Director (Family Court Social Services) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. SS-2025-0006 Department District of Columbia Courts
Salary $178,744.00 to $199,654.00 Grade 98 to 98
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/9/2025 Close Date 6/30/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Director of the Family Court Social Services Division (CSSD) works under the general supervision of the Clerk of the Court for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Director directs the day-to-day operations of CSSD, which oversees all youth involved in the District of Columbia’s juvenile justice system who are not committed to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. 

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens or individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residency or authorized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service to work in the United States.

Duties

The Director has decision-making authority in policy, budget, and personnel management within set parameters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

  • Manages overall operations of the Division by defining clear lines of protocol, authority, responsibility and accountability for all Division staff
  • Directly responsible for timely accomplishment of the strategies and objectives of the division to meet division management action plan (MAP) objectives and court strategic plan goals
  • Assesses efficacy of operations; identifies needs and initiates enhancements while keeping the Clerk of the Court informed
  • Tracks performance and prepares, submits and presents narrative and statistical reports of the division's activities to the Chief Judge, Executive Officer, Clerk of the Court, Judicial Officers and Performance Standards Committee
  • Prepares annual budget requests for the Division to request resources and ensures procurement of office logistics
  • Reviews and maintains current business processes, standard operating procedures, forms and other written materials for conformity with existing rules and guidelines
  • Reviews, analyzes and interprets pertinent District of Columbia Codes, United States Codes, decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and all applicable local, federal, and court rules
  • Performs all responsibilities of a Division Director including staff supervision, performance management and participation in leadership trainings and meetings
  • Collaborates with judges, court executives and managers, attorneys, justice partner agencies, other government and non-profit agencies, and members of the public in an on-going effort to improve operations and identify and resolve problems
  • Actively collaborates with local juvenile justice stakeholders and engages in juvenile justice reform efforts within the District of Columbia and surrounding jurisdictions, working to improve services, addressing system-wide challenges, to ensure juvenile justice programs are equitable, effective, and focused on promoting successful community adjustment, reintegration and reducing juvenile delinquency.
  • Ensures the accurate collection, tracking, and evaluation of data related to juvenile probation programs, utilize insights to improve program effectiveness, inform policy decisions, and optimize service delivery to CSSD youth. Ensures case reviews assessing compliance with established Division standards for case management.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Background check is required.
  • This position is an Excepted Service appointment (at will).

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 professional references
5. Responses to the Court Executive Service Core Qualifications (CESCQ)

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

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college in business or public administration, court management, criminal justice, human resources management, or related field; six (6) years of experience leading, developing, planning, and/or evaluating programs and at least three (3) years of experience managing and supervising people in a public service agency, court system or legal environment.  Appointee to this position must have not passed their 37th birthday in the month of appointment in order to qualify for mandatory law enforcement separation/retirement at age fifty-seven (57). Previous qualifying law enforcement experience under CSRS or FERS may be counted towards eligibility.

A master’s degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program is preferred.

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.

To qualify you must provide evidence of progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level leadership and management capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Court Executive Service Core Qualifications (CESCQ) listed below and the duties associated with this position. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above the GS/JS-15 grade level in the federal/DC Court service or its equivalent in the public/private sector. Candidates experience must have been at a high level of difficulty to show clearly that the candidate possesses the professional and executive, as well as program knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined under the five CESCQ. Failure to meet the basic qualifications and address the CESCQ factors automatically disqualifies an applicant.

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/

Additional information

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

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

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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

The District of Columbia Courts is an independent agency 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:  Individuals occupying CES positions earn eight hours of annual leave each biweekly pay period, regardless of years of credited service and may carry over unused annual leave from year to year subject to a 480-hour ceiling.
 
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 every two weeks. 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 commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure that you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Answers submitted in the questionnaire must be supported on your resume.

Your resume must reflect the relevant experience and that you meet the minimum qualifications or your application will not be considered.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
3. Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of college transcript or diploma)
4. List of professional references
5. Responses to the Court Executive Service Core Qualifications (CESCQ)

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

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.

COURT EXECUTIVE SERVICE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (CESCQ): All applicants must submit written statements. Your narrative response must not exceed two (2) pages per CESCQ and needs to include at least (2) examples per CESCQ. The CESCQs were designed to assess executive experience and potential not technical expertise. They measure whether an individual has the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of Court Executive Service (CES) positions. You must address each CESCQ separately. You are required to respond to all CESCQs. If you fail to do so, you will be rated as ‘ineligible’. Each response should be clear, concise, and emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of programs managed, and results of your actions.

Please note:  Adding the verbiage "See resume" is not acceptable and will disqualify you.

CESCQ 1 LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this CESCQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. (Competencies: Creativity and Innovation, External Awareness, Flexibility, Resilience, Strategic Thinking, Vision).

CESCQ 2 LEADING PEOPLE: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this CESCQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. (Competencies: Conflict Management, Leveraging Diversity, Team Building, Developing Others).

CESCQ 3 RESULTS DRIVEN: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this CESCQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. (Competencies: Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship, Problem Solving, Technical Credibility).

CESCQ 4 BUSINESS ACUMEN: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. (Competencies: Financial Management, Human Capital Management, Technology Management).

CESCQ 5 BUILDING COALITIONS: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Courts, Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. (Competencies: Partnering, Political Savvy, Influencing/Negotiating).

The Court Executive Service Core Qualifications are supported by the Courts' values of Accountability, Excellence, Fairness, Integrity, Respect and Transparency.

Agency contact information

G. Brandon
Address
District of Columbia Courts
Moultrie Building
500 Indiana Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
United States

Next steps

Once your completed application is received, your qualifications will be evaluated. The qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. All applicants will be notified of the final outcome.


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