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Job Details for Financial & Procurement Specialist

Court Name/Organization Illinois Northern District Court
Location Chicago, IL
Opening and Closing Dates 12/05/2025 - 12/19/2025
Appointment Type Permanent
Classification Level/Grade CL 25-01 - CL 27-61
Salary $54,654 - $107,482
Link to Court Careers Information https://www.ilnd.uscourts.gov/careers.php
Announcement Number 2026-5
Link to Job Announcement

Position Description

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is currently seeking applicants for a Financial and Procurement Specialist. This hybrid position provides a wide variety of administrative support services for the Clerk’s Office. This position is located in the Office of the Clerk of the Court in Chicago, Illinois.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

  • Review Criminal Justice Act (CJA) vouchers for accuracy and completeness. Conduct procedural compliance audit of vouchers submitted for payment and compliance review of authorization requests including justifications when necessary.  Instruct attorneys on CJA guidelines and system requirements.
  • Prepare and review a variety of vouchers and orders for accuracy and adherence to judicial regulations related to various expenses incurred by the Court and Clerk’s Office for appropriateness of payment.
  • Interpret court orders and process the appropriate financial transactions.
  • Create and maintain case ledgers in an automated database.
  • Communicate professionally and effectively with judges, court staff, other judicial agencies, attorneys, and the public responding to questions and inquiries on financial matters dealing with the District Court.
  • Verify daily checks and cash received by the Clerk’s Office and deposit in appropriate account; perform bookkeeper functions. 
  • Maintain and analyze accounting records consisting of a cash receipts journal, registry fund, deposit fund, and subsidiary ledgers for allotments and other fiscal records.
  • Prepare and analyze daily, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual financial statements for the Clerk’s Office, Administrative Offices, and various outside agencies.
  • Comply with guidelines, procedures, and policies established by the Administrative Office and the court units. 
  • Assist with the formulation, evaluation, and implementation of policies, procedures, and protocols related to financial operations.
  • Procure supplies, equipment, services, and furnishings from government/non-government sources through new contracts, competitive bids, or existing government contracts. 
  • Review, evaluate, verify, and process invoices and prepare payment requests.
  • Research and evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production, and distribution capabilities as well as their reputation and history. Prepare specifications, solicitations, and requests for qualifications/proposals; research products and equipment; prepare product/equipment specifications.
  • Obtain and review competitive bids, quotes, and proposals from vendors and contractors; discuss evaluations and review with requesters and subject matter experts.
  • Assess requests for goods and services by ensuring that they are allowable under limitations, restrictions, and policies, as well as determining availability of funds. 
  • Review accounting records of each functional allotment and reconcile accounts. 
  • Ensure that accounts have funds available for items being purchased.
  • Prepare spreadsheets and maintain databases to track certain expenditures.
  • Audit and prepare payment vouchers for the Financial, Jury, Procurement, Interpreter, and the Court Reporter Departments. Ensure compliance with the Judiciary Policy and Procedures.
  • Prepare vouchers in the court’s financial accounting system (JIFMS). Generate standard reports from databases and computerized systems.
  • Identify and maintain lists of vendors and sources of supply for goods and services.
  • Adhere to the Guide to Judiciary Policy, and Judiciary Procurement Program Procedures on procurement procedures. 
  • Adhere to court unit’s internal control procedures.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

A successful candidate must have the ability to apply a body of rules and regulations to complete financial transactions. All data is maintained in an automated accounting system therefore knowledge of computer accounting software is required. Excellent customer service skills, verbal and written communication skills, ability to maintain confidentiality, and ability to work in a team setting are required. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university is required. Ability to obtain contracting officer contracting program certification is required. Ability to lift, push, and move objects that can sometimes be up to 50 lbs is required. The successful candidate must be able to display professional and positive demeanor and appearance appropriate for a court environment (business/office wear-professional). Familiarity with Microsoft Excel is required. Previous government finance experience is preferred. Previous government purchasing experience is preferred. Knowledge of accounts, procedures, and applicable financial systems of the judiciary is preferred. Previous experience in preparing requests for qualifications/proposal/quotation documents is preferred. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a background investigation with periodic updates every five years thereafter. 

General Experience

Compensation and classification level will be set based on the work experience, qualifications, and salary history of the successful candidate. To qualify at CL 25, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to work at a CL 24. To qualify at CL 26, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to work at a CL 25. To qualify at CL 27, applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to work at a CL 26.

Specialized experience is: Progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience that provided knowledge of the rules, regulations, practices, and principles of financial administration and/or accounting; and involved the routine use of automated financial and accounting systems or other computer-based systems and applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, or databases.

Employee Benefits

Further details regarding Federal benefits may be viewed at: ILND Benefits.

