Job Description:

Interviews: First-round interviews are anticipated to be held in early April 2025.

Who We Are

Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) serves the public, and the people we serve may be facing challenging life circumstances, high levels of stress, or confusion about their next steps. The work you will do in this role affects members of our community who come to the court to have their cases resolved. We need people who want to impact their communities, value OJD’s efforts to remove barriers to access justice services, and welcome interacting with the public.

We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We consider relevant work, lived experience, and education, plus any transferable skills and abilities that may meet our qualifications or the skills and attributes we need for this position. We welcome all candidates who are inspired by our work and mission.

Benefits to You

• We pay 95% to 99% of medical insurance premiums for full-time employees, including mental health coverage.
• The annual salary for this position is $155,436 – $241,140. The salary range listed is for a new hire who is not yet a member of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). After becoming a member of PERS (usually after six full calendar months of employment), the required 6% employee retirement contribution will be deducted from your pay, and your salary will be increased by 6.95% to help offset that and other cost increases (such as Medicare, Social Security, state taxes, and federal taxes). For new hires who are already active PERS members, the 6% salary deduction and 6.95% salary increase will be effective immediately upon hire.
• Salary offers are made with consideration of the candidate’s education and experience.
• 10 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays, 3 personal business days, separate sick and vacation paid leaves (prorated for part-time employees), and other employee benefits such as optional insurances and flexible spending plans.
• OJD will pay you a 5% allowance for bilingual skills (includes ASL) if you can pass a skills test and are assigned to use those skills on the job.

Location Highlights

Deschutes County is one of Oregon’s fastest-growing counties and a great place to live, work, and play. Located in geographically diverse Central Oregon, between the Cascade Mountains Range to the west and the High Desert to the east, our county offers opportunities to snowboard, mountain bike, fish, hunt, hike, camp, rock climb, whitewater raft, water ski, kayak, golf, and so much more. This 3,055-square-mile region is home to several renowned resort communities and hosts a variety of annual festivals and sporting events throughout the year. For additional information about Bend, Oregon, click HERE.

Position Highlights

OJD and the judges of the 11th Judicial District seek an experienced leader to be our next Trial Court Administrator 4 for the Deschutes County Circuit Court in Bend, Oregon.

Our court is a general jurisdiction trial court that handles offenses ranging from traffic violations to capital murder, as well as civil cases: family law and juvenile matters, small claims, evictions, and multimillion-dollar lawsuits. We have nine elected judges, two pro tem judges, and approximately 70 court employees in two locations. The Trial Court Administrator reports to the Presiding Judge and has administrative authority for all aspects of personnel, revenue, information technology, capital asset management, and court operations.

In this role, you will be responsible for all nonjudicial court-related services mandated by Oregon Revised Statutes, OJD’s rules and poliies, cand the Deschutes County Circuit Court’s Supplementary Local Rules. You will manage all operational and support programs of the court. You will develop, justify, and present program budgets, monitor appropriations, expend funds, and prepare financial reports; our court has an operating budget of roughly $16.5 million. You will plan, develop, and implement short- and long-term policies, programs, and organizational changes. You will research and present issues to our judges. You will also liaise with community and statewide partners to advocate for programs, projects, and legislative actions.

Additionally, you will ensure that our staff have the training and support they need, the resources to do their work, and a positive working environment in which teamwork and cooperation encourage them to be their best professional selves.

Our Ideal Candidate

Your competence, reliability, and eagerness to collaborate will help you manage employees, budgets, court facilities, and any special projects that arise while managing the court. The court needs someone with exceptional managerial and supervisory skills who has applied best practices in a similarly sized organization and is well versed in organizational management and planning (staff and workload). We need a leader who makes reasonable, informed decisions and who has developed and implemented policies, objectives, and priorities in conjunction with others. As the Trial Court Administrator, you will make difficult decisions that are best for the whole organization and consider the bigger picture when making those decisions.

Your demonstrated willingness and ability to adapt to change and your knowledge of court processes, governmental budgeting, and legal research and analysis best practices will be helpful because we are subject to yearly legislative changes that need to be implemented; these changes may be at the local or statewide level and involve our business processes and rules, policies, and procedures.

We are looking for an effective, confident communicator who has solid writing skills and is comfortable making presentations, interacting with the media, testifying in front of governmental committees, leading or serving on numerous intergovernmental committees, and facilitating meetings. We need someone with strong interpersonal skills and a high level of emotional intelligence who will build relationships with judges, supervisors, court staff, community partners, and other stakeholders, adapt to different personalities and communication styles, and treat others courteously and respectfully.

Assigned tasks may be changed to accommodate workload and organizational needs.

Instructions for Cover Letter and Work History/Resume

Your cover letter and work history/resume should demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications, the Special Qualifications, and the Requested Skills and Attributes, which are listed below.

