Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

As part of the Court Services Division (CSD) management team, directly supervises a range of court programs and services in the Superior Court of Justice and/or the Ontario Court of Justice by coordinating, directing, scheduling, planning, and supervising the delivery of court operations, potentially in multiple locations. Conducts business/operational strategic planning and analyzes and monitors quality control of local operations. Ensures compliance of all statutory obligations. Builds positive, collaborative working relationships with all justice participants. Leads and/or participates on local, regional and corporate operational committees and projects to continuously improve court operations and services. Assumes duties of Manager, Court Operations during absences. When required, provides support and direction to multiple court locations within the administrative district.

Duties / Responsibilities :

In a large, geographically dispersed and fast-paced division, the SCO position is an integral member of the CSD management team. As the primary front-line management contact, the position oversees the day-to-day delivery of court services and is responsible for the management of staff in the Superior Court of Justice and/or the Ontario Court of Justice. When required, the position will support multiple court locations, and as such, will travel between locations to perform the duties that follow. The position reports to, and takes direction from the Manager, Court Operations.

1. Managing Programs and Services


Manages the day-to-day delivery of court services for a range of practice areas (criminal, civil and family) and/or operational functions (court office, court case scheduling and in-court staffing) by directing and delivering programs and services across a range of court administration areas, often solving complex, varied, sensitive and difficult problems. As part of the local management team, ensures the timely and efficient administration and delivery of court operations; ensures court documents are processed and issued in accordance with relevant legislation, regulations, rules of court and practice directions, ministry/divisional operational policies and procedures; facilitates the enforcement of court decisions and provides for optimum utilization of staff resources. Demonstrates leadership by ensuring OPS, ministry and divisional performance measures and service standards are achieved (e.g., counter wait times).

Exercises delegated statutory and managerial signing authority (e.g., issuing civil orders and judgments in accordance with judge's endorsements from time to time and signing trust cheques), cheque authorization and other ministry business.

Where exceptional cases or problems are identified requiring the supervisor's attention, provides information to clients and court stakeholders on technical, statutory, regulatory issues, rules and procedures in operational areas, such as scheduling of trials, administration and maintenance of courtrooms, service of documents, and enforcement of orders. In resolving unusual or complex technical problems such as oversights in the court process, the position analyzes options within the framework of relevant legislative, regulatory, policy and procedural constraints and recommends solutions and consults with regional senior/corporate business consultants.

2. Business/Operational Strategic Planning

Supports the modernization of court services by identifying opportunities for and recommending improved business processes, procedures and practices to maximize operational cost-effectiveness and service quality; develops protocols and business processes to streamline operations and to comply with judicial decisions, legislative changes and the introduction of automated/technological systems. Supports the Manager of Court Operations in developing local business continuity plans, including the development of contingency plans to manage local operations in the event of a labour disruption. Consults with justice participants, colleagues and staff to discuss operational issues, identify gaps in program or service delivery, and provide for seamless/integrated implementation processes for new/revised business processes and operational procedures.

Collects and analyzes local management information, including active quality control measures and court activity statistics, to identify trends or issues that impact on program/service delivery, justice participants and/ or court budget forecasting. Provides strategic planning advice to senior management on data findings, conclusions and recommendations for program and service delivery adjustments to maximize operational efficiency and improve the quality of services and client satisfaction, including recommendations for potential solutions in coordination with other justice participants (e.g. Justice on Target and Family Law reform).

3. Managing Staff

Provides leadership and direction to staff and creates and maintains a professional and respectful workplace. Co-ordinates and assigns work; oversees and participates in the recruitment and selection of employees; supports OPS diversity policies and promotes diversity awareness locally; prepares and conducts regular performance management reviews and annual learning and development plans and assigns performance ratings in accordance with OPS and ministry policies, and develops remedial plans for performance improvement; holds regular staff meetings and promotes employee engagement; resolves disciplinary matters and administers OPS corporate and ministry HR policies and procedures, such as the Illness and Injury Management Program, the Attendance Support Program and the Workplace Discrimination and Harassment and the Workplace Violence Prevention Policies.



4. Managing Finances/Budget/Facilities

Forecasts expenditures and staff FTE utilization analyzing risks and impacts on court operations; provides regular reports, analysis and recommendations to the manager on expenditure reductions. Demonstrates fiscal/operational leadership by ensuring that all spending is aligned with regional and/or location approved allocations and continuously reviews all operational practices and processes to support/ensure an efficient operation. Ensures compliance with financial controls and procedures, including stringent cash handling practices and the security of all monies in accordance with OPS, ministry and audit policies, directives, procedures, guidelines and related legislation.

