Research, Policy, and Quality Assurance Manager

Overview

CAREER

DESCRIPTION:

RESEARCH, POLICY, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER (Law Enforcement). Open to the public:
This recruitment is being held to establish an eligible list for current and future Research, Policy, and Quality Assurance Manager vacancies. The current vacancy is with Orange County Probation and may also fill positions in similar or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately, as the recruitment will close on Monday, November 24, 2025, at 11:59 PM (PST). Salary may be negotiable within the listed range based on position requirements and the successful candidate’s qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

OC Probation assists the criminal justice system in Orange County, California by making a safer community through positive change. Under the direction of the Chief Probation Officer, the Probation Department comprises three bureaus:
Adult Operations, Juvenile Operations, and Operations Support. As a public safety agency, the Department serves the community using efficient and research‑supported corrections practices to reduce crime, assist courts in managing clients, promote lawful and productive lifestyles, and assist victims.

The Research, Policy, and Quality Assurance Manager is a key leadership position in the Strategic Development Bureau. This role leads department‑wide efforts in research, legislative analysis, policy development, and records transparency. The manager oversees the development and maintenance of the department’s policy and procedure manuals, coordinates responses to Public Records Act (PRA) requests, and supervises the implementation of research‑informed practices and legislative compliance.

The manager collaborates closely with the CQI Administrator, Information Technology, and Training units to ensure that research findings, legislative updates, and policy changes are effectively integrated into performance improvement efforts, system workflows, and staff development initiatives.

• Develop, revise, and maintain department‑wide policies and procedures in collaboration with executive leadership and operational divisions.
• Conduct policy audits to ensure consistency with legal mandates, best practices, equity goals, and departmental priorities.
• Track and analyze new legislation at the state and federal levels; provide impact summaries and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Lead the development of equity impact analyses to assess and address potential disparities in policy, program implementation, or legislation.
• Serve as the Department’s liaison for legislative inquiries, board items, and coordination with County Counsel.
• Manage responses to Public Records Act (PRA) requests in coordination with legal, operational, and communications staff to ensure accuracy, transparency, and legal compliance.
• Design and oversee applied research projects, including program evaluations, process improvement studies, fidelity reviews, and outcomes reporting.
• Utilize technology platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, SPSS, R, and case management systems to collect, analyze, and visualize data to inform decision‑making.
• Develop technical reports, policy briefs, dashboards, and presentations tailored to diverse audiences, including executive leadership, board representatives, and community stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the CQI Administrator, Information Technology, and Training Unit to ensure alignment between research findings, system functionality, policy updates, and staff training initiatives.
• Represent the Department in multi‑agency research, policy, and legislative working groups to promote alignment, share best practices, and advance cross‑system reforms.
• Supervise professional staff responsible for research, policy development, legislative tracking, PRA coordination, and data analysis.
• Support strategic planning and continuous quality improvement by integrating research, legislation, and policy review into departmental goals and initiatives.

In addition to the minimum…