Associate Commissioner

APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES CIVIL SERVICE TITLE OR BE PERMANENT IN A COMPARABLE TITLE ELIGIBLE FOR 6.1.9 TITLE CHANGE. The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is the largest organization in the United States dedicated to preventing and addressing homelessness.

In partnership with other City agencies and nonprofit organizations, DHS works to prevent homelessness before it begins, reduce street homelessness, provide temporary shelter, and connect individuals and families to stable housing-all with a focus on accountability, empathy, and equity. DHS is committed to continuous improvement and employs innovative strategies to deliver high-quality services that support a swift transition from shelter to self-sufficiency.

The agency manages hundreds of facilities and operates with a large team as well as a several billion-dollar budget to meet the diverse needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. The purpose of Street Homeless Solutions (SHS) is to reduce street and subway homelessness by meeting people where they are, building trust through outreach, and connecting unsheltered New Yorkers to shelter, healthcare, and pathways to long-term stability.

The Program Support (SHS) unit is responsible for overseeing the management of contracts for outreach, Safe Havens and drop-in centers and the roll out of new initiatives and pilot programs. As the most publicly visible portion of the Agency, SHS is frequently called upon to implement new initiatives and pilot programs.

These efforts require creating policies and procedures, developing budgets, establishing quality assurance checks, setting performance contracts, and shepherding contract amendments related to such initiatives and pilots through the amendment process. The Program Support unit is the lead unit for audit management, contract management support, compliance and quality assurance.

Under the executive direction of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) for Street Homeless Solutions, the Associate Commissioner will provide senior level leadership and operational oversight of the coordination of transitional housing, including drop-in centers, Safe Haven, and Stabilization Beds, and oversee the divisions efforts in strengthening connections to permanent housing.

This position will serve as a key policy maker and advisor on division wide planning and drive the development and execution of major policy initiatives. The Associate Commissioner will be responsible for the Division’s response to audits in collaboration with DSS Accountability Office, creation of corrective action plans and development of quality assurance systems for all contract related activities.

Moreover, they will create and implement new initiatives and pilot programs, including those mandated by city and state law. The NYC Department of Homeless Services is recruiting for one (1) Administrative Director of Social Services M-V to function as an Associate Commissioner who will:

• Provide oversight of a broad portfolio of SHS program operations including 66 contracts that span over 55 Drop-in Centers, Stabilization and Safe Haven sites, as well as 6 outreach providers and 5 subway outreach contracts. Oversee planning, implementation, and performance management to ensure program models remain responsive to emerging needs and policy directives.
• Oversee the rollout of new programs and initiatives, including planning, budgeting, policy creation and implementation and performance management. Establish and monitor outcomes related to housing placements, retention, and service delivery; ensure quality assurance and compliance; and uses performance data and market trends to drive continuous improvement, policy and resource allocation decisions.
• Ensure effective supervision and development of Program Administrators and Analysts. Develop and deliver contract oversight training, creates quality assurance materials, and monitor their use to ensure strong performance and compliance. Provide executive guidance on contract management practices and identify opportunities to strengthen accountability.
• Lead high priority, division-wide street related crisis management work, including adjusting programs and performance measures in response to emergency circumstances. Coordinate rapid responses to urgent data or program design requests and launches new initiatives to address rapidly evolving situations.
• Work in conjunction with the DSS ACCO to oversee all divisional Request for Proposals (RFP), including tracking expiring contracts, coordinating on the development of new RFPs, drafting and reviewing procurement documents, managing timelines, and ensure all activities align with divisional operation needs and city requirements.
• Coordinate with DSS’s Office of Legal Affairs for drafting, review, and execution of all divisional Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and interagency agreements, serve as the primary divisional liaison for all formal partnership documents and ensures timely execution with partner agencies.
• Collaborate with the DSS Office of Research & Policy Innovation and assists with identifying new grant opportunities, coordinate the preparation and submission of grant applications, and oversee the successful launch, implementation, reporting, and compliance for all awarded grants. Hours/Schedule: Monday-Friday 9AMx5PM 24/7 On-Call. ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF SOC - 10056

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and four years of progressively responsible experience, in a large governmental agency, business firm, civic or community organization operating in the area of social services, including one year at the administrative or managerial level; or 2.

Education

and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. Graduate education or a license may substitute for up to a maximum of three years of experience in the area of social services, but not for the one year of experience at the administrative or managerial level as described in "1" above, as follows: (A) A master’s degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, business, child welfare, counseling, economics, education, finance, human resources, labor relations, management, management science, nursing, operations research, organizational behavior, personnel or public administration, political science, psychology, sociology, social work, statistics, and/or urban studies may substitute for two years of experience; and/or (B) Graduate education beyond the baccalaureate degree may be substituted at the rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college or university in the area(s) listed in “2(A)” above for each year of experience up to a maximum of three years; or (C) A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) may substitute for three years of experience.

However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and one year of experience at the administrative or management level as described in "1" above. 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 individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.