Clerk of Court Job

Vacancy No. FY24-02 Department U.S. Courts
Salary $198,044.00 to $243,300.00 Grade 16 to 17
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/1/2024 Close Date 9/30/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Brooklyn, NYCentral Islip, NY


Summary

The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York is seeking a highly qualified, full-time professional to serve as the Clerk of Court. This is an executive-level management position, responsible for operational and administrative management of the Court.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Position will remain open until filled, with priority given to applications received by Friday, October 18, 2024.

Duties

The Clerk of Court serves under the direction of the Chief Judge and is responsible for performing the statutory duties of the Office of the Clerk pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 751. The Clerk is responsible for managing all administrative and operational activities of the Clerk's Office and overseeing the performance of the statutory duties of the office, including establishing strategic goals; budget development and execution; and coordinating activity with other court units, federal agencies, and legal associations. The Clerk's Office is also responsible for providing administrative support services in the areas of human resources, information systems, space and facilities and finance.

The Clerk's Office currently has 42 employees and provides operational support to six bankruptcy judges in two offices located in Brooklyn and Central Islip. Periodic travel between offices will be required.

The Clerk performs duties that include, but are not limited to:

  • Working closely with the Chief Judge and other judges regarding court administration policy.
  • Creating a vision of excellence through strategic planning in an environment of limited and decreasing resources.
  • Creating and maintaining a culture that values human resources and the contributions necessary to maintain a good customer service-based organization.
  • Directing staff responsible for the processing of bankruptcy cases.
  • Promoting and maintaining the integrity of official records in the custody of the court.
  • Working with the court, members of the Bar, and the public to improve the delivery of court services.
  • Working with various governmental agencies on a variety of matters necessary to conduct court business.
  • Hiring and assigning personnel as well as designing and managing training programs.
  • Preparing and managing the annual budget, which includes budgetary and staffing projections.
  • Managing space and facilities and working with the General Services Administration (GSA).
  • Directing the court's financial services functions including purchasing, collecting fees, authorizing expenditures, accounting, and any other fiscal responsibilities in accordance with statutory requirements.
  • Analyzing and making recommendations on statutes, local rules, and procedures affecting the operations of the court.
  • Managing staff responsible for automation and information technology services, statistical analysis and reporting requirements, inventory control, and human resources management.
  • Managing the Employment Dispute Resolution Plan (EDR Plan).
  • Consulting with and making recommendations to the judges regarding court policies and procedures.
  • Travel, which may include overnight stays, both within and outside the district.
  • Performing other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments and are considered at-will employees. The initial appointment to this position is provisional pending the successful completion of the required ten-year background investigation and subsequent favorable suitability determination, and every five years thereafter will be subject to re-investigation. Direct deposit is required for payment of compensation for employees. All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanently eligible to work in the United States.

The Court requires employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which is available at https://www.uscourts.gov/rules-policies/judiciary-policies/code-conduct/code-conduct-judicial-employees.

The Clerk of Court is required to adhere to the Court's Employment Dispute Resolution Plan (EDR Plan), which is available at https://www.nyeb.uscourts.gov/sites/nyeb/files/EDR_Plan.pdf.

The United States Bankruptcy Court reserves the right to amend the conditions of this position announcement or to withdraw the announcement at any time without prior written or other notice.

Qualifications

Mandatory:
  • This position requires a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in public service or business and a thorough understanding of managing a complex organization.
  • Three (3) of the ten years must be in a position requiring substantial management responsibility. Substantial management responsibility is defined as high-level administrative experience that provides a thorough understanding of the organizational, procedural, and human aspects of managing an organization. Such experience typically includes financial management, space and facilities management, oversight of the information technology and human resources functions and long and short-range workforce management planning.
  • All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanently eligible to work in the United States.
Preferred:
  • Federal or state court experience is highly desirable. Bankruptcy court experience, including operations and administration, is preferred.
  • A bachelor's degree with an emphasis in government, law, public, business, or judicial administration or a related field is strongly encouraged.
  • A performance history that demonstrates proven skills in managing limited resources against multiple demands; strong organizational, prioritizing, problem solving and conflict resolution skills; and solid oral and written communication skills are essential.
  • The ability to successfully lead with vision, sustain a high level of organizational excellence, articulate management priorities, foster strong and effective working relationships and work collaboratively with others.
  • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, along with a proven record of leadership and accomplishments.
  • Excellent judgment and proven problem-solving abilities, which include demonstrated ability to gather and analyze relevant data.
  • Ability to adapt to and lead change as directed by the Court.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to listen to others' suggestions with an open mind to ensure forward, creative thinking; exceptional presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with judicial officers; ability to resolve conflict through thorough investigation and mediation skills.
  • Experience in promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
  • Knowledge of, and ability to adapt to changes in technology.

Education

Substitutions:

  • An attorney who is in the active practice of law in either the public or private sector may substitute year-for-year active practice experience for the necessary management or administrative experience.
  • A bachelor's degree from a college or university of recognized standing may be substituted for 3 years of the required general experience.
  • A post graduate degree in public, business or judicial administration from a college or university of recognized standing may be substituted for one additional year of the required general experience.
  • A degree from an accredited law school may be considered as qualifying for two additional years of the required general experience.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Please read the "Next steps" section for more information.

Required Documents

Qualified applicants should submit the following documents:

A cover letter or letter of interest.

Current résumé detailing specialized experience, salary history, functions managed, and number of personnel supervised.

A separate narrative of no more than two pages that describes applicant's leadership style, philosophy, and vision, with a description of the applicant's experience with human resources and information technology and systems.

Completed and signed Form AO 78, Application for Federal Judicial Branch Employment, available at https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resources-forms.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All documents should be emailed as one PDF to clerk_of_court_applications@nyeb.uscourts.gov.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Address
US Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York
271-C Cadman Plaza East
Brooklyn, NY 11201-1800
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview. Applicants selected for interviews must travel to Brooklyn or Central Islip, New York at their own expense.

Only applicants who are selected for interviews will be contacted by the Court.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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