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Job Details for Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer

Court Name/Organization:	Minnesota Probation and Pretrial Services
Overview of the Position:	U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services in the District of Minnesota has its headquarters in the U.S. Courthouse located at 300 South Fourth Street, Suite 406, Minneapolis, Minnesota. There are field offices located in Bemidji, Duluth, Fergus Falls, Rochester, and Saint Paul. The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office serves the Judicial District of Minnesota, which includes 87 counties.
Location:	Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN
Opening and Closing Dates:	04/05/2024 - Open Until Filled
Appointment Type:	Permanent
Classification Level/Grade:	CL 29 - CL 30
Salary:	$90,032 - $172,919
Link to Court Careers Information:	http://www.mnp.uscourts.gov/content/careers
Announcement Number:	2024-05
Link to Job Announcement

Position Description

 The Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer is responsible for work assignments and quality of investigative and/or supervision case work, along with the smooth functioning of their respective unit. The incumbent is also responsible for providing leadership to formulate, supervise, and implement initiatives to achieve goals and objectives defined either in Court Services (Pretrial Services/Presentence) or Community Supervision. The Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer will assist the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office in its renewed efforts of creating an outcome-based learning organization that taps human potential through dialogue, accountability, innovative ideas, and personal and professional growth. The Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer reports to the Assistant Deputy Chief or Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer. This position is considered hazardous duty, which may require irregular work hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays. The incumbent may also be expected to frequently travel to a divisional or the headquarters office. 

Applicants must be current federal Judiciary employees.

Applicants currently classified at CL 28 may apply; however, if selected, the District reserves the right to start at CL 29, for the purpose of salary progression to CL 30 within one year.  

2024 Pay Table MSP:

• CL 29: $90,032-$146,334; 
• CL 30: $106,394-$172,919

This vacancy is open until filled, however, preference will be given to applications submitted by 5 p.m. CT on May 3, 2024.

More than one position may be filled. This recruitment is based on budget availability.

Representative Duties:

• Assigns and schedules all investigative and/or supervision case work to U.S. Probation Officers.
• Reviews and evaluates all work completed, including investigative reports, case records, and correspondence to ensure service delivery and adherence to existing policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Confers regularly with U.S. Probation Officers; provides direction and assistance to U.S. Probation Officers toward improving investigative, supervising, and writing skills. Assists U.S. Probation Officers in meeting the needs of clients 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.
• Determines the adjustment of individuals under supervision in consultation with the assigned U.S. Probation Officer. Assists in decision making for recommendations for early termination, extension of supervision, and revocation of supervision. Approves all recommendations to the Court or U.S. Parole Commission for the issuance of warrants or summons for revocation.
• Assures continuing staff development by planning and implementing orientation and in-service training, holding individual staff conferences, and increasing levels of responsibility in assignments.
• Assumes responsibility for the handling of emergency situations arising with casework in the absence of U.S. Probation Officers.
• Conducts unit staff meetings to identify performance and operation issues, and to develop appropriate solutions.
• Evaluates the performance of U.S. Probation Officers in the unit on a systematic and regular basis.
• Serves as a major communication catalyst between line staff and the administration, assuring implementation of administrative directives while concurrently providing information to the Chief U.S. Probation Officer for future administrative action.
• Communicates with the Operations Supervisor for the purpose of fostering teamwork and efficiency between U.S. Probation Officers and support staff.
• Participates with the Chief U.S. Probation Officer and other administrative staff toward the development of programs and policies to increase the effectiveness of the office.
• Supervises field travel to include review and approval of all travel logs of U.S. Probation Officers in the unit.
• Performs related duties as required by the Chief U.S. Probation Officer.
• Manages and assists in the formulation, implementation, and modification of supervision programming and subsequent policies and procedures for the offender and defendant population that encourages the use of evidence-based practices (i.e., re-entry programming, workforce development, cognitive behavioral therapeutic programming, etc.) or evidence-based sentencing concepts.
• Assists senior managers with making operating decisions, including allocating resources and developing policies and strategies. Meets with the Chief U.S. Probation Officer to review budget allocations, supervision issues, investigative matters, and policy developments. Regular travel to divisional offices to assess and evaluate activities may be required.
• Monitors programs which implement change management and quality control techniques. Organizes work processes to optimize the use of time and resources, ensuring results meet expectations. Uses statistical reports to monitor the overall management of cases, U.S. Probation Officer and staff accountability, and takes appropriate action. Serves as a liaison between senior management and line staff to ensure the district’s vision, mission, and guiding principles are communicated and reflected in the staff’s service to the Court and Community.
• Complies with the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees and court confidentiality requirements. Demonstrates sound ethics and judgment. Handles confidential information in a careful and deliberate manner.
• May perform any or all duties of a U.S. Probation Officer, including investigating and supervising offenders and defendants.

Qualification

Minimum Qualifications:

To qualify for the position of Supervisory U.S. Probation Officer, applicants must be a U.S. citizen and possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field of study. For placement at CL 29 to CL 30, the selected applicant must have three years of specialized experience, including one year as a Probation/Pretrial Service Officer in the U.S. Courts. Applicants must be current federal Judiciary employees.

