Description

The exam will consist of multiple-choice job knowledge questions and multiple-choice job skills and abilities questions.

A source list of the documents from which the content of the job knowledge questions will be drawn will be emailed to candidates along with a study guide once registration is confirmed by the Trial Court Human Resources Department.

Passing the Probation Department Promotional Exam for the position of First Assistant Chief Probation Officer and Chief Probation Officer alone does not guarantee you will receive an interview. Persons who apply to a job posting for FACPO and/or CPO after passing this exam must also meet the minimum eligibility requirements for the job to be considered for appointment.

Please review the position summary and position requirements below before you consider registering for the First Assistant Chief Probation Officer and Chief Probation Officer exam.

FIRST ASSISTANT CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER

POSITION SUMMARY

Serves as a member of the local probation department leadership team, assists the Chief Probation Officer in the supervision and training of probation staff, which includes assigning work and ensuring procedural compliance with probation standards. Provides staff with feedback, support, training, and coaching. Serves as the department head as required in the absence of the Chief Probation Officer.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervises the work of assigned personnel, including assigning and reviewing work, providing guidance and participating in and providing substantive input for performance evaluations;
• Ensures supervision cases and reports are in compliance with probation standards;
• Reviews and approves time and attendance requests, training requests, holiday and vacation leave, and approves time in SSTA;
• Facilitates and participates in meetings to ensure compliance with standards, discuss barriers and goals and devise plans;
• Assesses training needs, facilitates onboarding, and provides approved training in collaboration with the MPS Training Division to ensure compliance with training requirements;
• Disciplines employees as appropriate with the approval of the Chief Probation Officer up to letters of warning and reprimand;
• Testifies at disciplinary hearings, grievance hearings, arbitrations, or in other forums on cases as required;
• May also perform duties of lower-level probation officer positions as needed; and
• Performs other duties as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the direction of the Chief Probation Officer or their designee.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position serves as a supervisor to others.

IMPACT OF ACTIONS/INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT

This position operates under general direction with long-term impact on the organization.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is frequently performed in office or similar indoor environments, outdoor environments, and in the community.

Work requires frequent exposure to individuals who are hostile or irate and individuals with known violent backgrounds.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This position requires light work:

Exerting up to twenty (20) pounds of force occasionally, up to ten (10) pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly having to move objects.If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for the Sedentary Work category and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated Light Work.

JOB COMPETENCIES

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree; and
• Three (3) years of work experience as Assistant Chief Probation Officer.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Modern office equipment and technology including computers and applicable software;
• Departmental and court policies and procedures;
• Case Management Systems;
• Principles and practices of employee supervision;
• MPS Policies and Standards and Trial Court Standards;
• Union contracts and HR policy and procedures;
• Assessments and skill building processes;
• Community resources.

Skill in:

• Organization and time management;
• Leadership;
• Attention to detail;
• Critical thinking.

Ability to:

• Establish effective working relationships with others;
• Prepare clear and accurate reports;
• Maintain appropriate records;
• Ability to travel as needed to conduct community supervision/field work;
• Maintain confidentiality of information;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Work independently and follow oral and written instructions;
• Develop training.

CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Chief Probation Officer serves as a department head exercising executive control and supervision over the probation office. He/she is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring written local policies, procedures, and rules, consistent with the policies and directives established by the Commissioner of Probation and the Trial Court. The Chief Probation Officer is responsible for formulating objectives and programs regarding services performed within the office in accordance with existing policies and procedures. Delegating specific responsibilities to supervisory members of his/her staff. Informing the Commissioner of Probation or his/her designee of the operational conditions and needs of the probation office; and communicating to his/her probation staff the administrative directives by the Commissioner of Probation, First Justices, Departmental Chief Justices, and other court officials. The Chief Probation Officer works with the Clerk Magistrate [or Register] and collaborates with the First Justice to ensure the efficient administration of the court.

MAJOR DUTIES:

Under the supervision of the Commissioner of Probation or their designee, the Chief Probation Officer makes decisions regarding:

Community Supervision- Collaborates with community organizations and agencies to promote crime and delinquency prevention and remediation. Represents the court as requested on probation-related matters.

Management -Manages all employees in the Probation Office, serving as the Department Head responsible for designating work assignments, monitoring the completion of those assignments, and taking corrective action as necessary including progressive discipline when necessary if employee conduct does not meet expectations.

Upholds the Probation Service philosophy and goals of supervision and service to accomplish effective and efficient management of supervision and service delivery practices.

Develops and implements operational and organizational policies consistent with the Office of the Commissioner of Probation and Trial Court policies.

Develops and implements policies pertaining to personnel, practices and procedures within the probation department consistent with collective bargaining agreements.

Adopts methods for effective use of staff and improved programs and practices through the development of special skills, training, supervision, and service delivery techniques.

Modifies and adapts services and programs and develops new approaches to meet the changing needs of the court consistent with the Office of the Commissioner of Probation and Trial Court policies.

Conducts regular staff meetings to disseminate information and discuss matters relevant to probation office operations.

Identifies local training needs of probation personnel.

