Job Details

Salary: $144,102.00 - $216,153.00 Annually
Location : Houston, TX
Job Type: Regular Full-time
Job Number: 15978
Department: District Courts
Opening Date: 12/15/2025
Closing Date: Continuous

Position Description
The District Courts Administrator is appointed by the judges of the district courts and serves at the pleasure of those judges (Texas Government Code Sec. 75.401). Working closely with the Local Administrative Judge, the Court Administrator is charged with the responsibility of insuring that the duties assigned to the Administrative Office of the District Courts (DCA) are performed. The DCA serves 67 elected State District Court Judges in Civil, Criminal, Family and Juvenile Divisions and an additional 20 Associate Judges. The DCA has 50 staff, and there are 167 judicial support staff.

This position represents a unique and exciting executive leadership opportunity to support one of the nation's largest trial court systems. Harris County is seeking a dynamic, experienced and innovative leader with highly developed interpersonal skills to guide the organization. This position requires building and maintaining effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. The Court Administrator provides executive leadership for the Harris County District Courts and implements the policies of the judges of the Courts, with an emphasis on clear, fair and accessible services to the people of Harris County. The court's work is informed by dedication to equity, access to justice, and service to all communities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide executive leadership to and manage the Administrative Office of the District Courts (DCA).
• Serve as the courts' representative in working with other branches of government and their respective agencies including County Commissioners, the Harris County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, other elected officials, and state and national organizations.
• Prepare the District Courts' annual budget.
• Provide technical assistance to the judges in operational areas such as calendar control, jury management, witness control, personnel services, court technology, and other related matters.
• Routinely monitor the flow of cases through the courts and alert the Administrative Judge of any potential problems and possible solutions.
• Oversee development and maintenance of information resources for the District Courts including desktop and network IT systems, statistical reports, research studies and public information requests.
• Identify organizational and management opportunities for improvement by recommending and implementing procedural and administrative changes.
• Work with county and state offices to ensure that emergency preparedness and business continuity plans are in place in the event of a weather event, pandemic, or other business interruption affecting court operations.
• Work with law enforcement and facilities management to ensure the security of the judiciary, court staff and the public.
• Manage high-profile court cases involving media relations, crowd control and security concerns.
• Assist Judges with ensuring procedures for appointment and compensation of indigent defense counsel meet statutory requirements, including claims processing and review of high-cost cases.
• Monitor compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and with Limited English Proficiency requirements to ensure access to justice.
• Manage grant applications and required reports to supplement county general funds for special projects and improvement initiatives.
• Identify current and future facilities needs the courts may experience, including office space, courtrooms, equipment supplies, etc.
• Identify the current and future informational needs of the courts and develop long-range plans for the maintenance and enhancement of information systems and resources.
• Assist Judges by providing personnel support for all judicial staff.
• Work with judges and staff to develop and conduct continuing education initiatives to assure compliance with any state or locally adopted standards.
• Organize, prioritize and delegate work activities, projects and programs; supervise direct and evaluate staff; address employee issues, concerns and problems; counsel, discipline and prepare performance evaluations.
• Any other such duties as may be assigned by the Board of District Judges and / or the Administrative Judge.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer


If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) ###-#### or email

...@bmd.hctx.net
Requirements

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree from an academically accredited college or university in Public Administration, Judicial Administration, Business Administration or a closely related field.
• Seven (7) years of relevant work experience in court operations and management.
• At least seven (5) years of supervisory experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated accomplishments in the areas of long-range planning, budget preparations, personnel supervision, and problem solving.
• A general understanding of the operation of the judicial system and a specific knowledge of the operations of the Texas judiciary.
• A demonstrated ability to work effectively and communicate well with judges, attorneys, county officials, the public, and staff.
• Knowledge of the principles of modern court administration; experience in overseeing and handling large budgets and grant programs; ability to plan effectively.
• Proven expertise in policy research, statistical analysis and development.
• Experience developing and implementing court policy, goals, objectives and priorities in conjunction with executive management.
• Knowledge of human resource management, facilities management; legislative processes; budgeting rules, regulations, policies and procedures; auditing and financial management methods; and customer service practices.
• Understanding of purchasing, requisitioning and the distribution of funds along with development of a Request for Proposal (RFP) and bid process for large project acquisitions.
• A strong background and demonstrated achievement in court/legal related automation and technology.
• A background in systems or workflow development is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to court operations.
• Experience in organizational planning and change management.
• Team building and organizational goal setting.
• Knowledge of judicial trends and best practices.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.
Preferences

• Ten (10) years of experience in executive court management including: jury management, strategic planning, budgeting, personnel management, case flow management, statistics and data analysis, business process re-engineering, project management, and use of various court technologies.
• Institute for Court Management (ICM) Fellow graduate, Certified Court Executive (CCE), or Certified Court Manager (CCM) from the National Center for State Courts.
• Experience working in a large general jurisdiction court.

General Information
Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• Regular Full-Time | Exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Monday - Friday | 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
  • Variations from those hours may occur, including early mornings, evenings and weekends as needed

Salary:

• $144,102 - $216,153 Annually
• Depends on Qualifications
• Based on 26 Pay Periods

Employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screen.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.

HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.
The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:
Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Wellness Plan
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service)
• Eleven (11) County-observed holidays
• One (1) floating holiday per year
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Sick Leave

Retirement Savings Benefit

• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan

The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:

• Professional learning & development opportunities
• Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan)
• Flexible work schedule*
• METRO RideSponsor Program*

* Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas.
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed.
For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:
01

Which of the following best describes your education as it relates to this position?

• High School Diploma or G.E.D.
• Associates Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• None of the Above

02

Which of the following disciplines best relates to your degree most relevant to this position?

• Public Administration
• Judicial Administration
• Business Administration
• Other Related Field
• Unrelated Field
• N/A

03

Which of the following best describes your verifiable years of relevant work experience in court operations and management?(To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)

• Less than seven (7) years
• Seven (7) years but less than eight (8) years
• Eight (8) years but less than nine (9) years
• Nine (9) years or more
• I do not have this experience.

04

Which of the following best describes your verifiable years of supervisory experience?(To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your application's employment history)

• Less than five (5) years
• Five (5) years but less than six (6) years
• Six (6) years but less than seven (7) years
• Seven (7) or more years
• I do not have this experience.

05

Do you have experience in any of the following executive court management strategies, concepts and tools?Select all that apply.

• Jury Management
• Strategic Planning
• Budgeting
• Personnel Management
• Case Flow Management
• Statistics and Data Analysis
• Business Process Re-Engineering
• Project Management
• Use of Various Court Technologies
• None of the Above

06

Have you received any of the following? (Select all that apply. )(Each designation and/or license must be placed on the applicable section of the application.)

• Institute for Court Management (ICM) Fellow graduate
• Certified Court Executive (CCE)
• Certified Court Manager (CCM) from the National Center for State Courts
• None of the Above.

07

Do you have experience working in a large general jurisdiction court?

• Yes
• No

Required Question