressure of deadlines? If so, we may have the job for you!

The Superior Court of California, County of Alameda is recruiting for the position of Division Chief. Under direction, the Division Chief plans, organizes and manages the operation of a division within a courthouse; defines goals and objectives and evaluates accomplishments; develops and oversees the implementation of operational procedures; may be designated to act in the absence of the Division Director, or designee; and performs related duties as required.

The Court is seeking to fill one (1) vacancy assigned to the Civil Division located at the Ren C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland, CA. The Civil Division includes appeals, Civil, Probate, and Records Clerks Office operations, Civil and Probate Courtroom Clerks, Exhibits Department, Interpreter Services, Jury Services, Probate Court Examiners and Investigators. You may be required to work at any courthouse location or in any department under the Civil Division and/or travel between multiple locations.

Example of Duties

NOTE: The following are duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

• Manages and participates in the daily operation of a division; develops and implements goals, objectives and procedures for the Division consistent with Court policies; develops standards against which to evaluate performance and level of service; recommends changes in policies and procedures.
• Estimates budget needs for the operation of the Division; writes justifications for funding requests; monitors expenditures to assure compliance with budget; assesses the cause of, and accounts for, variances between projected and actual expenditures; formulates budget requests; prepares operational reports, financial statements and other materials; makes presentations, as required.
• Plans, directs and coordinates the Division's work plan; reviews the details of the plan with subordinate staff identifying potential problems and determining solutions; assigns projects and programmatic areas of responsibility to subordinate staff; prioritizes workload to meet expectations; reviews and evaluates work methods and procedures; hears, responds to and resolves staff problem and concerns.
• Selects, directs, develops and evaluates assigned staff directly or through subordinate supervisors; coordinates training programs intended to enhance staff capabilities, to utilize time more effectively, and to improve the delivery of services; reviews action plans for performance improvement; follows up on progress of plans for corrective action; implements authorized disciplinary action.
• Conducts a variety of organizational and operational studies to support proposed modifications to Division programs; analyzes proposed legislation and administrative regulations for their impact on Division services, staffing and funding; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of court services.
• Maintains an awareness of the automation needs of the Division; functions as liaison for information systems services; provides input on space needs and office layouts; monitors contracts and grants; maintains consistency of fiscal, personnel and payroll activities of the Division within established policy.
• Serves on committees and task forces both within the Court and with local, state and national agencies and organizations; provides liaison between assigned division and others within the Court and County, and with other courts, county, state, and community agencies as necessary.
• May act in the absence of the Division Director, or designee.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Option I

Experience: The equivalent to four years of full-time experience as a Court Supervisor in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda service.

Or Option II

Experience: The equivalent to four years of full-time supervisory or management experience responsible for administration of a major division in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda service.

Or Option III

Education: Possession of a Bachelor's degree in business administration, criminal justice, psychology, public administration or social sciences. Additional supervisory or management experience in a court or legal environment may substitute for the education on a year-for-year basis.

Experience: The equivalent to four years of full-time supervisory or management experience in a court or legal environment Knowledge of principles and practices of management and supervision including staff development and training; principles of budget preparation and administration; operational characteristics, services and activities of a court; computer technology as applied to court operations, methods, and programs; court and courtroom procedures and processes; code of Civil Procedure, Penal Code, Vehicle Code and other statutes relating to court procedures; modern office methods including use of personal computer and related software; and legal terminology. Ability to administer projects and operations consistent with policies and goals; supervise staff; plan, direct and evaluate the work of staff; work under the pressure of deadlines, conflicting demands, and emergencies; establish and maintain working relationships with all levels of Court staff, elective and appointive bodies, and members of the general public; select alternatives, project the consequences of proposed actions, implement administrative policies and work programs consistent with regulations and with Court policies and goals; understand, interpret, and apply laws and regulations; communicate in writing on matters related to Division policies, funding, and operations; perform legal research; revise and adapt procedures to changing needs; and plan and implement training programs.

This position includes a one-year probationary period. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of fingerprint check and the provision of appropriately identifying documents to certify eligibility to work in the United States.

The hiring process will include the following components:

• An initial screening of all application materials received including a completed application and supplemental questionnaire. A resume does not substitute for completing the application. An incomplete or partial application or supplemental questionnaire will result in disqualification.
• A review of the completed application and supplemental questionnaire to select the best-qualified candidates for the oral panel interview process.
• An oral interview that will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

The Court reserves the right to change the components of the examination process and may limit the number of candidates invited to the oral interview process to include only the best-qualified candidates should there be a large applicant pool.

The application and supplemental questionnaire are used to evaluate the candidate's qualifications. If you are interested in the opportunity, it is recommended that you submit your application and supplemental questionnaire as soon as possible since this recruitment may be closed at any time should the Court receive a sufficient number of qualified applicants.

If you require accommodation in the examination process because of disability, please call (510) 891-6021 to discuss.