Court Officer (Casual Relief)

                                                                                                                          Competition # :  42627   Department:  Justice Location:  PORT HAWKESBURY Type of Employment:  Relief Union Status: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG   Closing Date:  16-May-24    ( Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time) About Us The Court Services Division of the Nova Scotia Department of Justice is dedicated to excellent service and the provision of fair and accessible administration of justice, including court administration and security.   The Division provides administrative support to the courts listed: Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (including Family Division), Provincial Court, Family Court, Small Claims Court, Probate Court and Bankruptcy Court. The courts act independently from the government to address individual cases.    For more information on the Department of Justice Court Services please visit our website:  https://novascotia.ca/just/Court_Services/     About Our Opportunity As the Court Officer, you will have Court Administration duties or Judicial Support duties or a combination of both.  You may coordinate and manage court hearings held in all levels of Court, provide support to the Judiciary, and act as the liaison between the Court, and members of law enforcement agencies, the legal profession, and the public.  You will also act in the role of the clerk of the Court in all courts, including jury sittings and perform judicial and quasi-judicial duties as a Justice of the Peace.  You will perform your duties in accordance with, and as assigned under, the Court Officials Act.    Primary Accountabilities The Court Officer may have two areas of focus, Court Administration and Judicial Support or just one area of focus.  The Court Administration responsibilities include:  Schedule Court cases and respond to inquiries and information requests from the public  Prepare and distribute court orders and dockets  Document management, Exhibit control, statistical data collection, and general accounting  Scrutinize documents, apply relevant Acts, statutes, policies and procedures and determine corrective measures where necessary  Manage a caseload of files to ensure effective and efficient client service.      Train and mentor new staff in day to day operational activities  Liaise with the Judiciary and legal profession  You may be required to attend Court, perform Court-related functions and perform the duties of a Justice of the Peace.    The Judicial Support responsibilities include:  Coordinate and manage court hearings held in all levels of Court  Provide confidential administrative and organizational support to the Judiciary  Act in the role of the clerk in all courts, including jury sitting and performing judicial and quasi-judicial duties as a Justice of the Peace  Train and mentor new staff in day to day operational activities  Under the Judge’s direction, draft and prepare complex orders arising from court hearings, review and apply relevant acts, statutes, policies and procedures to all court documentation  Record and transcribe court proceedings by means of electronic recording equipment  Utilize technology to facilitate virtual or remote court hearings  You may be required to perform duties in Court Administration     Qualifications and Experience As the successful Justice Officer 3, you will have two years of post-secondary education in a related discipline plus five years related experience in a legal environment; an equivalent combination of training and experience with exposure to the justice system will be acceptable.  For this position, your experience and competency in keyboarding, data entry, transcribing, and other standard computer applications including MS Office products are required.  You will have experience with virtual platforms such as MS Teams and video conferencing.   You will also possess excellent proofreading, spelling and grammar skills.  Your superior organizational abilities and strong prioritization skills, with a combination of speed and accuracy, assist with your attention to detail for a variety of tasks while meeting tight deadlines.  You may also be required to have general accounting skills, scheduling skills and/or interviewing and assessing skills.  You can work independently and as part of a team.  You must be fair and impartial to all clients using a high degree of confidentiality while exercising your excellent interpersonal and communication skills, particularly listening skills, when dealing with difficult people in complex, sensitive and stressful situations.  Tact and discretion are essential.  You must demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of the Rules and Statutes that govern the courts as well as a sound working knowledge of legal documents, forms, court procedures and legal terminology.  You will demonstrate a high level of initiative and problem-solving abilities and readily accept responsibilities.  Different testing is required to assess qualification for each the Court Officer Administration functions and the Court Officer Judicial functions. Training and/or experience in mediation and non-conflict resolution, legal research skills and bilingualism, with oral and written skills in English and French, would be considered assets.  We will assess the above qualifications using one or more of the following tools: written examination, typing test, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.    Equivalency Include, but not limited to:    A 2 year certificate/diploma in a related discipline plus 5 years of related experience  A 1 year certificate/diploma in a related discipline plus 6 years of related experience  A 4 year Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline plus 3 years of related experience  A 3 year Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline plus 4 years of related experience  Seven years of related experience with exposure to the justice system  PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.  Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.    Benefits Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan , Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs.  For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees .   Working Conditions   Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day (typically the hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, this may vary depending on operational needs) Your personal resiliency is essential to meet the emotional demands of this position. You may be immersed in high stress situations and encounter distraught and difficult individuals. Handling of some exhibits may be mentally or physically disconcerting May involve extensive keyboarding as well as long hours sitting in a formal courtroom environment   Additional Information This is a CASUAL employment opportunity for a Relief Roster.   This position will require an enhanced level of security screening for an external application.  Some travel and overtime may be required.    What We Offer   Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career. Engaging workplace. Our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in. We have forward-thinking policies and strategies. Countless career paths.  Department Specific Flexible working schedules     Pay Grade:   TE 22 Hourly Salary Range:  $31.28 - $36.78 Hourly   Employment Equity Statement: Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve.  The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented.  If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.   A relief employee is an employee who is not regularly scheduled by the Employer, but who works relief assignments on an as-needed basis as operational requirements demand. As such, a relief employee does not have guaranteed hours of work.  PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.    Please note: when competing for vacancies, a successful Temporary, Term or Permanent Relief Employee who is currently employed with the Province will maintain their bargaining unit status, seniority and benefit level at the new workplace.   Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:     Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to  Competitions@novascotia.ca.