Chief U.S. Probation Officer

The United States Probation Office for the District of Colorado is accepting applications for the position of Chief U.S. Probation Officer to succeed the incumbent who is retiring on May 31, 2025.

This is a full-time permanent, highly visible executive position. The selected candidate will be expected to provide strong leadership to the hard-working Probation staff.

All potential applicants are encouraged to scroll through and read the complete job description before applying.

The Chief U.S. Probation Officer is appointed by the Court and reports directly to the Chief District Judge. The Chief U.

S. Probation Officer manages the federal pretrial, sentencing, probation, supervised release, and parole services for the District.

The United States Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the District of Colorado has approximately 70 total employees, including law enforcement officers and support staff.

The office also shares Human Resources with the District Court Clerk’s Office and the Bankruptcy Court Clerk’s Office and an IT Department with the District Court Clerk’s Office.

The Chief works in conjunction with the other Court Unit Executives to manage those resources and shares responsibility for compliance with the Court’s Employment Dispute Resolution Plan.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

• Organizes the Probation Office to ensure expeditious handling of investigative work for the court, institutions, and parole authorities, including the preparation of presentence investigations (PSIs) and the case supervision of defendants, probationers and parolees / supervised releasees and administers a program of pretrial services;
• Reviews, analyzes, and interprets statutory, Judicial Conference, and Parole Commission requirements for the administration of pretrial, probation, and supervised release services;
• promulgates policies, procedures, and guidelines necessary to meet these requirements;
• Maintains liaison with the Chief Judge and other judges; makes specific recommendations regarding policies, procedures, guidelines, standards, and court related criminal justice issues to ensure an appropriate level of service delivery;
• Selects and recommends candidates for appointment as probation officers to the Chief Judge and appoints all non-officer personnel;
• approves personnel matters including promotions and salary increases; with Court approval, makes recommendations on disciplinary actions and dismissals;
• Manages office staff, including all clerical, professional, supervisory, and administrative personnel;
• Ensures all personnel are carefully selected and adequately trained; provides qualitative and quantitative measures of work performance;
• assures accountability; establishes and administers training programs to ensure high quality and consistent staff development;
• Maintains communication of pertinent information at all levels; delegates decision making responsibility at appropriate levels;
• Promotes and ensures a safe and harassment free work environment; fosters conditions that encourage staff commitment, enthusiasm, and positive morale;
• Makes estimates of personnel, space allocation, and operating allowance needs; approves requisitions; certifies vouchers for payment;
• maintains appropriate fiscal controls in all matters pertaining to travel expenses and purchases of services, equipment, and supplies;
• Formulates the annual budget and manages all federal appropriated funds subject to Court approval;
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with other probation and pretrial services offices and with all components of the criminal justice system, including federal, state, and local law enforcement and correctional and social services agencies;
• Oversees the solicitation and implementation of contractual services for substance abuse, sex offender, and mental health treatment of persons under supervision;
• Ensures use of evidence-based-practices in a community-based corrections environment in the district;
• Oversees the district programs regarding officer safety and firearms, officer response tactics, search and seizure, and staff safety;
• Monitors community events and issues with special attention on alleviating hazardous office and field incidents.
• Develops and maintains a public relations program; assumes responsibility for communication to the news media;
• Promotes and maintains conditions that encourage staff loyalty, wellness, morale, diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Occasionally may perform the duties of probation officers or supervising probation officers; and
• Performs related duties as required by the Court.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university;
• Three years of progressively responsible specialized experience, earned after completion of a bachelor’s degree;
• Three years of substantial management experience, in addition to the three years of specialized experience.

Specialized Experience : Progressively responsible experience in the investigation, supervision, counseling, and guidance of offenders in community correction or pretrial programs is required.

Unless criminal investigation duties are routinely performed, experience as a police officer, FBI agent, customs agent, marshal, or any similar position does not meet the requirements of specialized experience.

Substantial Management Experience : Substantial management experience is high level administrative experience that provides a thorough understanding of the organizational, 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Ph.D., J.D., or master’s degree from an accredited university;
• At least five years combined experience as a U.S. Probation Officer, including experience in both investigations and supervision including experience in the operation and management of the U.
• S. Probation and Pretrial Services system;
• Knowledge of Federal Judiciary strategic plans, policies, and procedures; the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, applicable statutes and case law;
• and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure;
• Direct management experience in developing, implementing, and administering comprehensive evidence-based programs in criminal justice;
• An understanding of the Judiciary’s decentralized administrative model.

BENEFITS

Employees are eligible for a full range of benefits such as paid holidays, vacation and sick leave. Choice of employer-subsidized federal health and life insurance plans, with optional dental, vision, and long-term care coverage.

Flexible spending account program. Federal Employees Retirement System and employer-matching Thrift Savings Plan. On-site fitness center and paid parking.

RETIREMENT COVERAGE

There is no maximum entry age for this position; however, to qualify for coverage under the law enforcement provision of the federal retirement system, a first-time appointee must not have reached their 37th birthday as there is a mandatory retirement age of 57 with 20 years of federal law enforcement experience.

Candidates who currently hold a federal law enforcement officer (LEO) position and who accept the position of Chief U.S.

Probation Officer should note that all LEO provisions, including medical requirements and mandatory retirement age provisions, remain in effect.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

This is an executive, high-sensitive position within the Judiciary. Employment is provisional pending the successful completion of a ten-year, full field background investigation and favorable suitability determination.

Investigative updates are required every five years.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

Employees must adhere to a Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees. This position is subject to mandatory fund transfer (EFT) participation for payroll deposit.

Employees are considered at-will and are not covered by federal civil service classifications or regulations. Applicants must be U.

S. Citizens or permanent residents seeking U.S. Citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B).

PROCEDURES FOR SELECTION

The court will screen all applications and the best qualified applicants may be invited for in-person interviews. Any travel expenses associated with interview(s), if applicable, will be the responsibility of the applicant.

HOW TO APPLY

All qualified applicants should submit the following :

• Application form AO78 (https : / / www.uscourts.gov / sites / default / files / ao 078-08-2024 1.pdf)
• Current resume
• College transcripts
• Email and phone contact information for 3 professional references
• A narrative statement, not to exceed two pages, addressing the below topics :
• Describe your leadership philosophy and explain what you have done over the last year to grow and develop the staff you lead.
• Describe how you develop networks, build alliances, and collaborate with stakeholders to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.

Your application packet must be submitted as a single pdf document by email to : cod [email protected]. Please note Vacancy Announcement : 2024-09-USPO in the subject line of the email.

Incomplete applications and applications received after the preference date may not be considered.

THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Job Type : Full-time

Pay : $215,251.00 - $243,300.00 per year

Schedule :

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location : In person

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