Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects

About the Agency:




The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City.

As the nations largest municipal housing agency HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing protecting tenants from harassment and displacement and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New Yorks tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement tenant resources and the creation of new affordable housing HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.




Your Team
The Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will be a leader in the Office of Compliance & Risk Management (CRM). This Office includes various compliance oversight risk management and hearing functions to ensure fairness consistency and equity in both our external and internal engagement. CRM collaborates with programs across HPD to ensure that the agency and its partners comply with Federal State and City laws regulatory requirements policies and procedures. The Office includes the following Divisions and units:
-Compliance & Strategy
-Economic Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance
-Audit Support
-Adjudications
-Public Information

The Audit Support unit helps agency staff and leaders to manage and coordinate audits and reviews from City State and Federal funding and oversight entities; creates and carries out policies and procedures to make the audit process as efficient and streamlined as possible; and helps ensure that conditions discovered in the context of audits are addressed through revised program practice.

Your Impact
The Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will spearhead work that protects resources critical to HPDs mission of ensuring that New Yorkers have safe stable affordable addition to leading the Audit Support unit the Senior Counsel will advise the Chief Compliance Officer on relevant laws rules and regulations; implementation of new legislative or regulatory proposals; and risk mitigation best practices. They will do this by:
-Preparing for strategizing and responding to requests and reports from auditors or other external oversight entities
-Guiding internal staff through the coordinated preparation for and response to audit and/or compliance reviews
-Supporting program staff in remedying issues identified internally or through externally initiated audits or reviews
-Bolstering agency risk mitigation efforts through reviews of policies procedures and internal controls

Your Role
Reporting to the Chief Compliance Officer and working closely with staff throughout the agency the Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will:
-Manage audits and compliance reviews conducted by Federal State or City entities that fund and govern program activity and agency commitments. The person in this role will have the opportunity to learn about programs throughout the agency while also strengthening agency operations and internal controls.
-Strengthen risk mitigation efforts through the review of agency policies and procedures to ensure agency programs meet obligations and align with best practices.
-Lead the Audit Support unit including managing staff to facilitate the effectiveness of audit responses or compliance reviews accuracy of information transmitted and monitor progress on commitments.

Your Responsibilities:
Key responsibilities include:
-Manage all aspects of audits compliance reviews and/or monitorings including:
oOverseeing the coordination and completion of responses to audit requests for program materials documents and status updates on recommendations.
oPreparing agency responses to audit reports in close collaboration with program staff and Legal
-Lead the design development and implementation of all audit plans with a focus on coordinating processes to streamline program audit work
oSupervise the Audit Support team in the creation and maintenance of materials to simplify and automate periodic audit and oversight requirements
oFoster relationships with key external audit representatives from City State and Federal funding / oversight entities and internal stakeholders to promote positive and efficient workflows.
-Analyze and assess programs for compliance and risk management leading to more effective and efficient program operations:
oResearch applicable statutes case law or other material
oWork with programmatic staff to ensure agency programs and services are delivered in a way consistent with relevant laws and regulations
oDraft clear and effective analytical documents as well as guides or other materials for program staff
oAdvise on enforcement and administration of acts rules laws and regulations
oCollaborate and consult with the Office of Legal Affairs (Legal) to provide operational guidance regarding compliance with Federal State and City rules and regulations
-Evaluate HPDs risk management and internal controls procedures to improve operational efficiency and alignment to agency objectives compliance requirements and audit mandates.
oAdvise staff on the implementation of commitments and/or work with agency staff to help alleviate roadblocks to implementation
oAdvise programs on ways to strengthen policies and procedures to meet agency obligations
oIdentify other opportunities for risk mitigation
-Lead projects with stakeholders across the agency to strengthen program performance and further the agencys.
-Prepare briefing materials with analysis and recommendations for leadership decision and action including but not limited to:
oResponses to the implementation of new legislative or other legal mandates regulatory comments or other formal legal submissions
-Corrective action plans or similar to remedy issues identified as part of an internal risk assessment or recommendations from externally initiated audits or reviews
-Execute other priority projects and special initiatives as required

A cover letter is required. Please submit a cover letter as part of your application.

Preferred skills
The ideal candidate will be strategic inquisitive and solution-oriented with demonstrated strengths in the following:
-Demonstrated ability to interpret complex legislation regulations and policy requirements and translate them into clear operational guidance and practical implementation approaches
-Ability to strategically assess and evaluate agency processes interpret and synthesize complex findings into actionable recommendations and and develop effective agency-wide responsive plans.
-Ability to manage multiple time-sensitive complex projects related to business operations and to coordinate with various parties to help complete them.
-Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders and to be a strategic partner in identifying issues and solutions.
-Ability to clearly effectively and persuasively communicate findings and issues to various internal and external stakeholders both for written and verbal communication
-Familiarity with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS)
-Interest in improving government practice and devising solutions that support the advancement of affordable housing efforts.

Minimum Qualifications
Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements of Executive Agency Counsel.

Note: This position is eligible for remote work up to two days per week pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and their specific union.

EXECUTIVE AGENCY COUNSEL - 95005

Qualifications :

Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible relevant satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys in an administrative managerial or executive capacity or performing highly complex and significant legal work.




Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

Additional Information :

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic including but not limited to an individuals sex race color ethnicity national origin age religion disability sexual orientation veteran status gender identity or pregnancy.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time