Court Director job in Bellingham

Bellingham Municipal Court is dedicated to our diverse community with innovation and collaboration. The mission of the Court is to administer the operations of the judicial branch of City government in a neutral and effective manner to ensure justice for all individuals. Are you the next Court Director excited to join our leadership team and carry on our mission?

The Court Director serves as the Court Executive Officer (CEO) for the Court. This position assumes full responsibility for the management and development of personnel performing judicial personnel court functions. The Court Director plans, directs, implements and manages all the non-judicial, day-to-day operations of the court.  
 
The Court Director develops and implements policies and procedures, the court budget and oversees personnel management and development, accounting, case-flow management, projects, grants and contracts. The position establishes and maintains the court’s continuity of operations plan and performs other responsibilities as required. The Court Director provides leadership and strategic vision, including but not limited to developing short and long-term goals for effective court services.
 
The work involves significant community engagement and public involvement with elected officials, other policy makers and citizens.

SALARY AND BENEFITS INFORMATION:
The current full salary range for this position is $11,824/month - $14,306/month. 
 
Research has demonstrated that salary negotiation can further inequality due to bias across gender and race. To prevent negotiation bias, the City places new employees within the published salary range based on qualifications and professional experience as listed on the application material, in accordance with City policy. This is in line with the City's commitment to accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience requirements shall be given credit for advanced step placement at the rate of one additional pay step for each two full years of directly related or equivalent professional experience beyond the minimum requirements. Candidates who meet minimum qualifications or have experience that is not directly related or in a lower-level position will be placed at step one in the salary range. For positions that require a bachelor’s degree, one additional step may be granted for applicants with a master’s degree in a related field when the master’s degree is not required to meet minimum qualifications. The City's HR Department regularly evaluates minimum qualifications to provide equitable employment opportunities.
 
For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.
 
Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the E-Team Handbook and City policy.
 
City of Bellingham employees receive medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as life insurance and long-term disability. Additional benefits include flexible spending accounts, a medical insurance opt-out program, and access to our employee assistance program. All eligible City employees are enrolled in a Washington State Department of Retirement Systems pension plan. Additionally, employees may elect to enroll in supplemental retirement plans; 457 deferred compensation savings plan, and 401(a) retirement savings plan.

Employees will receive 12 paid holidays in addition to one paid floating holiday each year. Upon hire, employees are provided a sick leave bank of 40 hours in addition to accruing 8 hours of sick leave per month in accordance with the handbook and Washington State Law. At the time of hire, employees will accrue 20 hours of vacation per month. Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employee to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

For additional information regarding benefits and compensation Information please visit the following:

• Labor Agreements, Pay Schedules and E-Team Employee Handbook - City of Bellingham (cob.org)
• Employment Benefits - City of Bellingham (cob.org)

Closing Date/Time: Fri. 05/17/24 4:30 PM Pacific Time

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:

1. Responsible for planning, directing, implementing and managing daily judicial personnel court functions.
2. Responsible for the management and coordination of external communications for the court including television news and print media.
3. Oversees and coordinates the internal court information technology requirements.
4. Handles and oversees sensitive, complex, or critical issues.
5. Responsible for the hiring, training, supervising and corrective action of judicial personnel employees.
6. Plans, assigns and reviews the work of staff, and conducts employee performance evaluations.
7. Manages case flow, jury management, court records and physical plant and equipment needs of the court.  Plans and implements procedural and administrative functions for the court.
8. Manages grants, contracts, divisions and the accounting for collection of fines, fees and bail postings.
9. Responsible for keeping informed of and managing changes due to updates in legislation or court rules that directing affect the court.
10. Manages fiscal policies and procedures including the preparation, presentation and monitoring of annual budget, payroll, purchasing and accounts payable.
11. Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with judges, attorneys, elected and appointed officials, external court customers and court staff.

Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including:

• Frequently operate a computer and other office machinery such as a keyboard, mouse, phone, and fax machine;
• Remain stationary for long periods of time;
• Frequently communicate accurate information and ideas with others.

Experience and Training

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three years of experience in a professional management position within the justice system. 
• Relevant professional court management experience may substitute on a year for year basis for the education requirement.
• A master’s degree in related field, Institute for Court Management Fellowship, or other relevant court management education may be substituted for one year of court management experience.
• In place of the above requirements, a combination of relevant education and experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skill and ability to perform the essential functions of the job will be considered.

Necessary Special Requirements

• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal conviction, local background check and fingerprinting (see Fair Hiring Practices below).
• Valid Washington State driver’s license and good driving record. Must submit a three-year driving record abstract prior to hire.
• Must have and obtain a National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Certified Court Manager certification within six years of hire.

Selection Process

As part of the application process, a cover letter is required.
Within the cover letter, please answer the following questions:

1. What experiences, skills and traits qualify you for this position?
2. Why does the City of Bellingham’s mission and service to the community appeal to you?
3. Why is Court Director the next right step for you in your career?

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and required supplemental questions). Provide as much detail as you believe will fully describe your experience and training.
 
All applications will be forwarded to the Bellingham Municipal Court for review. Candidates selected to participate in further assessment will be notified directly by the Bellingham Municipal Court.  
 
Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:
Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.
 
 Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment. 
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made. 
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied. 
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.