Ensures that the needs of the ministry and local courthouse have been appropriately identified with respect to capital improvements, provides recommendations to senior management and facilities management and participates in implementation planning for local facilities projects, minimizing any disruption of service delivery to court clients. Ensures that security requirements are identified to the police and the judiciary and reviews and monitors the maintenance of local court facilities and equipment on a regular basis to ensure staff and public safety. Ensures that facilities are properly maintained and that all legislative, regulatory and Ministry/divisional operational policy requirements are met, such as inspections under the Occupational Health and Safety guidelines and implementation of emergency management procedures.

5. Justice Participant/Relationship Management

Actively develops effective working relationships and consults with the manager, colleagues, staff and justice participants on what is working well and how to improve services; analyzes information received, develops options, recommendations and best practices for presentation to senior management. Demonstrates leadership in supporting OPS diversity and accessibility policies, promoting awareness of cultural diversity (e.g., aboriginal and Francophone justice clients) and providing for access to justice for all clients, including accessibility for court users with disabilities.

Provides expertise in their respective area(s) of court operations when providing assistance with and responding to inquiries from justice participants to resolve or advise on program, policy and service delivery issues.

6. Supporting the Regional/Division Management Team

Drafts briefing notes for senior management review on a range of local operational, policy and human resources issues requiring analysis and the development of options and recommendations. Prepares business cases to support recommendations for changes to local staffing and/or service delivery levels or facilities and/or court security maintenance and improvements.

Leads aspects of, and participates on projects, committees (e.g., court operational tables), working groups and management team meetings as required to contribute to the development and revision of policies and procedures pertaining to court operations that will have a province-wide impact, by providing leadership, subject matter expertise, analysis and advice.

Demonstrates leadership to local staff and justice participants by actively promoting and supporting the implementation of ministry, divisional and corporate initiatives (e.g., Employee Engagement, OPS Green strategies and the division's Professional and Respectful Workplace Action Plan).

Staffing and Licencing :

When a position oversees multiple locations, a valid Ontario Driver's Licence is required.

Security clearance is required.

Knowledge :

Job requires the ability to interpret and apply the legislation, regulations, rules, operational policies and procedures pertaining to court practice areas and court operational functions to exercise statutory authority, provide operational direction to staff and provide input to the development of court operational policies and procedures and best practices. Examples of legislation and rules are the Courts of Justice Act, Rules of Civil Procedure, Small Claims Court Rules, Family Law Rules, Criminal Code of Canada, Criminal Rules of Procedure, the Execution Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and regulations. Examples of policy and procedural manuals include: the Court Support Staff Procedures Manual; the Court Reporters Manual; and the Civil, Family, Small Claims, Estates, Enforcement and Criminal Court Manuals.

Job necessitates thorough knowledge of ministry administrative and financial/budgetary cash management policies/procedures/processes. Managerial, organizational and administrative skills are required to manage staff, co-ordinate operational activities, such as scheduling of staff and court caseloads, for assigned operations; leadership, analytical, organizational and change management skills to devise improved business processes, maximize operational cost-effectiveness and successfully implement ongoing changes to court operations. Position requires ability to collect and analyze management information (e.g. court activity statistics) to support the development of recommendations and management decision-making.

Job requires knowledge of human resources/employment legislation, such as the Employment Standards Act, regulations, directives e.g. Travel, Meal & Hospitality Directive, as well as collective agreements to represent management in labour relations forums (e.g. grievances, Local Employee Relations Committees), OPS corporate HR policies, such as the Attendance Support Program and divisional HR protocols and business practices. Position has access to HR Ontario, MGS and ministry resources when resolving human resources issues.

Job requires leadership and project management abilities (e.g. methodologies, best practices) to organize and/or lead various specialized projects for the courthouse or region.

Job requires the ability to deal tactfully and effectively with judiciary, staff, and other justice participants, such as members of the legal and law enforcement profession, and other client groups and colleagues. Work requires oral and written communication skills to prepare briefing notes and business cases, provide clear direction to staff, and communicate technical information in plain language to justice participants and clients.

Judgement :

Judgment is exercised in the organization, coordination and allocation of work to meet deadlines, priorities and service demands for the assigned operations often solving complex, varied, sensitive and difficult problems. Incumbent may seek guidance on specific complex, difficult and unprecedented court related issues and problems through consultation with manager of court operations and regional and head office managers, staff and legal counsel.

Position is required to regularly act independently when urgent operational decisions are required and the manager, regional/corporate office and staff are not available. Position exercises judgment and initiative in making decisions about the provision of court services, for example, when approving and adjusting schedules of court staff for both counter services or for multiple courtrooms that run concurrently, due to shortage of staff, for example, due to illness or weather conditions, when developing cross training plans for staff to promote operational flexibility and when establishing operational back-up plans for business continuity and when responding to accessibility requests where court users' needs conflict with court practices.

