CHIEF OF INVESTIGATIONS

FLSA Status: Exempt
EEO-1 Code: 11-9199, First/Mid Offs & Managers, Managers, All Other
Division/Department: Investigations
Reports to: Deputy Defender, Professional Services Zones
Direct Reports: Investigators, Investigations Administrative staff

Job Summary
The Chief of Investigations is a professional administrative position overseeing the Investigation staff. The Chief’s responsibility is to supervise all investigative staff members and ensure that Investigators conduct thorough investigations and reports that will assist Defender Association attorneys in the development of defense strategies and theories. The Chief will ensure that Investigators work to verify, corroborate, and analyze information obtained during investigations as well as provide informative investigative reports. The Chief must adhere to Defender policies and procedures to ensure quality representation and services for our clients. The Chief Investigator will foster a work environment that is conducive to the team work approach. The Chief will oversee and foster the Defender Association’s practice of continued education through training and development that will ensure the advancement of the unique training, skills and investigative practices employed by Defender investigators.

Major Areas of Responsibility
Administrative
•Manage the day-to-day activities of the Zone Investigators; assign cases and supplemental requests and monitor progress;
•Assign and manage all investigation cases for Zones, provide follow-up and work directly with Zone Supervisors to ensure that Investigators conduct thorough investigations and submit reports in a timely manner.
•Manage Zone Investigators Time and Attendance Accounts, (“ADP”) work closely with Zone supervisors to monitor Investigator time and attendance and ensure there is adequate staffing for case assignments, i.e. subpoenas, court orders, pick/up deliver medical records
•Coordinate Investigative staff, work closely with Zones to ensure that staff requirements are met in various Units, ability to rotate staff from one Unit to another when necessary
•Monitor office duty schedule and ensure that there is an onsite Investigator to conduct intra-office interviews and photos and provide investigator assistance when necessary
•Develop Investigator evaluations and conduct annual evaluations for all Zone Investigators and interns
•Work closely with Specialized Unit Chiefs and assist with supervision, discipline and evaluation processes for Investigators assigned to specialized units
•Establish Investigation Intern program and work closely with investigative interns—placing them in Zones and departments to provide educational opportunities and establish a training pool for potential Investigation candidates
•Review all expense reports and reconcile financial reports with case assignments and work product outlined on daily expense reports
•Work closely with attorneys to identify process and protocols for writing investigative requests that are clear, concise and targeted to give an explicit understanding of the specific investigative needs
•Establish investigative and reporting protocols for investigators that will establish effective methods for communicating with families and witnesses
•Review investigation files prior to closing cases to evaluate record keeping and documentation of work product
•Coordinate case conferences with attorneys and investigators
•Maintain statistics on cases referred, accepted and rejected;
•Meet regularly with the Zone supervisors and various Defender Department Chiefs, to and explore policy issues;

Leadership
•Employ transitional leadership skills and provide one-to-one support and supervision for growth and development of investigators and interns.
•Facilitate and drive team-centered approach of attorney/investigator collaboration for investigative matters
•Represent the Association at agency meetings and conferences as needed

Training and Development
•Emphasize the need for training and development of all investigators
•Develop training modalities to establish interviewing and reporting standards for conducting investigations, and ensure legally valid service procedures are utilized at all times
•Conduct staff training and professional development initiatives that will advance the specialized training and development for investigative and mitigation processes and procedures
•Foster a work environment that emphasizes the importance of continuous training and development, by working with all staff attorneys, social workers, and mitigation specialists to introduce new programs and initiatives that can/will improve the quality of services we provide our clients
•Recognize the importance and uniqueness of the role of investigation and mitigation in criminal defense and work to educate and advance investigative practices by developing training programs and working one-on-one with investigators, mitigators, social workers and interns interested in investigative related services.

Key Relationships:
Internal: Attorneys, investigators and mitigation staff members
External: Clients; Client Families; Expert Witnesses, Police Administration staff and Community Stakeholders,  

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions. It does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. This job description is subject to change at any time.