Preferred Qualifications (Court Preferred Skills)

The successful applicant must have excellent writing skills and above average computer knowledge. Preference may be given to applicants who have more than three years specialized experience in any specialty area such as drug and alcohol treatment, location monitoring, sentencing guidelines, mental health, workforce development, reentry, other evidence-based practices supervision programming.

The ideal candidate may also possess the following preferred skills:

• Be skilled and knowledgeable about national initiatives impacting all disciplines within Probation and Pretrial Services.
• Have contributed to our system via participation in national workgroups or committees sponsored either by the Federal Judicial Center or the Office of Probation and Pretrial Services within the last seven years.
• Have a thorough understanding of DSS and demonstrate how he or she has used DSS reports to problem solve. Further, he/she must demonstrate how data has been used to access trends and ensure evidence-based practices within their respective discipline (i.e., Pretrial Services, Presentence, or Post-conviction).
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices (to include re-entry programming) and skilled in their application. A good understanding of program and service policies and procedures is essential to support decisions and to exercise good judgment. Must be a perennial learner with the desire to be an expert in our changing field.
• Be skilled in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with individuals and groups to provide information, facilitate meetings, and influence decision-makers and strive for high level achievement.
• Demonstrated leadership by showing initiative to engaging in project management and establishing programs which help to achieve an organization’s mission and vision.
• Demonstrated how he or she has used technology to improve a process.
• Demonstrated the ability to organize, oversee, and complete multiple projects simultaneously with limited supervision.

Specialized Experience

Three years of specialized experience, which is progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, 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.

Have specialized experience that included 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 the Probation and Pretrial Services Office.

Benefits

• The opportunity to serve in a rewarding public service position.
• Accrual of paid vacation and sick leave.
• Paid federal holidays.
• Extensive health, life, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• A defined benefit pension plan.
• On-site fitness center (Minneapolis).
• Traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) retirement savings and investment plans through the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with employer matching contributions.
• Pre-tax transportation, medical, and childcare reimbursement accounts.
• Extensive on-line training options. Travel reimbursement for in-person training and professional conferences available, funds permitting.
• Ad hoc telework, alternative work schedules, and other workplace flexibilities (dependent upon work performance).

Miscellaneous

Physical Requirements:

Officers must possess, with or without corrective lenses, good distance vision in at least one eye and the ability to read normal size print. Normal hearing ability, with or without a hearing aid, is also required. Any severe health problems, such as physical defects, disease, and deformities that constitute employment hazards to the applicant or others, may disqualify the candidate.

Conditions of Employment:

A probation officer appointed to serve with compensation may be removed only for cause, and may be entitled to some form of due process before being terminated (does not include pretrial services officers) (18 U.S.C. § 3602(a)).

The mandatory separation age for positions covered under law enforcement retirement is 57, with 20 years of service (5 U.S.C. §§ 8335(b),8425(b)).

The U.S. District Court requires employees to adhere to a Code of Conduct Policy. This position is also subject to mandatory Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.

An applicant considered for this position will be subject to random drug screening and updated background investigations every five years.

How To Apply

This is an ongoing recruitment for our Minneapolis or St. Paul office, which is based on budget availability. This announcement should not be construed as current vacancies exist. As vacancies become available, existing applications will be reviewed. More than one position may be hired from this announcement.

Qualified applicants can apply for employment via our job portal by uploading the following:

• Cover letter (not to exceed three pages), which includes a concise description of the following:
  • The applicant’s leadership style;
  • The applicant’s familiarity with implementation of district programming designed to benefit both staff and persons under supervision;
  • The applicant’s ongoing educational experience to prepare him/her for a role in management; and
  • How the applicant’s experience and preparation relate to the stated duties and responsibilities.
• Resume, which includes dates of employment, duties and responsibilities, and key accomplishments.
• Names and contact information of three professional references. If selected for an interview, references may be contacted prior to the interview.  The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office reserves the right to contact additional references other than those provided by the applicant.
• Copies of the applicant’s two most recent performance evaluations.
• Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment (AO 78) which can be found via this link. The applicant’s date of birth and responses to questions #18, #19, and #20 are required. All sections must be completed with “Yes”, “No”, “N/A”, and/or relevant information. Any notation to “see resume” will render this application incomplete. Application must contain a handwritten or digital signature and date on page 5.

Only submissions containing all of the required documents listed above will be considered for this opportunity. All submissions considered complete and received by any posted closing date will be reviewed in order to identify the best qualified candidates. Only applicants selected to proceed to the next phase of the recruitment process will be notified. Please allow ample time to submit an application (including all of the required documents) online. Applications received in any manner (including but not limited to email, fax, U.S. mail) after any posted closing date will not be accepted. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applicants must be in good standing in their current employment. Applicants may not be considered if a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or disciplinary action has been initiated and/or is in effect during the opening and closing dates of this vacancy announcement.

Applicants selected for an in-person interview must travel at their own expense.

Applicants selected for an in-person interview may be required to make a presentation, not to exceed 10 minutes. Information concerning this requirement will be distributed to those selected for an interview.

The U.S. District Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this vacancy announcement or to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which action may occur without prior written notice.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.