Description

Summary

Why It's a Great Opportunity:

The District Court Office Manager serves in a key leadership support role for Pierce County District Court and is responsible for overseeing and coordinating a broad range of administrative, operational, and office management functions that support the daily operations of the Court. This position works closely with the Court Administrator, Judges, and management team to ensure efficient, organized, and responsive administrative services across the organization.

Pierce County District Court is dedicated to providing fair, accessible, and effective administration of justice while continuously improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals and the community it serves. The Court values innovation, professionalism, collaboration, and public service, and is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects and supports the community.

Why It's a Great Department: 

Pierce County District Court is committed to providing fair, accessible, and effective administration of justice while treating every individual with dignity and respect. As an independent and impartial branch of government, the Court plays a vital role in promoting respect for the law, protecting individual rights, and providing timely and equitable resolution of legal matters for the community it serves.

The Court values professionalism, innovation, collaboration, and public service. Employees are part of a mission-driven organization that is focused on operational excellence, improving access to justice, and continuously enhancing services for the public. Pierce County District Court fosters a supportive and team-oriented environment where employees contribute directly to meaningful work that impacts the community every day.

Pierce County District Court is a court of limited jurisdiction and hears a wide range of cases, including:

• Traffic and non-traffic infractions
• Criminal and criminal-traffic misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors
• Civil matters for damages for injury to individuals or personal property, and contract disputes no greater than $100,000
• Small claims for recovery of money not to exceed $10,000
• Name changes
• Antiharassment protection orders
• Stalking protection orders

How to be Successful in the Role:

Success in this role requires exceptional organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, along with the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and dynamic court environment. The Office Manager plays a critical role in supporting operational consistency, organizational effectiveness, and high-quality public service throughout Pierce County District Court.

The ideal candidate is a highly skilled administrative professional who is proactive, customer-service focused, adaptable, and able to work both independently and collaboratively. Success comes from being able to anticipate operational needs, maintain strong attention to detail, and confidently manage a wide range of responsibilities while exercising sound judgment and professionalism.

This role requires the ability to interpret and apply complex court rules, policies, procedures, and administrative guidelines while maintaining confidentiality and discretion in sensitive situations. The successful candidate will be comfortable managing competing priorities, coordinating across multiple teams, supporting leadership, and responding effectively to changing operational demands.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential. The ability to build positive working relationships, provide clear guidance to staff, and support a professional and service-oriented workplace culture will contribute greatly to success in this position. A willingness to learn, take initiative, adapt to new challenges, and continuously improve processes will help ensure long-term success within the Court.

Your Future in this Role: 

This position offers the opportunity to play an important role in supporting the operations and long-term success of Pierce County District Court. The Office Manager serves as a trusted resource to Court leadership and staff and contributes directly to maintaining efficient operations, organizational consistency, and high-quality public service throughout the Court.

Successful candidates will bring strong organizational and administrative skills, the ability to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously, and the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment. This role requires someone who is proactive, dependable, and able to take initiative while balancing competing demands and deadlines.

Key qualities for long-term success in this role include:

• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to coordinate multiple projects, meetings, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously
• The ability to multitask effectively while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, and attention to detail under pressure
• Initiative and independent problem-solving skills, including the ability to anticipate needs, identify solutions, and keep leadership and staff informed
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively with judges, management, staff, justice partners, elected officials, and members of the public from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences
• Professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment when handling confidential or sensitive information
• Reliability, consistency, and a strong commitment to supporting team operations and organizational goals
• The ability to quickly learn and apply new technologies, policies, procedures, and operational practices in an evolving court environment

This role is well-suited for an individual who enjoys meaningful public service work, values collaboration and continuous improvement, and takes pride in supporting an organization dedicated to fairness, accessibility, and operational excellence.

Core Daily Responsibilities:

• Assists the Court Administrator in prioritizing use of time. Schedules appointments and meetings for the Administrator, including judicial and management meetings and meetings with elected officials and other high level directors. Coordinates attendance of the Court Administrator, Judges and Management Team for conferences. Registers court staff for conferences and/or classes. Prepares judicial and management team meeting agendas, secure meeting facilities. Reads, analyzes and distributes correspondence addressed to the Court Administrator. 
• Reads and analyzes for ex parte contact all correspondence addressed to Judges of the Court for appropriate distribution. Reads and analyzes emails received through the court’s email box and distributes to the appropriate court unit for response. 
• Responsible for compliance with General Rule 31 and General Rule 31.1 as the designated Court Public Records Officer. Ensures adherence to the general rule requirements, provides timely response to public requests, and protects exempted information prior to release of public records. 
• Coordinator for facility needs and maintenance requests. Monitors access to court secured offices and buildings. Coordinator for telecommunication equipment. Maintains in-house phone list. 
• Meets with new employees and provides appropriate guidelines and office policies. Coordinates telephone and voicemail needs for new employees. Oversees computer needs for Administration. Serves a backup to technology coordinator. Attends computer training to maintain and build skills. Attends court related training to maintain skills in court management. 
• Assist management team in developing and implementing administration policies consistent with regulations controlling court activities; develop and prepare training manuals and facilitate training to ensure consistent and proper procedures are followed. Maintains office personnel manual and policies and procedures manual and responds to staff inquiries regarding these documents and the administrative Guidelines. 
• Serve as point of contact for information regarding administrative and HR functions and processes; and facilitate guidance of court staff with necessary processes. Explain or interpret complex rules, policies, and operating procedures and may make decisions within established rules and policies. Point of contact for court personnel in absence of management. Attends grievance hearings with the court administrator and managers. Works closely with court managers on the drafting of employee disciplinary action letters. 

This announcement is not intended to reflect all duties to be performed by our next team member, but shall present a descriptive list of the range of duties that may be performed.  To view the complete classification, click here.

Minimum Qualifications

• Additional education or experience may substitute for the recruiting requirements.
• A cover letter, resume, and 3 professional references are required for this position. Applications without a cover letter, resume, and 3 professional references will not be considered.
• Four years of progressively responsible experience as a legal assistant, legal secretary or related legal staff support function, including 
• One or more years in a supervisory/lead position. 
• Training by an accredited vocational school, college or university in the field of legal support work is preferred. 
• Certification by the National Center for State Courts, Institute for Court Management, as a Certified Court Manager preferred. 
• Possession of a valid driver’s license to meet the travel requirements of the position is required prior to appointment.

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case basis and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

Supplemental Information

To be considered for this opportunity, please:

• Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting "APPLY" above or go to:   www.piercecountywa.org/jobs. 
• If you have a question about this opportunity, please email the Recruitment Team at PCHRRecruit@piercecountywa.gov and specify the Job Number and Title. 
• If you do not have internet access, you may visit your local public library or any WorkSource location and use their computers.
• Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing process or need this job announcement in an alternative format may call Human Resources at (253) 798-7480 at least two days prior to the need.  

This is a competitive selection process. Your application will be reviewed and evaluated for the quality and quantity of education/experience in the areas listed. Applicants whose qualifications most closely correspond to the County's needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status normally occurs 2 to 3 weeks after the closing date. Short notice may be given to applicants to participate in further selection processes, which may include assessments, phone screens, and interviews.

At Pierce County, diversity, equity, and inclusion mean commitment, not a single step. We strive to foster an inclusive environment that supports equitable access to opportunities throughout your career. We want to recruit, develop, and maintain a talented workforce from various backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives, committed to our vision. Employees of the County have a local, direct, and visible impact in our diverse community. Will you join us in keeping Pierce County a place people are proud to call home?

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.