Court Executive Officer - Sierra County Superior Court

Position Description

The Court Executive Officer is an exempt, contract employee who is appointed by and works under the authority of the judges, and under the executive direction of the Presiding Judge, consistent with the law and Rules of Court. The Court Executive Officer plans, directs and coordinates the non-judicial and administrative activities of the Court, including functioning as Clerk of the Court, Executive Officer and Jury Commissioner of the Superior Court of California, County of Sierra.

This is a single incumbent executive level position. The Court Executive Officer also carries full responsibility and authority for providing all managerial, administrative and operational support to the Court and its judicial officers, as well as being responsible for providing strategic budget development, coordination and goal setting for the Court.

Essential Job Functions

The following duties are typical of those performed; however, other duties may also be required:

• Plans, directs and reviews all of the non-judicial operations and administration of the Court;
• Develops organizational goals and objectives;
• Directs strategic initiatives of the Court, including research, analysis and planning for financial operations;
• Develops long-and short-term plans and goals for future growth, projected workloads, Court facilities and data processing needs;
• Oversees long range planning and innovative program development;
• Directs the preparation of comprehensive studies and complex analytical reports;
• Develops Policies and procedures to carry out the non-judicial functions of the Court;
• Effectively interrelates and negotiates on behalf of the Court with outside agencies, services providers, vendors and the public;
• Reviews, evaluates and interprets trends, legal requirements, laws and pending legislation relative to Court operations;
• Supervises subordinate managers relative to the effective utilization of available resources and the assignment of personnel;
• Coordinates Court activities with other agencies and service providers;
• Serves on local and state committees/task forces/working groups and implements local and statewide perspectives on relevant court issues;
• Directs the preparation, administration, and monitoring of state/local budgets;
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Presiding Judge.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of court administration, court operations, organizational management, human resource management, labor relations and fiscal and operational quality control;
• Principles and methods of project management;
• Principles of conflict resolution;
• California Trial Court Funding systems and processes;
• Strategic and Operational plan adopted by the Judicial Council of CA;
• Modern adult learning methods and techniques;
• Trial Court Performance Standards.

Skills & Abilities:

• Effectively manage human resources and multiple programs, evaluate problems with conflicting evidence, think strategically, assess and balance competing values, negotiate and influence others;
• Encourage and promote an effective team atmosphere by providing leadership and assistance to creatively, innovatively and flexibly solve problems in a cooperative and systematic manner;
• Capably translate ideas into productive action;
• Interpret and apply employee labor agreements and State and Federal laws pertaining to employment;
• Understand and promote diversity;
• Collect, interpret and evaluate a variety of narrative and statistical data; perform research and prepare written and oral presentations for court management and the bench;
• Communicate clearly and effectively to a wide variety of audiences, conveying complex information in a clear and concise manner including the ability to make presentations to groups of various sizes;
• Apply accepted principles, practices and methods of public personnel administration, analyze and develop alternate solutions to technical personnel problems;
• Maintain the confidence and cooperation of Court officials, employees and the public;
• Exercise discretion and independent judgment;
• Supervise, train, develop, uplift and evaluate assigned staff;
• Possess excellent written and verbal skills.

Typical Qualifications

Employment Standards:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree in court administration, public administration, business administration or criminal justice, or a closely related field.

AND

Experience: Five years of progressively responsible management experience, including at least four years of direct supervisor experience, preferably in a public-sector setting.

In addition to the required experience, education, knowledge, skills, and abilities, it is desirable that the ideal candidate:

• Has extensive experience in court management;
• Values positive, professional relationships and the power of teamwork;
• Is able to provide references which confirm a history of approachability, integrity, flexibility, diplomacy, court and credibility;
• Has a contagious passion for public service and the integrity and purpose of the judicial branch of government.

Supplemental Information

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $128,780 - $190,296 annually and will depend on the qualifications and experience of the individual selected. In addition, the Court will provide reimbursement for relocation expenses up to $3,500 upon hire, if they are not a resident of the County of Sierra and establishes residency in Sierra County.

Benefits include:

• Choice of 3 health insurance plans
• Dental & Vision insurance
• Court-paid Life Insurance - $50K term life policy
• CalPERS Pension
• Optional 457 Plan
• Generous vacation, management and sick leave, in addition to 13 paid holidays
• Employee Assistance Program

To Apply

Sierra County Superior Court is utilizing Butte County Superior Court’s online application portal for application submission.

Applications must be submitted online through Butte’s Job Opportunities page by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Job Opportunities URL: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/buttecourt

Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application and responding to a supplemental questionnaire.

Applications will be evaluated to determine the best qualified candidates. Those candidates will be invited to one or more panel interview(s) consisting of judicial officers and the current Executive Officer.

The Community

Sierra County (population 3,200) is located just north of Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The County is bordered by Plumas and Lassen Counties to the north, Nevada County to the south, Yuba County to the west and the State of Nevada to the east. Elevations range from 1,800 to 8,589 feet, and the large portions of the County are included in the Tahoe National Forest.

Sierra County is a unique, rural and rugged place with a history and people rooted in the resources and natural features of its land: the high Sierra and its wildlife, scenery, recreation, watershed, forests, and gold resources; the agricultural Sierra and Long Valleys; and wild and scenic rivers flowing throughout the county, including the Little Truckee, Feather and Yuba Rivers. The County’s communities maintain a unique character born in the historic resource industries of the area. From the gold mining town of Alleghany, to the agricultural lumber mill town of Loyalton, and more recently the outdoor recreational tourism industry in Downieville, Sierra City, and the Lakes basin, the residents and visitors enjoy a rural lifestyle of changing seasons, national forests and exceptional recreational opportunities.

Sierra County is a living historic landmark, representative of a way of life that has been left behind throughout much of California.The County has changed little over its 150-year modern history, and its residents seek to maintain the rural quality of life and economic ties to natural resources which are integral to that lifestyle. The County’s small towns and pristine wilderness have fostered a high level of community cohesiveness among residents, combined with a spirit of independence and self-reliance.

The eastern and western regions of the county are divided by the 6,700-foot elevation Yuba Pass. The County seat of Downieville (pop. 174) is in the western region of the county, situated at the confluence of the Yuba and Downie Rivers. The City of Loyalton (pop. 728) is the County’s only incorporated city, located in the eastern portion of the county in the Sierra Valley – the largest valley in the Sierra Nevada range. The 5,000-foot elevation Sierra Valley consists primarily of ranches established in the 1800's. Most of the communities in Sierra County are accessible via Highways 49 and 89, both of which are regularly maintained during the winter months.

Sierra County offers a safe, rural lifestyle with year-round recreational opportunities including cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, mountain biking, hiking, camping and fishing. Shopping and dining can be enjoyed in historic settings. Community events typical of rural communities – farmer’s markets, local theater productions, fishing derbies, and various road mountain biking events occur annually. Many social and service clubs, various church organizations and volunteer fire departments are active in Sierra County.

The Superior Court

The Sierra County Superior Court is a small, unified trial court served by two judges, one part-time child support commissioner, a court executive officer, and five permanent, full-time employees, as well as several dedicated contract specialists who provide the Court with various services including information technology expertise and support.

The Court is committed to improving access to justice for all court users and has engaged the community in working with the Court to achieve this goal. In collaboration with other local government partners, the Court is committed to restorative justice programs and strategies. The Court has implemented a Collaborative Court, which encompasses all diversion programs. The Court also staffs a Self-Help Center where individualized assistance is provided to self-represented court litigants. In addition, the Court has a contract with Nevada County Superior Court to provide other self-help services.