Assistant Director of Information Technology

Court Name/Organization California Northern District Court

Overview of the Position Whether launching or continuing a career in public service, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California offers a unique and rewarding opportunity. With competitive salaries and benefits, plus the chance to work with colleagues committed to fulfilling the important mission of administering justice fairly, efficiently, and effectively, this is an ideal environment for those passionate about public service.

This position, Assistant Director of Information Technology (IT), provides an excellent opportunity to advance a career in federal court service.

The Assistant Director of IT leads the IT Administration function and reports to the Director of IT. The primary responsibility of the position is project management: building and running the department's project management practice and moving the IT portfolio from approval to completion. The Assistant Director supervises the managers of the Operations, Infrastructure, Development and Applications, and CM/ECF divisions, serves as the second-level escalation point for those divisions, and acts on the Director's behalf in the Director's absence.

Information Security and Training and Adoption report directly to the Director. The incumbent will be required to travel to Oakland, San Jose, and McKinleyville locations.

Representative Duties:

• Establish and maintain the department's project management practice, including project intake and sizing, documentation standards, status reporting, change control, and post-implementation review
• Develop project plans, lead project teams, and apply sound project management methods with staff. Track schedule, scope, budget, and risk across the IT portfolio and report status to the Director
• Coordinate multi-site projects that affect courtrooms, chambers, and Clerk's Office operations, including courtroom audiovisual and hybrid hearing upgrades, network and facilities work, and application releases
• Support the Director's work on the IT Committee and with court leadership by preparing agendas, options papers, and decision records
• Assist the Director in developing the IT spending plan and allocating it across the project portfolio. Prepare budget justifications and cost estimates for proposed initiatives.
• Manage vendor coordination, procurement follow-through, maintenance agreements, software licensing, and invoice processing in coordination with the Court's Finance and Procurement staff. Track funding approvals for appropriate and non-appropriated fund (NAF) projects
• Work with division managers to draft and maintain IT policies, procedures, and standards. Assist in managing the IT Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), including annual testing and plan updates.
• Supervise the managers of the Operations, Infrastructure, Development and Applications, and CM/ECF divisions. Assign and review work, set priorities and deadlines, evaluate performance, and recommend personnel actions.
• Serve as the second-level escalation point for operational issues. Resolve cross-division conflicts in priorities and staffing so that issues reach the Director only when they require the Director's decision.
• Coach and develop managers and staff. Support cross-training so that each function has coverage across the four locations
• Work with the Information Security Officer to confirm that projects meet national and local IT security requirements and that remediation work is scheduled and completed
• Act for the Director of IT in the Director's absence, including in meetings with judges, the IT Committee, court unit executives, and management teams
• Explain technical matters clearly, orally and in writing, to judges, chambers staff, Clerk's Office staff, the bar, and the public
• Remain current on Judiciary IT initiatives and national programs from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AO) and the Ninth Circuit
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in information technology, information systems, business, or a related field. In lieu of a degree, seven years of progressively responsible experience in IT across multiple disciplines
• At least five years of progressively responsible technical, managerial, or professional experience, including at least three years supervising IT staff or managers
• Experience managing remote or hybrid staff, including staff…