When managing staff, position must regularly exercise good judgment to analyze and evaluate the best course of action when faced with competing human resources and operational issues. Also exercises judgment when developing local recruitment strategies to ensure positions are filled with qualified staff in a timely manner and staff vacancy levels are minimized while also delivering on the requirements of the performance management and learning and development cycles.

Judgment and sensitivity to competing interests are required in managing specialized projects for the courthouse or region.

Position requires liaising with judiciary regarding appropriate levels of service and requires the exercise of initiative/judgment when exercising delegated signing authorities, approving disbursement of funds, verification/reconciliation of financial transactions. Guidance is available from statutes, regulations, court rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, operational manuals, manager of court operations and regional and head office managers, staff and legal counsel. Incumbent demonstrates judgment in exercising statutory authority to oversee complex administration or practice area issues when staff are unable to resolve such an issue, for example, determining if a civil default judgment can be signed based on information provided by the client at the counter.

Accountability - Programs :

Job is accountable for the cost-effective delivery of court services within the assigned area, for compliance with budgetary limitations, FTE constraints, and for the execution of operational plans and deliverables.

Position manages court operations programs and services, such as scheduling court staff. Position is accountable for demonstrating leadership in achieving OPS, ministry and divisional service standards, such as customer service wait times, and for making effective and efficient use of resources. Position contributes to the formulation and implementation of policy and program initiatives by providing advice to the divisional operational and policy tables as well as to regional committees on the development and implementation of court operational policies, procedures and change management initiatives (eg family court reform). Position is responsible for the timely and accurate processing and issuance of legal documents; the exercise of conferred and delegated authority to issue such legal documents and the development/adaptation of operational/administrative procedures.

Position is responsible for developing and maintaining effective relations with justice participants, including the legal profession, municipal officials, local bar associations and interest groups. Position must ensure that all operational activities, including court and/or office facilities, are in compliance with legal and statutory provisions.

Accountability – Personnel :

Position performs the full range of management functions for assigned staff, including participating on selection boards; conducting Stage 1 grievance meetings; administering corporate programs, such as Attendance Support, Illness and Injury Programs; participating on Local Ministry/Employee Relations Committee, as required; preparing Performance Development Reviews and training staff; approving vacation and work schedules for courtrooms; and overseeing the reassignment of staff to ensure provision of court support to the judiciary.

Position supervises up to sixty staff, who provide services in either the court office/front counter operations, court scheduling and/or in-court staffing support.

Position is responsible for providing leadership to assigned staff ensuring all staff are treated with professionalism and respect and that all staff demonstrate professionalism, respect and integrity to managers/colleagues and justice participants. Position is responsible for ensuring disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, is taken when deemed appropriate in consultation with HRSBU, HR Ontario and MGS.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

Position is accountable for the safe and secure custody, recording and deposit of revenue and trust monies received through court operations. Job is accountable for the control of financial expenditures and exercising delegated signing authority within assigned limits (e.g., DOE expenditures, refund of fees). Position assists with forecasting and business case submissions including costing analysis, and is accountable for providing operational input into facility and security projects in court locations. Position is accountable for the secure custody and management of moveable assets and records.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

The impact of decisions is such that errors of fact or law in the exercise of statutory functions could lead to unnecessary appeals create financial/personal hardship for clients, loss of revenue, potential legal action against the ministry for improper enforcement action and could give rise to the ineffective use of resources (facilities, human resources, financial). Failure to meet administrative guidelines would result in delays in processing/issuing matters in all courts, in enforcement action and poor customer service to justice participants. Errors in recruitment resulting in increased vacancy levels can result in the failure to meet CSD performance measures, such as serving clients within 30 minutes and failure to provide adequate court staffing levels, resulting in court delays and ineffective use of court and judicial time.

Failure to adhere to rules, statutes and regulations could lead to civil or criminal liability. Failure to provide adequate and proper administrative guidance and controls could result in poor staff morale, increased number of grievances and loss of control of ministry assets.

Contact - Internal :

Regularly with the judiciary to exchange information on court matters and priorities; with manager of court operations to develop local policies and procedures, to facilitate reporting function, to exchange and share information, to coordinate/schedule activities, projects and resolve work-related issues; with colleagues of the management team to discuss regional projects and operational and human resources matters of mutual concern; daily with staff to provide leadership and direction and at staff meetings, performance discussions and training; occasionally with divisional/corporate experts and legal counsel to resolve unprecedented problems (in concert with senior regional management).

Contact - External :

Regularly with justice participants, including law enforcement agencies, legal aid, probation officers, community services, corrections, and federal, provincial and municipal representatives, to provide information on court programs, services and procedural issues, to promote access to justice for all court clients.