Civic Engagement Administrator at Circuit Executive's Office

Job Announcement: 
#24-12

Position Type:          
Full-time, Permanent

Location:
John J. Moakley U.S. Courthouse, Boston, MA

Salary:                       
CL 26 to CL 27 ($59,682 - $106,572) per annum
Depending on qualifications and experience

 
Closing Date:            
July 17, 2024

Organization:            
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit seeks applications for the position of Civic Engagement Administrator. The United States Courts for the First Circuit include the Court of Appeals, which is the court of review for decisions of the district courts within the First Circuit, including the Districts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico. The Court of Appeals also reviews decisions of federal administrative agencies, the United States Tax Court, and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel.

Duties and Responsibilities:        
The Civic Engagement Administrator provides support to the Stephen G. Breyer Community Learning Center on Courts and the Constitution, located in the First Circuit's Headquarters Library in Boston, MA. The Center's mission is to increase the understanding of the principles and history of the Federal Judiciary and the First Circuit among local teachers, students, and the general public.

The primary focus of this role is to aid in the development, maintenance, and delivery of programs, educational materials, and online content focusing on the history, structure, and operation of federal courts and the judicial branch of government, and the First Circuit in particular. The incumbent also oversees the administrative management of Center tours and acts as a community liaison between the court and the local educational community. This position reports to the Circuit Librarian.

Representative duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

Content Development:  Facilitating and participating in the creation of the Center's exhibit content and educational program design and development. Developing and continuously reviewing materials, digital resources, and tour scripts, and updating as necessary. Recommending new exhibits, displays, multimedia content, and interactive content, in collaboration with Circuit Executive's Office. Coordinating the acquisition of Center materials and historic artifacts. Researching relevant First Circuit case history to be included in exhibits and educational programs. Distilling legal content into language that can be easily understood by students and members of the public. Participating in the design of specialized programs and activities, including annual celebrations such as Law Day and Constitution Day.

Outreach and Communication:  Developing and maintaining professional contacts with local schools, school systems, educators, and other stakeholders to promote awareness of the Center and its civics education programming. Utilizing social media and other networking tools to build and share knowledge about the Center. Creating and updating outreach materials in both print and electronic format. Developing and maintaining content for the Center's public website. Coordinating outreach efforts and materials with other civics outreach staff nationally and with local partners, such as Discovering Justice. Building and maintaining professional working relationships and collaborating with public affairs/public education specialists at the Administrative Office of the US Courts (AO) and the Federal Judicial Center (FJC). Interacting and responding to requests for information from internal and external stakeholders.

Center Administration:  Arranging tours and programming for local students, educators, and other public visitors. Assisting in the planning and execution of visits to the courthouse by judicial officers, off-site court staff, international visitors, and other guests. Coordinating with chambers to schedule judges to speak with tour groups. Recommending programs and strategies to maximize the effectiveness of the Center and other civics initiatives throughout the First Circuit. Supporting Circuit-wide civics programming. Documenting and archiving Center events and activities. Creating surveys and other assessment instruments to evaluate Center programs. Assessing survey data and making recommendations based on results. Performing other duties as assigned.

Special Notice:          
The First Circuit Court of Appeals is a hybrid work environment. The selected candidate will work in-person at the Moakley Courthouse during the initial training period. After successful completion of training, telework on certain days of the week will be available, depending upon office needs.

Qualifications:          

• Candidates must have a bachelor's degree and two years of specialized experience in program coordination, event planning, educational outreach, or related experience.
• Strong knowledge of civics, government functions, and civic engagement principles.
• Excellent communication, writing, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to unanticipated needs and problems and to manage multiple tasks and priorities, often with conflicting deadlines.
• Ability to think independently and work cooperatively in an office
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint, and presentation software.
• The successful candidate must have the ability to occasionally support programs and events outside standard business hours.
• Occasional travel will be required.

Benefits:                      
Federal benefits for this position include paid vacation and sick leave, health benefits, life insurance, and flexible benefits programs. Federal Judiciary employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Further details regarding benefits can be found here:

                                      Benefits | United States Courts (uscourts.gov)

Background Check: 
The successful candidate is subject to a background check or investigation, which includes an FBI fingerprint check as a condition of employment. Employee retention depends upon a favorable suitability determination.

How to Apply:

Submit the following documents: (1) cover letter, (2) resume, and (3) completed AO-78, Application for Federal Judicial Branch Employment (version dated 3/24), to:

Applications will also be accepted via email, in pdf format only, to: ojobs@ca1.uscourts.gov

The application form (AO-78) is available at AO_078_0.pdf (uscourts.gov)  The AO-78 must be signed and filled out completely. Attaching a resume in lieu of the AO-78 or answering the questions on the AO-78 by simply referencing an attached resume is not sufficient. If the AO-78 is filled out electronically and submitted by email, the fillable form must be resaved and submitted as a non-fillable pdf before submission; otherwise the form will appear blank.

 
Note:  
Applications that do not include all requested information will be deemed incomplete and will not be considered.

Additional Conditions of Employment:

An applicant must be a United States citizen or permanently eligible to work in the United States. The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages. All court employees are required to adhere to a Code of Conduct. Successful completion of a six-month probationary period is required. All Court of Appeals employees are "at will" employees and serve at the pleasure of the Court. The Court will only communicate with those qualified individuals who will be invited for an interview. The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, either of which may occur without prior written or other notice. If a subsequent vacancy of the same or similar characteristics to this position becomes available within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the Court may elect to select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER