Program Manager (Abuse and Neglect)

This position is in the District of Columbia Superior Court, Family Court Operations Division in the Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) Branch. The Abuse and Neglect Program Manager is responsible for supervising support staff and providing guidance and assistance in the application process for new appointments to the Family Court Panels. The incumbent is responsible for overseeing the CCAN and guardian ad litem (GAL) panel attorneys who seek appointments in neglect cases.

Duties

Brief Description Duties:

• Supervises the Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) Branch staff and the Family Court paralegal; directs and delegates work; monitors time and attendance, manages performance, and monitors D.C. Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) statutory timeline compliance
• Oversees attorney registration procedures and manages appointments and re-appointments in neglect cases. Responds to judicial requests for attorney appointments as needed
• Plans, develops, and conducts initial training and continuing training on legal, social services, and procedural matters regarding child abuse and neglect cases for attorneys representing parents, custodians, and children in the Family Court
• Tracks attorney compliance with the Family Court’s annual panel attorney training requirements, and ensures certifications meet Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements. Reports non compliance of filing of attorney certifications to the Director and presiding judges
• Monitors the performance of CCAN attorneys and GALs through observation in the courtroom and remotely. Provides feedback and recommends case appointments to judicial officers when requested
• Consults with CCAN attorneys representing children, parents, and caregiver with regard to substantive and procedural abuse and neglect legal issues in the Superior Court and in the D.C. Court of Appeals
• Acts as a liaison between the court and foster parents, social service agencies, social workers, attorneys, and the general public regarding attorney representation in abuse and neglect cases
• Manages the Court Improvement Program (CIP) and collaborates with the CIP Program Coordinator to identify and develop various projects intended to improve various aspects of neglect practice and case resolution
• Serves on a variety of committees, including the Court Improvement Project Advisory Committee, the Abuse and Neglect Subcommittee, the Family Court Training Committee, and others, as needed
• Attends conferences and meetings that are relevant to the work of the CCAN Office and to child welfare legal work, including local, regional and national training events

Salary

• $117,962 - $153,354/year

Conditions of Employment

• Background and security investigation are required.
• A probationary period of one (1) year must be successfully completed.

To qualify for this position, you must submit the following:

1. Resume
2. Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
3. Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of college transcript or degree)
4. List of three (3) professional references
5. Copy of management training program certificate (if applicable)

All required documentation must be received by the closing date of the announcement.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

A law degree from an accredited university or college plus three (3) years of experience practicing in the area of Neglect and Abuse law, and at least two (2) years of experience as a supervisor.

Must possess an active D.C. Bar membership in good standing, or be eligible to waive into the D.C. Bar. Documentation of education and Bar membership or eligibility must be included with the application. Applications will not be considered complete unless proof is attached. If not a member of the D.C. Bar, waiver into the D.C. Bar within six months after an offer of employment is a condition of employment. 

Successful completion of the DC Courts' Management Training Program will substitute as one (1) year of supervisory experience. 

Preferred:

A law degree from an accredited university or college plus six (6) years of experience practicing in the area of Neglect and Abuse law, and at least two (2) years of experience as a supervisor.

The incumbent should be an enthusiastic and engaged professional who enjoys working with a diverse group of Court personnel and customers and lives the DC Courts’ values of Accountability, Excellence, Fairness, Integrity, Respect, and Transparency.

Please note that authorization for the release of your adult criminal record revealing any convictions and forfeitures, and any criminal cases currently pending before the courts is required.  If you are selected for the position, a criminal history records check will be conducted.

Education To qualify based on education, upload a copy of your college transcript or degree. The transcript must show the name of the college or university, your name, list of courses with credit hours, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for District of Columbia Courts employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. Foreign Education: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must upload a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript at time of application to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ Other Information

This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive Federal civil service.

Please note there is a mandatory one year probationary period for all new court employees.

All required information must be received by the vacancy announcement closing date.

Required Documents

Required Documents:

1. Resume
2. Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
3. Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of college transcript or diploma)
4. List of (3) professional references
5. Copy of management training program certificate (if applicable)

How to Apply

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.  Follow the prompts to complete the vacancy questionnaire. Afterward, click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

This is not a federal position.

The District of Columbia Courts is an independent branch of the District of Columbia Government and is not under the authority of the City Mayor or the D. C. Council. DC Courts' appropriation comes directly from Congress. All DC Courts non-judicial employees receive federal benefits for the following programs:  Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Health Insurance and Workers Compensation.

Please click on the following for more information about these benefits:

http://www.opm.gov/Insure/health/enrollment/new_employees.asp

The DC Courts leave policy is as follows:

Annual Leave:  New full-time employees earn four (4) hours of annual leave biweekly. After three years of service this increases to six (6)hours biweekly, and at 15 years it increases to eight(8)hours biweekly. Most military, federal and District of Columbia government service counts toward the time required to go into the next higher annual leave category. Employees can carry over no more than 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year.

Sick Leave is used for personal medical needs, care of a family member, or adoption related purposes. Full-time employees earn four(4)hours of sick leave biweekly. This leave can be accrued without limit.

In addition to the federal health plans, the DC Courts offer employees supplemental vision and dental plans as well as a commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.