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Chief Deputy, Operations

Judicial Branch
U.S. Courts
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Summary

The Chief Deputy is a professional leadership position responsible for the day-to-day administration and supervision of operations and various administrative functions of the Clerk of Court's office. The Chief Deputy reports directly to the Clerk of Court and assists the Clerk with supervision, planning, developing, and implementing office policies, procedures, programs, and managing Court operations.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
01/14/2026 to 03/14/2026
Salary
$184,950 to - $209,600 per year

Depending on qualifications and experience.

Pay scale & grade
JS 15 - 16
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
San Francisco, CA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
16
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
DE-12863914-26-LLO
Control number
854502400

Duties

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The Chief Deputy's primary focus is on managing operations related to case flow, including docketing, calendaring, and case materials. The incumbent works closely with judges, court personnel, other courts and governmental agencies to improve the case flow process and overall operations of the court.

Representative Duties:

  • Assist with developing and executing strategic and long-range plans of the Clerk's office and the court. Interpret and apply the appropriate statutes, rules, and operating procedures, including the Guide to Judiciary Policies and Procedures and local internal policies and controls.
  • Manages the docketing, calendaring, and case materials functions of the Clerk's Office and the staff members who perform those functions; implements the policies and procedures established by the Clerk of Court.
  • Consulting with the Clerk of Court and judges on court policies and procedures, making recommendations as needed.
  • Oversee the flow of paper and electronic documents within the Clerk's Office. Regularly analyzes the efficiency of this process, identifies opportunities for improvement, and implements changes in consultation with the Clerk of Court.
  • Works with the Clerk of Court to establish processes to ensure filers' compliance with court rules.
  • Works closely with the business owner for the Appellate Case Management System (ACMS) and partners with the Information Technology unit to further customize and develop the application to support the needs of the court.
  • Partners with the Information Technology unit as needed to define and generate statistical reports capturing key workload metrics and monitoring the progression of cases through the court.
  • Serving as a liaison to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the Federal Judicial Center, chambers, other court units, the Office of the U.S. Trustee, the U.S. Marshals Service, and various bar associations.
  • Serves as staff to the Advisory Committee on Rules and Internal Operating Procedures. Oversee the process of amending court rules.
  • Serves as Staff to the Appellate Lawyers Representatives' Committee.
  • Oversees Civics and Continuing Education Programs sponsored by the Court.
  • Prepare comprehensive memoranda, reports, and correspondence; draft administrative orders, proposed procedures and local rules; complete complex projects and perform other duties as assigned by the Clerk of Court.
  • Serves as the custodian of official court records and assumes the duties of the Clerk of Court in their absence.
  • Performing other duties as assigned.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident in the process of applying for citizenship.
  • Successful applicants are provisionally hired pending results of background investigation and fingerprinting.
  • Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.
  • Direct deposit of pay required.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • Minimum of six years of progressively responsible, successful and substantive administrative experience (3 of which must be managerial) in public service or business.
  • Graduate degree in judicial, public or business administration, political science, criminal justice, law, management or related field from an accredited university.
  • Working knowledge of legal and court terminology.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • (JD) juris doctor degree from an accredited college or university are preferred.
  • Prior judiciary experience with strong emphasis in court operations and/or court administration.
  • Member of the bar of a state, territorial or federal court of general jurisdiction.
  • Extensive management experience in the federal judiciary. The successful candidate should be a leader, motivator and highly organized. The ability to collaborate across court units is critical.
  • Ability to provide innovative solutions to workplace problems and employee relations issues.
  • Expert knowledge of electronic filing and case management systems, including the ability to conduct training, define reports and make recommendations regarding the operational needs of the court.
  • Strong analytical and project management skills.

Education

Graduate degree in judicial, public or business administration, political science, criminal justice, law, management or related field from an accredited university.

Additional information

  • Positions with the U.S. Courts are at-will, excepted service appointments, and may be terminated with or without cause by the Court.
  • The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, for any reason including, but not limited to, budgetary issues. Said modifications may occur without prior written or other notice.
  • We value diversity and are committed to equity and inclusion in our workplace. The 9th Circuit encourages applications from all qualified individuals and seeks a diverse pool of applicants in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran's status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

We will review your resume and supporting documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant professional, educational, and work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified in the Qualifications section above, required for this position.

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