Miscellaneous

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois is currently seeking applicants for a Financial and Procurement Specialist. This hybrid position provides a wide variety of administrative support services for the Clerk’s Office. This position is located in the Office of the Clerk of the Court in Chicago, Illinois.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

  • Review Criminal Justice Act (CJA) vouchers for accuracy and completeness. Conduct procedural compliance audit of vouchers submitted for payment and compliance review of authorization requests including justifications when necessary.  Instruct attorneys on CJA guidelines and system requirements.
  • Prepare and review a variety of vouchers and orders for accuracy and adherence to judicial regulations related to various expenses incurred by the Court and Clerk’s Office for appropriateness of payment.
  • Interpret court orders and process the appropriate financial transactions.
  • Create and maintain case ledgers in an automated database.
  • Communicate professionally and effectively with judges, court staff, other judicial agencies, attorneys, and the public responding to questions and inquiries on financial matters dealing with the District Court.
  • Verify daily checks and cash received by the Clerk’s Office and deposit in appropriate account; perform bookkeeper functions. 
  • Maintain and analyze accounting records consisting of a cash receipts journal, registry fund, deposit fund, and subsidiary ledgers for allotments and other fiscal records.
  • Prepare and analyze daily, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual financial statements for the Clerk’s Office, Administrative Offices, and various outside agencies.
  • Comply with guidelines, procedures, and policies established by the Administrative Office and the court units. 
  • Assist with the formulation, evaluation, and implementation of policies, procedures, and protocols related to financial operations.
  • Procure supplies, equipment, services, and furnishings from government/non-government sources through new contracts, competitive bids, or existing government contracts. 
  • Review, evaluate, verify, and process invoices and prepare payment requests.
  • Research and evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production, and distribution capabilities as well as their reputation and history. Prepare specifications, solicitations, and requests for qualifications/proposals; research products and equipment; prepare product/equipment specifications.
  • Obtain and review competitive bids, quotes, and proposals from vendors and contractors; discuss evaluations and review with requesters and subject matter experts.
  • Assess requests for goods and services by ensuring that they are allowable under limitations, restrictions, and policies, as well as determining availability of funds. 
  • Review accounting records of each functional allotment and reconcile accounts. 
  • Ensure that accounts have funds available for items being purchased.
  • Prepare spreadsheets and maintain databases to track certain expenditures.
  • Audit and prepare payment vouchers for the Financial, Jury, Procurement, Interpreter, and the Court Reporter Departments. Ensure compliance with the Judiciary Policy and Procedures.
  • Prepare vouchers in the court’s financial accounting system (JIFMS). Generate standard reports from databases and computerized systems.
  • Identify and maintain lists of vendors and sources of supply for goods and services.
  • Adhere to the Guide to Judiciary Policy, and Judiciary Procurement Program Procedures on procurement procedures. 
  • Adhere to court unit’s internal control procedures.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Application Info

Consideration will only be given to those who apply through the courts’ online applicant tracking system and provide a cover letter, resume and two professional business references by 11:59pm CT on Dec. 19, 2025. To view openings and to apply, visit our applicant tracking system at: ILND Jobs

Due to the volume of applications received, the courts will only communicate with those applicants who will be interviewed. Applicants selected for interviews will be communicated to only through email and must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. Applicants will be screened to determine their experience and qualifications.

This is a high-sensitive position within the Judiciary. The U.S. District Court requires employees to follow the code of conduct for Judicial employees. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted. Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. A preliminary background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record check will be conducted as a condition of employment. Employment is provisional pending the successful completion of a ten-year, full field OPM background investigation, and favorable suitability determination. Investigative updates will be additionally required every five years. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment. Direct deposit is required for payment of compensation for employees. Employees of the District Court, Northern District of Illinois are excepted service appointments. Employees are considered at-will and are not covered by federal civil service classifications or regulations.

Diversity is important to the Judiciary. It is an essential component of services that the Judiciary is charged with providing to maintain justice, equality, fairness, respect, and dignity in society. To fulfill its duties, the Judiciary must include all members of society not just regardless, but also inclusive of race, gender, disability, and the many other variables that make up the citizens of our nation. The Judiciary has a duty to promote a fair, just, and sustainable model of inclusive democracy and social justice that surpasses any governmental entity in the history of this nation or of any other nation.

In order to be eligible for employment, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

  1. U.S. citizen;
  2. Person who owes allegiance to the United States (i.e., nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island and the Northern Mariana Islands);
  3. Person admitted as a refugee or granted asylum who has filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; or
  4. Lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder) who is seeking citizenship. A lawful permanent resident "seeking citizenship":
    1. May not apply for citizenship until he or she has been a permanent resident for at least five years (three years if seeking naturalization as a spouse of a citizen);
    2. Must apply for citizenship within six months of becoming eligible; and
    3. Must complete the process within two years of applying (unless there is a delay caused by the processors of the application).

The courts reserve the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.