Salary: $130,041.00 - $207,500.00 Annually
Location : Raleigh, NC
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 26-01
Agency: Clerk's Office
Opening Date: 10/01/2025
Position Overview The United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina is accepting applications for a Chief Deputy Clerk. Currently, the bench of the court is comprised of four district judges and four magistrate judges. The Eastern District of North Carolina is headquartered in Raleigh and has divisional offices in Elizabeth City, Fayetteville, Greenville, New Bern, and Wilmington.
The Chief Deputy Clerk is a professional, managerial 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 and programs, and managing the Court's operations.
The classification level for this position is at the grade JSP 14 with promotional potential to the JSP 16 level.
Applications that are received by the initial cut-off date of October 27, 2025, will receive first consideration. Representative Duties The Chief Deputy Clerk performs duties and responsibilities which include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Assist in providing leadership, management, and supervision for the operations of the Clerk's office. Assist in overseeing the business of the court, including the processing of cases, statistical reporting, case management, and serving as the custodian of official court records. Assume the duties of the Clerk of Court in his absence.
- Assist with the formulation, implementation, monitoring, and modification of organizational policy and court rules. Participate and collaborate in the establishment and development of court-wide policies. 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.
- Analyze the overall flow of cases within the court to ensure effective case management. Assist with managing the jury operations of the court and make recommendations to improve juror utilization.
- Interact with the Administrative Office, Federal Judicial Center, other federal courts, court units, the bar, government agencies, judges and the public to resolve complex issues of practice and procedure.
- Assist with the development, implementation, and enforcement of policies and practices to secure staff and physical assets of the court unit, which may include oversight of: property management, training, emergency preparedness and disaster recovery activities, space and facilities needs, security, media and public relations; and, acquiring additional resources as needed.
- Supervise preparation and submission of statistical reports relating to all cases filed, disposition of such cases, disposition of defendants in criminal cases, use of jurors, trials and pre-trials conducted, naturalization petitions and other reports required to reflect the workload of the court.
- In conjunction with the Clerk and Management Team, establish and adjust long range goals, schedules, priorities and deadlines for completion of work assignments and coordinate work schedules among subordinate units.
- Participate in and coordinate Management Team activities, as well as, chair meetings.
- Work with IT Director to determine present and future automation needs, anticipating trends in emerging technologies, and assist in developing long and short-term plans synthesizing Court needs with available technology and maximizing efficiency through improvements to existing automated systems.
- Assist with development of the budget and financial plan.
- 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.
Qualifications To be qualified for appointment as Chief Deputy Clerk, a candidate must possess a Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be admitted to the bar in a federal court of general jurisdiction. In addition, the successful candidate must be a leader, motivator, highly organized, and maintain a professional demeanor at all times. Candidate must also have the ability to provide innovative solutions to workplace problems and employee relation issues, possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, have expertise in dealing with others in person-to-person work relationships, and strong analytical and project management skills.
Each candidate must also have a performance history that demonstrates strong organizational and problem solving skills, the ability to exercise sound judgment and a strong work ethic. In addition, a minimum of three years of general experience and three years of specialized experience is required as indicated below:
General Experience : A minimum of three years of progressively responsible general administrative or professional experience in public service or business which provided an opportunity to study, practice and implement the basic theories, concepts, principles, and policies of sound and effective management.
Specialized Experience : A minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience in a position with substantial senior management responsibilities, preferably in judicial administration or operations of a federal or state court.
Conditions of Employment Applicants must be United States citizens or lawful permanent residents actively seeking citizenship. Judicial Branch employees are considered "at will" employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service. Salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit is required.
Employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees, which is available to applicants to review upon request.
The Chief Deputy travels regularly within the district to divisional offices in Elizabeth City, Greenville, New Bern, and Wilmington.
Applicants will be required to submit to a background investigation (including references, criminal history, and credit history) prior to an offer of employment being made. The person selected for this position will also be required to submit fingerprints for an FBI background check. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a ten-year background investigation with periodic updates every five years thereafter.