Informs the Commissioner of Probation or his designee of any allegations of criminal conduct by probation personnel and any intended disciplinary action against probation personnel.

Administrative- Monitors and controls the flow of work in the probation office and provides statistical data as directed by the Office of the Commissioner of Probation.

Maintains accurate attendance, daily time logs, weekly time and attendance sheets, and reconciles the HRCMS time log with the Office of the Commissioner of Probation records.

Authorizes encumbrances and payments of invoices at the direction of the Commissioner of Probation or his designee.

Maintains a current inventory of all office supplies, forms and equipment.

Performs such other duties as may be assigned by the Commissioner of Probation or his designee in accordance with guidelines, policies and standards of the Massachusetts Probation Service.

PROBATION SERVICE COMPETENICES:

All applicants must be able, through the interview process, prove proficiency in the following competencies:

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Work is conducted under the supervision of the Commissioner of Probation or their designee.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

All applicants must pass the applicable Probation Promotional Exam for the position of Chief Probation Officer, and satisfy the following minimum requirements:

Education and Experience:

Applicants must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and must have a minimum of 3 years of experience in the probation service as an Assistant Chief Probation Officer or equivalent/higher position in Probation Services.

Graduate degree in behavioral sciences, education, administration, management, or criminal justice is preferred.

Management background:

Supervisory training and/or experience preferred.

Professional Development:

Must have a record of regular participation in professional development opportunities.

ADDITIONAL EXAM INFORMATION

Fee Waiver:The exam fee may be waived for registrants receiving certain state or federal public assistance or unemployment insurance.

You can access the fee waiver form here on Courtyard. Please follow the instructions on the form to ensure proper submission, including all required supporting documentation.

All completed fee waiver forms must be emailed to exams@jud.state.ma.us no later than Thursday, September 11, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Reasonable Exam Accommodations:If you wish to request a reasonable accommodation for the exam due to a documented impairment, you must first complete your online exam registration. Afterward, you will need to submit an Exam Accommodation Form located on Courtyard.

In addition, you must provide a letter of support from a qualified professional outlining the specific accommodation you are requesting for the exam. Please carefully follow the instructions on the Exam Accommodation Form to ensure proper submission of both the form and any supporting documentation.

All Exam Accommodation Forms and supporting documents must be emailed to Assistant Chief HR Officer, Kerlley Aime, kerlley.aime@jud.state.ma.us by Friday, September 12, 2025. Late submissions will not be accepted. Please note that if the letter of support is not submitted by the deadline, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request. This information is requested solely for the purpose of providing reasonable accommodations and will not be used for any other purposes.

Current Military Personnel:All military personnel who are unable to attend the exam due to military service on the scheduled date must:

1. Register for the exam
2. Pay the processing fee, or request a fee waiver
3. Submit a written request for a makeup exam, along with a copy of your military orders.

Military-related requests must be emailed to exams@jud.state.ma.us by the registration deadline, Friday, September 12, 2025.

When submitting your request, please provide your daytime base phone number and, if possible, the name and phone number of a friend or family member who can serve as an alternate contact.

Makeup Exam: If you have registered for the exam and experience an emergency or unforeseen hardship you may request a makeup exam by submitting a written request with verifiable documentation to exams@jud.state.ma.us.All requests must be submitted within 2 business days of the scheduled exam date.The Trial Court reserves the right to approve or deny your request and may require an additional exam processing fee upon arrival.

Identification at the Exam Site: At the exam site, registrants must present current and valid photo identification with signature (e.g., driver’s license, passport, military ID, Trial Court ID).

Change of Personal Information: Registrants are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information (e.g., address, email, phone number) with the Trial Court.Failure to keep your records up-to-date and to email them to exams@jud.state.ma.us may jeopardize opportunities for employment.

Refunds: There will be NO REFUND of the exam processing fee unless the exam is cancelled by the Trial Court.

Exam Registration and Payment Information:

All registrations must be received by the posted deadline and accompanied by an examination processing fee. You will receive a confirmation email when you have completed the process.

Your registration is not complete until you have received a confirmation email. All additional information about the examination will be provided to you by email.

Please check the email address you registered with regularly for up-to-date information about the upcoming examination. If you do not see any emails, be sure to check your junk mail.

Please note that all registrations must be submitted by the posted deadline, along with the exam processing fee. You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is complete. Your registration is not final until you have received this confirmation email. All further exam details will be sent to you via email, so be sure to check the email address you registered with regularly. Don’t forget to check your junk or spam folder if you don’t see emails in your inbox.

Your $50 exam processing fee must be paid by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, September 12, 2025.

After successfully registering, you will receive an email with important details, including the exam date, time, location, and other essential information. Additionally, an orientation and preparation guide will be emailed to all confirmed registrants at no extra cost no later than Tuesday, September 16, 2025.

Contact Information:

The Office of Court Management is managing the exam process for these jobs. For more details or questions regarding this process please contact:

Office of Court Management
Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am-4:30 pm, except holidays.
Email: exams@jud.state.ma.us
Telephone Number: 617-742-8575