Director of Information Technology

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Southern District of Georgia is seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Information Technology. As the Director of Information Technology, this position will play a pivotal role in leading the Court’s technological initiatives, while ensuring smooth operations across all aspects our information systems. Having a fully effectuated shared services agreement between the District Court, Bankruptcy Court, and the Probation/Pretrial Office, this position will provide technical and management expertise for the oversight of all computer systems, applications, desktop support, courtroom technology and other audio/visual systems, as well as ensuring compliance with the objectives of each court unit. The incumbent is responsible for developing the district’s technology budget priorities, necessitating justification analyses for the upgrades, cyclical replacement, normal operations and special applications. The Director of Information Technology ensures compliance with appropriate guidelines, policies and internal controls and regularly communicates with the judges, staff, outside agencies, the Eleventh Circuit and the Administrative Office of the Courts. The Department of Computer Services (DCS), employs 9 staff members who are dispersed amongst the three primary divisions in the District. This position reports directly to the three court unit executives, and the Chief Judge of the District.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

· Manage, develop, and mentor information technology staff and other professionals involved in information technology activities, including establishing standards, ensuring projects are managed, communicated, and executed efficiently and effectively; assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; and handling disciplinary actions. Oversee the daily operation of the department to include analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, and setting deadlines. Conduct staff meetings and communicate operational status and relevant information to staff. Perform quality checks and approve the efficiency and effectiveness of all systems and programs prior to implementation.

· Evaluate the technology use and needs for all departments within the Southern District of Georgia. Develop and implement both short-term and long-range automation improvement plans which include consideration of department needs, objectives, and capabilities, including anticipation of future requirements, funding, and potential issues.

· Create documents and forms that are well designed, clear, and easy to understand. Formulate, recommend, implement, and enforce appropriate policies, procedures, and standards. Develop solutions to problems and procedures for accomplishing objectives.

· Manage courtroom technology and telecommunications capabilities. Maintain oversight of the quality of web development and management to ensure user needs are consistently met. Manage remote and mobile information systems. Maintain oversight of the District’s automation equipment and property inventory.

· Ensure the effectiveness of security systems for hardware, software, networks, data, physical property, and equipment. Manage the information technology portion of the Court’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and ensure annual testing and plan updates.

· Meet regularly with Judicial Officers, Court Unit Executives, managers, other court units’ staff, and vendors to determine information technology needs, recommend viable solutions, and maintain collaborative relationships.

· Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, to explain complex concepts to individuals and groups with varying experience and backgrounds. Interact effectively with the public and staff, providing customer service and resolving difficulties efficiently while complying with regulations, rules, and procedures.

· Ensure compliance with national (e.g., Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts) and local policies including the Guide to Judiciary Policy and local internal controls manuals, which govern auditable processes. Comply with the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees and court confidentiality requirements. Always demonstrate sound ethics and good judgment. Display a careful and deliberate approach in handling confidential information in a variety of contexts.

· Plan and manage the technology budget and purchases in coordination with management, finance, procurement, and property management staff.

· Oversee implementation of locally developed and nationally provided systems and programs and provide continuing support.

· Maintain procedural documentation and logs to guide and document work done on district systems in compliance with local and national policies, and regularly perform reviews and audits of the district’s technology equipment and systems.

· All other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

· Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in business or IT related major, or equivalent experience. In lieu of a degree, four (4) years’ experience with progressive responsibilities in an IT role with experience in multiple IT disciplines.

· Minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible technical, managerial and/or professional experience that provided an opportunity to gain : (1) a thorough knowledge of management practices and administrative processes; (2) the ability to exercise mature judgment; (3) the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to a wide variety of people; (4) the ability to coach, train, mentor and develop employees; and (5) the opportunity to build a high performance team and achieve expected results. The successful candidate should be a leader, motivator, highly organized, and possess a high degree of integrity.

· Previous experience in two or more of the following leadership functions within IT: strategic planning, annual budget planning and management, and policy development and administration.

· Strong leadership skills and a commitment to develop a supportive, collaborative team environment, including mentoring and training department staff to achieve and assume higher levels of knowledge and responsibility.

· The ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.

· Ability to interact with non-technical users in a professional and supportive manner.

· Experience in developing short and long-range budget plans.

· Experience with purchasing rules and regulations.

· Experience in supporting and designing A/V systems.

· Experience supporting and securing a Windows Active Directory network environment.

· Experience with Microsoft Windows domain administration and client deployment.

· Experience with Distributed File Systems (DFS).

· Knowledge of or experience with Linux server administration.

· Experience with LAN/WAN networking and operating systems

· Thorough understanding of IT security theories and best practices, security appliances, firewalls, endpoint security controls, network security, and network traffic analysis.

· Experience with remote collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

· Experience administering, establishing, and/or implementing large automation systems.

· Ability to manage projects efficiently and meet established deadlines.

· Ability to exercise good judgement and take initiative.

· Ability to travel to divisional offices.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

· Current or prior Federal Court IT experience.

· Current or prior IT management experience in a court or legal environment.

· Experience with building IT infrastructure

· Experience managing a group of dynamic IT infrastructure and application development professionals with a broad range of responsibilities.

· Courtroom audio and video technology and cybersecurity experience.

· Experience with the U.S. Courts NextGen Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF), SharePoint, HTML, and Microsoft Office 365 Suite.

· Experience and/or familiarity with the US Probation PACTS (Probation and Case Tracking System).

· Operational knowledge of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and server virtualization.

· Familiarity with Linux operating environments a plus.

· Prior management experience working with remote staff.

· Agile project management skills.

BENEFITS

A generous benefits package includes the following:

· 13 days of paid annual leave per year.

· 13 days of paid sick leave (unlimited accumulation)

· 11 paid holidays

· Health, Life, Dental and Vision benefits

· Flexible Benefits Program

· Long Term Care Insurance

· Thrift Savings Plan participation with up to 5% employer matching contributions.

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

Due to the volume of applications usually received, only qualified applicants will be invited for personal interviews. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed.

All employees are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct. As a condition of employment, all new employees are subject to a background check or investigation which includes a FBI fingerprint check and retention depends upon a favorable suitability determination. The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages. The conditions of this announcement are subject to modification without further advertising.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants must provide:

1. An introductory cover letter.

2. A chronological resume.

3. In two pages or less, describe your experience either leading an IT organization or a team of professionals on a project of substantial size and/or magnitude. Included with your response, please provide an example of your greatest challenge that you overcame in this role. This document should be type-written, single spaced, and submitted as a PDF along with the other information requested.

4. A completed Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment, for AO78 (found under Employment Opportunities on the Court’s website www.gasd.uscourts.gov ). The optional background information, page 5 of the Application, is required.

Materials must be received as e-mail attachments in PDF format sent to gas_permgr@gas.uscourts.gov Please reference “24-01” in the subject line of your message.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $97,750.00 - $143,736.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Compensation package:

• Yearly pay

Experience level:

• 5 years

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Savannah, GA 31405: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person