Cover Letter

• Attach your cover letter (not to exceed two pages) in the Resume/Cover Letter section of the application. Your cover letter and filename should include your name.

• In the body of your cover letter, please include responses to all Requested Skills and Attributes listed below and use specific examples to demonstrate your accomplishments.
• Address the cover letter “To the TCA Hiring Committee.”
• Do not use a generic cover letter; please personalize your cover letter for this position. We read every letter.
• Prepare your cover letter before starting your Workday application.

Work History/Resume

• Attach your updated resume in the Resume/Cover Letter section of the application. Your resume and filename should include your name.OR 
• Complete the Job History/Work Experience portion of your Workday profile if you are not using an updated resume.

Failure to follow these instructions may result in rejection of your application. All application materials will be evaluated for consistency of information, and your letter will be evaluated for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use in addition to demonstrated experience.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on the date listed above.

Minimum Qualifications

(These must be evident in your resume or work history.)

The qualified candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in public or business administration, management, social services, human resources, criminal justice, or a related field.

AND
At least five (5) years of professional work in business, public, court administration, or a related field, of which three (3) must have been in a court administration leadership role.

OR

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to nine (9) years of experience that typically supports the knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position.

Special Qualifications

(These must be verifiable.)

You must have a current driver’s license and an acceptable driving record or be able to provide an acceptable alternative means of transportation.

Requested Skills and Attributes

(These must be addressed in your cover letter.)

• Knowledge of, and experience with, court operations and both the administrative and judicial functions of a court, or recent experience managing an organization of similar complexity.
• Experience recruiting, hiring/recommending hiring, training, team building, motivating, assigning and reviewing work, measuring and managing performance, investigating and responding to employees’ concerns and grievances, and implementing disciplinary actions—up to and including terminations.
• Experience developing and maintaining positive professional relationships with superiors, subordinates, the public, the media, and a variety of stakeholders.
• Experience and skill meeting goals or objectives while working with stakeholders who have competing interests or conflicting ideas.
• Experience and skill planning, preparing, developing, and controlling a budget.

Working Conditions

• This is a full-time position, and the work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. This position is FLSA-exempt and ineligible for overtime compensation for hours worked in excess of 40 per workweek.
• Due to workload volume and meeting schedules, periodic work occurs during the lunch hour and after hours.
• Occasional travel, including some overnight travel, is required to attend meetings throughout Oregon. Travel in inclement weather may be required.
• The high-volume, fast-paced court and the operational environment work under statutory, policy, and other required timelines that require numerous quick decisions. Timely responses may require short turnaround times, and the issues are often multiple and complex.
• Frequent phone and in-person contact with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Frequent phone and in-person contact with people who may be facing challenging life circumstances, highly stressful situations, or trauma.
• Long periods of sitting or standing.
• Regular use of the following equipment: telephone, satellite phone, mobile devices, OJD-assigned computer with multiple monitors, copy machine, fax machine, and scanner.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Criminal Background Check
You will be subject to a criminal background check if you are a finalist. Adverse results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may result in disqualification if the circumstances are directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Reference Checks

By submitting your application to OJD, you consent to reference checks about your qualifications, your workplace performance, and your work product.

United States Employment Eligibility
OJD does not offer visa sponsorships. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States. OJD will use E-Verify to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.

Future Vacancies
Apply now if you are interested in this or future vacancies. This job announcement may be used to fill future vacancies in this class of work.

Veterans’ Preference
Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications will be given preference in the recruitment process. To receive preference, veterans must attach the appropriate documentation after they receive an email in their Workday inbox requesting the information to verify eligibility. The action item, asking veterans to attach their documentation, will arrive after they have submitted their initial application materials. Visit the Oregon job opportunities Veterans web page for additional details, information, and resources.

Conduct Expectations
Because of OJD’s role in providing justice and upholding the rule of law, employees of the department are required to meet the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics while on the job, and also to maintain those same high standards when taking actions in their personal lives that could reflect on the department. As an employee, you will be expected to preserve the confidentiality of information received in the course of OJD employment.

Pay Equity
As an employer, OJD complies with Oregon’s pay equity law. Salary offers are made with consideration of the candidate’s education and experience. For more information on pay equity, click here.

Employee Benefits
Click here to access information specific to OJD employee benefits.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

OJD is an eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. To learn more about this program, and how to qualify, please click here.

Questions and Support

• If you require an alternate format to complete the application process, call 503-986-5930, or TTY: Oregon Relay Service 711 for the hearing impaired. Be prepared to describe the alternate format needed.
• Workday related information and resources are available here.
• For questions about a specific OJD job posting, call 503-986-5930 or email ojd.hrsd@ojd.state.or.us.

The Oregon Judicial Department embraces equal opportunity and affirmative action. We are committed to building a diverse team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.