CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO)

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. DSS is seeking to hire one (1) Director of Administration M-VII to function as Chief Operating Officer (COO) who under the executive direction of the DSS First Deputy Commissioner, with the broadest latitude for the exercise of independent action and decision-making, will be responsible for directing and coordinating the overall management of all HRA/DSS management support/administrative areas. These areas consist of the following programs:

• General Support Services (GSS) - serves as the major support arm of DSS/HRA and is responsible for providing several essential services to Agency administrative and program components in order that they might fulfill their legal mandate, accomplish their mission and achieve their goals in a professional workplace and customer friendly environment.
• Emergency Management (EM) - develops disaster contingency plans and responds to internal and external emergencies throughout New York City. Emergency Management (EM) works directly with DSS/HRA & DHS programs to plan, prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies, while implementing policies and procedures to prioritize the most vulnerable clients.
• Police Operations - responsible for ensuring the safety and security of HRA staff/clients/visitors at all HRA locations, as well as the safeguarding of HRA property, through planning, directing and coordinating all phases of security services, which are managed through a large HRA police force.
• Community Food Connection - works to address food insecurity and improve the nutritional status of New Yorkers in need.

The Chief Operating Officer will be responsible for planning, developing and formulating policies and procedures impacting the programs of DSS/HRA; identify and resolve problems and conflicts impacting DSS/HRA operations; have a major policy-making role in establishing programs which enable key staff members to perform efficiently to ensure future executive and management requirements. The COO will serve as a chief advisor to the Commissioner in the formulation, resolution and interpretation of major policy issues as it relates to the assigned areas of responsibility and advising other executive team members accordingly; serve on task forces, committees and boards representing the Agency's position as it relates to this jurisdictional area of responsibility.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A master's degree from an accredited college and four years of administrative experience in a large governmental agency or equivalent organization; or 2. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and at least 18 months of administrative or consultative, managerial or executive experience.

Preferred Skills

- Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills - Strong critical thinking skills - Excellent managerial experience - Familiarity with the agency's goals, mission, and strategic priorities - Excellent time management skills including the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously under tight/strict deadlines

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

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.