Deputy Chief Operations Officer presso Superior Court of Orange County, CA

About the Department

The Superior Court of California, County of Orange

is now accepting applications for:

DEPUTY CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

DEADLINE TO APPLY

*Deadline to apply for this recruitment is Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PST.

This recruitment is open to external candidates, internal OCSC employees, and internal OCSC promotions. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies, and an eligible list may be established to fill future vacancies.

ANNUAL SALARY

$180,544.00 - $212,284.80 Annually

BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTS

Choice of five medical plans

Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (2.50% at 67 formula)

$3500 Optional Benefit Plan (OBP) annually

Optional deferred compensation program (457 plan)

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

Dental and Vision Plans

Vacation and sick leave packages

14 paid holidays per year

Tuition reimbursement

TELEWORK/ON-SITE OPPORTUNITY

The Deputy Chief Operations Officer job classification is eligible for a limited combination of telework and on-site work assignments after 6 months of employment for employees who are in good standing.    Telework must be completed from a pre-designated home-based location within the State of California, and employees may be required to report on-site to address business needs.

Telework is at the sole discretion of the Court and may be rescinded with 48 hours' notice, based on the needs of the Orange County Superior Court.

Position Duties

ABOUT THE ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

The Orange County Superior Court was established in 1893 and maintains jurisdiction over a wide range of matters, with our flagship location being the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, with additional courthouses located in Orange (Lamoreaux), Newport Beach (Harbor), Fullerton (North), and Westminster (West), as the fifth-largest trial court in the United States and the third-largest court of general jurisdiction in California. We have more than 140 judicial officers and over 1,500 staff with an operating budget of nearly $280 million.

Our court is recognized for innovation, resource advancements, and community focus while managing over half a million case filings annually and serving a population exceeding three million. The Court's Judges, Commissioners, and employees are recognized for their high standards of achievement, integrity, modernization, and diversity. The Court is committed to ensuring equal access to court services and enhancing public confidence in the court system.

To learn more about the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, visit our homepage at www.occourts.org.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Orange County Superior Court is seeking a dynamic, innovative, visionary, and experienced leader to serve as Deputy Chief Operations Officer (DCOO). The DCOO oversees the daily operations of a major section and location of the court that encompasses various case types, including Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Probate, Juvenile, and Family Law. The DCOO will also direct essential support functions, including Jury Services, Court Reporters, Language Access Services, Pre-trial Services, Self-Help, and Collaborative Courts. In total, each DCOO assignment will oversee a range of 300 to 400 employees with the support of a leadership structure. The DCOO works closely with judicial officers, executive leadership, and our dedicated workforce to play a key role in shaping and implementing programs, policies, and services that directly impact access to the court to support our community. As a senior court leader, the DCOO provides strategic direction and problem-solving across complex court operations, case flow management, and program development. 

The ideal candidate will have experience leading large, high-performing teams and transformation initiatives, mentoring future leaders, and collaborating with justice partners to drive efficiency, innovation, and service delivery. The ideal candidate shall value accountability, inspire trust, and thrive in a fast-paced, high-impact legal setting. This is an opportunity that brings strategic vision and operational expertise to one of the largest trial courts in California. If you are ready to shape the future of court operations while fostering collaborative relationships and enhancing public trust, this is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

For more details and to read the entire job description, click the following link:

DEPUTY CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Minimum Qualifications

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

OPTION I

High school diploma or GED equivalent -AND- eight (8) years of full-time (or equivalent) senior management experience at the classification level of the Court Operations Manager, Principal Operations Analyst, or comparable management position (i.e., manage subordinate managers/analysts) with another California court. 

-OR-

OPTION II

Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, criminal justice, or a closely related field -AND- four (4) years of full-time (or equivalent) court senior management experience at the classification level of the Court Operations Manager, Principal Operations Analyst, or comparable management position (i.e., manage subordinate managers/analysts) with another California court. *Note: A copy of your college diploma or official transcripts must be included with your application.  

DESIRED EXPERIENCE:

Court management experience is required. 

Three (3) years of budget management experience with direct oversight of one or more specific cost center budgets (e.g., served in a Cost Center Manager capacity).

One (1) year of experience serving as a court-designated representative or liaison to one or more justice system stakeholders. 

Experience successfully implementing several significant multi-agency projects/initiatives. 

DESIRED CERTIFICATIONS:

Certification from the Institute for Court Management's Court Management Program (CMP).

Judicial Administration Program; or Completion of the Court Executive Development Program (CEDP).

Other Qualifications

APPLICATION PROCESS

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application and supplemental questionnaire. To learn more about how to create an application, click HERE. Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of the required application and supplemental questionnaire. For tips on completing/updating your application, refer to our "Helpful Application Tips" guide by clicking HERE.

SELECTION PROCESS

STEP 1: Applications will be reviewed by Human Resources to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and/or desirables. It is to your benefit to include all current and previous related work experience. When listing Court experience, please include dates and classification of each position held, if more than one. Only those who meet the minimum qualifications and desirables (if applicable) will proceed to the next step in the recruitment process.

STEP 2: Candidates' supplemental question responses may be evaluated and ranked. Depending on the number of applications, additional assessments and/or screening interviews may be conducted. Top candidates from step 2 will be referred to step 3 in the selection process.

STEP 3:  A selection interview will be conducted, along with possible secondary interviews. Additional steps for the selection process will include a local background and reference check to evaluate compatibility with court employment.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Orange County Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, upon request. Please contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] if you feel that you will need a reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the selection process.

ELIGIBLE LIST

This recruitment may be used to establish an eligible list for current and future vacancies. The eligible list may remain active until the list is exhausted or a new recruitment opens.

STATUS NOTIFICATIONS

You will be notified by email during the process of this recruitment through GovernmentJobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with GovernmentJobs.com and occourts.org. If your information changes, please update your profile at http://www.governmentjobs.com/.

E-VERIFY

The Superior Court of California, County of Orange, participates in the E-Verify program, which confirms employment eligibility of new hires.

QUESTIONS?

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Ernest Montoya at [email protected]. For general employment information, please click HERE.

Orange County Superior Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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