Application Procedures All interested persons should apply online by visiting and submit an application package which is to include:
- A cover letter of interest that addresses qualifications and relevant experience;
- A current resume including salary history;
- A narrative statement that details management philosophy and personal leadership style;
- Names and contact information for 3 professional references; and,
Travel and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. The court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position at any time before the closing date, any of which actions may occur without any prior written or other notice. Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
-THE COURT IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER-
questions may be sent via email to
The Federal Judiciary offers a wide range of benefits and choices so employees can create a package that best suits their individual needs. Health Insurance The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) offers employees more than ten (10) health plan options to choose from that provide comprehensive medical benefits including preventative care, doctor's office visits, hospitalization, surgery, and prescription drugs with no pre-existing condition limitations. FEHB has a few plan types with several health carriers in each plan: Fee-for-Service (FSS- equivalent to a PPO), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Consumer Driven Plans and High-Deductible Plans.
On average, the federal government pays 70% of health plan premiums while employees pay the remaining premium through payroll deductions.
Supplemental Dental & Vision Insurance Employees are eligible to participate in dental and vision coverage through the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). The supplemental dental and vision program provides a selection of dental and/or vision plans for federal employees and their families at a group rate. Employees are responsible for the full group rate premium which is paid through pre-tax payroll deductions.
Life Insurance Life Insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection for employees and their loved ones. By way of the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program, employees are offered Basic Life Insurance with options to increase coverage and elect coverage for eligible dependents. The federal government pays approximately 1/3 of the Basic Life premium and employees are responsible for paying the remaining 2/3, which is paid via post-tax payroll deductions.
Long Term Care Insurance Long-term care insurance (LTC) can protect an employee's financial future by helping to pay the high cost of long-term care. Long-term care insurance programs include coverage for nursing home care (all levels received in a licensed facility), community-based care (assisted living facilities, adult daycare and home health services), hospice center, caregiver support and alternative plans of care.
Flexible Benefits Program The Flexible Benefits Program allows employees to increase their take home pay by using the Judiciary's pre-tax options for health care, dependent care, and health insurance premiums. The program has three key components: the Healthcare Reimbursement Account, the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account and the Premium Payment Plan.
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Recognizing the importance of an employee's future, the federal government provides its employees a retirement program called the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). It is a three-tiered retirement plan that enables employees to take an active role in securing a strong financial foundation for their retirement. All federal employees are automatically enrolled and may file for retirement once they meet the eligibility requirements. The three components of the plan are the FERS Basic Benefit, Social Security, and Thrift Savings Plan.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) TSP is a savings and investment program designed to provide retirement income. It is an important component to the FERS Retirement Plan. It is comparable to a private-sector tax-deferred 401(k) plan, which offers both a traditional and a Roth contribution option, tax deferral on traditional contributions, agency matching, a choice of 5 investment funds, a loan program and a choice of post-separation withdrawal options.
Vacation/Sick/Other Leave To assist eligible employees with maintaining a healthy work/life balance, the Judiciary offers a generous amount of leave through a combination of federal holidays, annual (vacation) leave and sick leave. Full time employees with less than three (3) years of service accrue approximately 2.5 weeks of annual leave per year. This increases to 4 weeks from years 3-14, and up to 5 weeks each year when an employee has reached 15 years or more of service. In addition to annual (vacation) leave, full time employees also accrue approximately 2.5 weeks of sick leave each year and are given eleven (11) paid federal holidays.
Wellness Program The Judiciary recognizes that a positive sense of well-being amongst its employees is a key component of a healthy and productive employee. Wellness activities may include on-site fitness facility, wellness challenges and incentives, annual health fair, stress reduction and health eating programs.
Worker's Compensation Employees are covered by the provisions of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, 5 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq., which allows compensation for injuries sustained while in the performance of duty or to employment-related disease.
Employee Assistance Program The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free, confidential benefit that offers professional counseling and referral services that can help employees and their families successfully deal with life's challenges. The program offers assessments, short-term counseling, referral and follow-up for employees confronted with family and marital problems, financial challenges, legal obstacles, or symptoms of stress and other emotional conditions.
01
What is the highest level of education obtained?
- High School/GED
- Some College (at least 1 year completed)
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Doctorate or Juris Doctorate
02
Are you currently or have you previously been employed by the federal Judiciary?
03
How many years of professional work experience do you possess?
- No Experience
- Less than 3 Years
- 3 Years to Less than 6 Years
- 6 or More Years
04
How many years of specialized work experience do you possess in a position with substantial senior management responsibilities, preferably in judicial administration or operations of a federal or state court?
- Less than 3 years
- 3 Years to Less than 6 Years
- 6 or More Years
Required Question
