Mandatory Qualifications
- Education:
- An advanced degree in adult education, law, criminal justice, or a closely-related social science OR a bachelor's degree and at least 5 years' experience designing, developing, and executing educational programs for adults
- Experience:
- Substantial experience teaching, designing, and hosting educational programming
- Knowledge, regular use, and a commitment to applying the principles of adult education to create engaging, useful, and transformative experiences
- Skills:
- Exceptional emotional intelligence, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
- Strong technical, writing, and public speaking skills
- Excellent skills managing projects, people, time and resources
Desirable Qualifications
In addition to the mandatory qualifications, you're a strong candidate for this position if you possess some of the knowledge, skills, experience, and characteristics listed below. The list represents a range of possible qualifications, not a checklist that must be met. A strong candidate for this position can demonstrate proficiency in some combination of these areas:
- Experience working in the courts or familiarity with the workings of the judiciary, preferably at the federal level doing probation and pretrial services work
- Experience working in law, the courts, or law enforcement (e.g., as a U.S. probation or pretrial services officer, defender, prosecutor, investigator, law enforcement agent/officer, etc.), preferably at the federal level
Who We Are
The PPSE group is composed of six people and is one of five groups within the Center's Education Division (the others are Executive Education, Judicial & Legal Education, Multimedia Production, and Management and Professional Development Education). We are a mix of educators (education specialists/attorneys and an assistant division director) who serve as program managers responsible for program planning, design, development, and delivery and program coordinators, who handle the administrative, financial, and logistical aspects of our programs. We develop, deliver, and evaluate professional education programs for U.S. probation and pretrial services officers and their federal court system stakeholders. Our program managers serve as trainers and facilitators alongside other faculty, such as U.S. probation and pretrial services officers, judges and court staff, and professors and other subject matter experts.
We consult with a probation and pretrial services education advisory committee comprised of U.S. probation and pretrial services officers in various roles. Our programs include virtual workshops and webinars, multi-day in-person skill-building sessions, and regular coaching calls and follow-up, often over a year-long period. Last year, for example, we delivered 19 educational programs (9 national and 10 in-district) for a total of 832 participants. PPSE members respond to training requests from courts, probation offices, and other related organizations.
Our strengths as a group include:
- A passion to serve U.S. probation and pretrial services officers with relevant and meaningful education and resources;
- A commitment to following the evidence to identify and meet the educational needs of PPS officers and managers, including understanding the nuances of their roles, the impact on the clients they serve, and the evolution of their professional development and growth;
- Dedication to providing comprehensive programs tailored for PPS officers and managers that lead to meaningful and lasting behavioral change consistent with the attainment and retention of professional competencies;
- A strong sense of internal motivation and action-oriented;
- Adaptability; and
- Creativity.
Collectively, we are a group of experienced professionals. Individually, we represent a broad range of educational and professional backgrounds and viewpoints. Our shared values - mutual respect, trust, collaboration, excellence, effective communication, dependability, and health and wellness - serve as guiding principles in all facets of our work. We believe people come here and stay because the mission is vital to our nation, the work is challenging and meaningful, the clients are engaged and supportive, and the culture is positive.
Who You Are
Our ideal candidate has substantial knowledge and experience in probation and pretrial services as well as experience as an educator assessing learner needs, designing, developing, facilitating, and evaluating educational programs in a variety of modalities (e.g., in-person, virtual, and blended) for diverse audiences.
We seek a colleague adept at managing in-person large conferences and more intimate seminars who also has experience using education technology platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Blackboard, etc.) to deliver virtual programs. You are a great candidate if you are an experienced program manager with demonstrated success managing educational programs and projects in a variety of formats for various audiences from start to finish.
We seek a dynamic colleague who values teamwork, is willing to share ideas and information, and is committed to excellence, innovation, and impartiality in the development and delivery of our competency-based programming. For maximum success, you will have familiarity with the federal judiciary or be excited to learn about the Judicial Branch and the critical role of probation and pretrial services in the justice system.