Director of Information Technology

United States Courts; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote/Telework flexibility

Paid vacation and sick leave

Job summary

United States Courts is seeking a full-time Director of Information Technology to lead the court’s IT department across Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville. The role provides managerial and technical oversight of hardware, software, security, video conferencing, and network infrastructure, reporting to the Clerk of Court.

The IT Director will set IT strategy, supervise five staff, and guide policy, budgeting, and major technology projects with a focus on AI and automation in a federal court

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED and five years of IT experience with supervisory or managerial responsibilities.
• Strong project management skills and ability to prioritize multiple deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to explain complex tech clearly.
• Professionalism, mature judgment, and customer-focused service.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor IT staff, set performance standards, and manage workloads.
• Oversee daily operations of court technology systems, networks, and security.
• Develop short- and long-term technology plans and IT policies.
• Engage with judges and executives to assess technology needs and solutions.
• Coordinate budget planning and procurement for IT initiatives.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Strategic thinking

Customer service

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or related field

Tools

CM/ECF

O365/Microsoft 365

Hyper-V

Qualys/Endpoint tools

IT security tools

Job description

Job Details for Director of Information Technology

Court Name/Organization South Carolina Bankruptcy Court

Overview of the Position The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina is seeking applicants for a full-time Director of Information Technology (IT Director). The Clerk’s Office consists of approximately 25 employees located in three divisions throughout the district (Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville) who support three bankruptcy judges and their staff.The IT Director is responsible for the information technology functions of the bankruptcy court. This professional-level position provides leadership and supervisory oversight for the court’s IT department, which includes managing five staff members, developing short- and long-term technology plans, conducting systems analysis, and establishing and implementing IT policy and standards. The incumbent will provide both managerial and technical oversight of local hardware and software, case management applications, IT security, courtroom automation, video conferencing, telecommunications, local networks, and IT procurement. Strong leadership, planning, documentation, communication, and managerial skills are essential for success in this position. The IT Director serves under the direction of the Clerk of Court and reports directly to the Chief Deputy Clerk.

The below are intended to provide general examples of major duties and responsibilities of the position and are not an exhaustive list.

Leadership & Team Management

• Manage and mentor IT staff and technical specialists: setting performance standards, establishing timelines, assigning workloads, and overseeing professional development and personnel actions
• Oversee day-to-day operations of court technology systems, including networks, cybersecurity, help desk support, telecommunications, courtroom technology, and remote infrastructure, while delegating appropriate operational responsibilities to technical staff
• Mentor IT staff to ensure the team has the skills and resources necessary to effectively perform their respective duties and support court technology
• Formulate, recommend, and implement IT policies, procedures, and standards

Strategic Planning, Architecture, & Budget

• Develop and execute short- and long-term technology strategy and improvement plans to align court capabilities with organizational needs
• Assist with planning the IT budget and expenditures in consultation with procurement staff and court unit executives
• Analyze, acquire, and adapt technology solutions to meet the court’s requirements, conducting cost-benefit analyses for major IT projects and adapting national system equipment and software where applicable
• Research, evaluate, and implement emerging technologies, with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation
• Research, evaluate, and recommend system equipment, configurations, and utilization strategies. Identify the need for supplemental equipment and work with vendors to implement appropriate solutions

Cybersecurity, Compliance, & Operations

• Manage all systems maintenance activities, including installation of new software releases, routine maintenance, and database back-ups and reconfigurations
• Ensure safety, security, and integrity of databases including user access, off-site storage, and security procedures. Participate in the development, implementation, and maintenance of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) to support continued court operations in the event of a major system failure or other disaster.
• Ensure IT security policies and procedures maintain compliance with federal court standards and are enforced to safeguard court networks, data, and hardware
• Oversee endpoint security, patch management, and threat protection systems, ensuring staff properly monitor, test, and maintain network perimeter defenses and infrastructure integrity
• Coordinate IT security technical briefings for court staff and leadership

Executive Stakeholder Relations & Technical Support

• Serve as primary IT liaison to the judges, court unit executives, outside court units, and vendors to assess technology needs and recommend viable, modern solutions
• Advise the judges and court unit executives regarding automation needs, objectives, capabilities, and technology solutions
• Provide high-level escalations, oversight, and architecture planning for complex systems, virtualization, server infrastructure, and courtroom automation

Work Conditions & Other Responsibilities

• Perform special projects and additional leadership duties as assigned by court management.
• Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to support scheduled maintenance windows, emergency outages, or special needs of the court (eligible for flex or comp-time according to court policy).
• Occasional travel within the district is required

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or GED
• At least five years of progressively responsible IT experience, including two years of specialized experience that included progressively responsible administrative, technical, professional, supervisory, or managerial experience that provided an opportunity to gain skill in developing interpersonal work relationships needed to lead a team of employees; the ability to exercise mature judgment; and knowledge of the basic concepts, principles, and theories of management; and the ability to understand the managerial policies applicable to the court
• Strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including explaining complex technology in clear, easy-to-understand terms
• Exercises professionalism, sound judgment, and delivers excellent customer service

Preferred Qualifications:

• Abachelor’s degree from an accredited college in information technology, computer science, management, or a related field
• Three years of experience in a supervisory or management role
• Operational experience in a federal court, including working knowledge of or experience with the CM/ECF and courtroom technology
• Strong technical expertise in most of the following: network and infrastructure management, TCP/IP, log management systems, Microsoft O365, virtualization technologies such as HyperV, Windows, vulnerability and patch management, IT asset and endpoint management tools such as Qualys and Quest KACE, and Adobe Acrobat

Employee Benefits

• Remote/Telework flexibility
• Accrual of paid vacation and sick leave (13 vacation days and 13 sick days annually, increasing to 20 vacation days after 3 years and 26 vacation days after 15 years)
• 11 paid federal holidays
• Participation in the federal pension program
• Employer-matching contributions (up to 5%) to the federal employee retirement savings plan (similar to 401K)
• Health Insurance (retirees may carry insurance plans into retirement while paying the same premiums as employees)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• In-house fitness facility
• Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Conditions of Employment
Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States. Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments, are considered “at will” appointments, and can be terminated with or without cause by the Court. Employees are hired provisionally pending results of a criminal background check and fingerprinting. This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer (direct deposit) for payment of salary. The U.S. Courts require employees to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees, available to applicants for review here.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina is not authorized to reimburse candidates for interview or relocation expenses. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must complete a background check investigation, including an FBI fingerprint check. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina reserves the right to modify the conditions of this vacancy announcement, withdraw the announcement, or fill the position at any time, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice.

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.