Interpreter Services Program Manager

What You'll Do

• Support: Provides assistance to judges, court administrators, interpreter coordinators, clerks, local staff, justice system partners, and advisory committee through information dissemination, technical assistance, education, rules, business processes, and projects.
• Compliance: Assists the Office of Court Services in matters related to language access and equal justice, including conformity with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 as related to linguistic minorities, and deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the courts. Manages the complaint resolution process adopted to monitor appointment of interpreters.
• Testing: Manages and directs the Office of Court Services’ interpreter certification program; training, testing and compliance; administers exams for the certification of foreign language interpreters; supervises the application and compliance progress for the certification of sign language interpreters; develops program policies as needed.
• Trend Monitoring: Monitors innovative trends and identifies effective practices related to trends, needs, and other influences on courts and language services disseminating information to judges, court staff, and justice system partners.
• Committees and Boards: Works with and provides administrative support to advisory committees/commissions; acts as staff liaison for court policy projects and recommendations. Serves as a liaison to the Advisory Committee on Language Services. Participates in outside agency boards, task forces, or work groups; reports court-related topics to manager/director.
• Program Development & Financial Management: Develops resources and training aids to assist courts statewide in the use of qualified court interpreters; train court personnel, bilinguals, attorneys, and other stakeholders on the proper use and role of the court interpreter; offer courses on the nexus between language, culture, and the judicial system. Prepares budgets, monitors expenses, and manages financial resources.
• Coordination & Training: Coordinates consultations, seminars, and meetings with experts; coordinates continuing education trainings for interpreters; serves as a presenter for local court training; participates in regional/national associations and trainings.
• Relationship Building: Develops and maintains relationships with judges, court staff, justice system partners, and relevant agencies at national, state, and local levels. Coordinate with the National Center for State Courts committees to represent Ohio’s interest in the development of tests and resources for court interpreter certification.
• Rules & Standards Development: Develops rules and standards to support the use of qualified interpreters in Ohio courts; expand the credentialing process to other languages where certification exams are not available and establish standards for the use of interpreters in rare languages. Assists in rule drafting, contract review, and preparation of written documents.
• Evaluation & Research: Directs and participates in the evaluation and research on interpreter usage in Ohio’s courts.
• Program Support: Assists local courts in assessing interpreting needs and assist in the coordination of services; encourages collaboration with agencies and community resources. Responds to constituent calls, suggests resources, and maintains ethical standards in providing information. Facilitates roundtable meetings for judges and staff; attends related committees and public discussions.

This position directly supervises a Program Coordinator. As a supervisor, this position is responsible for overseeing recruitment and onboarding processes, providing coaching and feedback to team members, managing performance issues, conducting performance evaluations, and fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment to ensure team success.

Requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent, preferably in relevant field and demonstrated experience, typically acquired through up to two (2) years of progressive professional experience. A master's degree or juris doctor is…