SSD - Deputy Director of Professional Development

Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Deputy Director of Professional Development provides strategic leadership and oversight for all training, onboarding, leadership development, and continuous learning initiatives within the Social Service Department. This position ensures the department’s workforce is equipped with the skills, knowledge, and professional identity necessary to deliver high-quality, evidence-based supervision and services.
The Deputy Director serves as a key member of the administrative leadership team and is responsible for aligning professional development initiatives with departmental goals, state requirements established by the Illinois Judicial College (IJC), Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) and the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services (OSPS), and best practices in community corrections. Additionally, the Deputy Director engages in vertical and horizontal collaborations with essential stakeholders and judicial agencies, including but not limited to the Office of the Chief Judge (OCJ) and the Adult Probation Department (APD) as well as professional agencies like the American Pretrial and Probation Association (APPA) etc.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited university in criminal justice, criminology, public policy, social work, education or a related field, with 3 or more years of employment and at least 2 years at a supervisory level, or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in criminal justice, criminology, public policy, social work, education or a related field with 5 or more years of employment and at least 3 years at a supervisory level.
• Experience conceptualizing and delivering varied training curricula.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including a demonstrated ability to communicate complex information in a straightforward and easy-to-understand way.
• Strong understanding of evidence-based practices and principles in community corrections.
• Strong organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks.
• Ability to think creatively and apply critical and analytical reasoning to address complex or challenging situations
• High level of internal motivation and the ability to work independently.
• Sensitivity to issues of confidentiality, ethics, and professionalism.
• Proficiency with technology and case management platforms. Possess excellent organizational and time management skills
• Utilize pro-social problem-solving skills
• Possess working knowledge of the criminal court system
• Possess and employ de-escalation skills
• Establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with others.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive, department-wide professional development strategy aligned with the agency’s mission, values, and operational priorities
• Advise administrative leadership on training trends, staff development needs, and collaborate with the team on succession planning and organizational readiness
• Become certified as an instructor to provide support and/or coaching for staff around department pre and post adjudication initiatives, including answering implementation questions, curriculum development, and coordination
• Deliver and monitor training that aligns with the department training plan, including but not limited to compliance with current COPE and CPTE requirements
• Complete and/or facilitate trainings for all department initiatives for pre and post adjudication services to ensure departmental trainings consistently reflect and adhere to evidence-based practices
• Collaborate with administrative leadership on grant development and submission to support department initiatives
• Maintains training documentation, including processing training requests, registering staff for training events, issuing confirmations, and generating timesheets and program evaluations
• Maintains training and certification records by utilizing the Relias platform to document staff training hours and managing certifications, including but not limited to ARA and Certified Partner Abuse Intervention Professional (CPAIP)
• Collaborate with administrative leadership/deputy director of finance regarding annual budget requirements and requests for training registration fees as well as travel budget requirements
• Coordinating with the Purchasing Clerk on requests for both reimbursement and out-of-town accommodations
• Monitor compliance with required training standards, continuing education, and credentialing requirements
• Oversees and collaborates on the development, review, and updating of job aids
• Periodically, travel from one training location/work site to another in order to complete job duties
• Oversee internships and academic partnerships that support recruitment and workforce development
• May engage in onboarding events, including but not limited to participating in career fairs and organizing regular swearing in ceremonies
• Collaborate with human resources for onboarding new staff, including basic training and probationary evaluations
• Work in partnership with the administrative leadership team to create infrastructure to encourage and support advancement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director