Executive Director of Environmental Health Legal

The Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy (BESP) in EH works to ground Health Department programs and policy in science and law to support a healthy and equitable natural, built, and occupational environment for all New Yorkers. We promote environmental health through legal and data-driven program support, using innovative methods to track environmental determinants of health with a focus on New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by environmental risk. We share data and research findings to encourage evidence-based decision-making, and partner with communities in community science and outreach to address stakeholder concerns and empower residents.

About the role

The Bureau of Environmental Science and Policy (BESP) seeks to hire a lawyer to serve as Executive Director of the Environmental Health Legal team (EH Legal). EH Legal supports the diverse legal needs of the Division's regulatory, enforcement, and policy initiatives, collaborating with division leadership and the agency's Office of General Counsel (OGC). Reporting to the Assistant Commissioner, the Executive Director will assume oversight responsibility for multiple legal and policy projects and team supervision, while operating with a wide degree of independence and autonomy.

Responsibilities

• Guide EH rulemaking, including interpreting newly enacted legislation and analyzing operational implications; collaborate with OGC on drafting and finalizing proposed amendments to the New York City Health Code and agency regulations.
• Initiate data-driven policy assessment of administrative hearing outcomes, efficacy of enforcement, and citation strategies.
• Evaluate the impact of regulatory change and legislative initiatives on Divisional programs.
• Act as primary liaison with OATH for operational, data access, and legal issues, and provide oversight for EH hearing appearances.
• Manage EH administrative hearings appeals process, including review of affirmative appeals, answering respondent appeals, and strategic use of the appeals process to support specific program initiatives.
• Supervise 2 EH lawyers and the Division Hearing and Regulatory Coordinator, providing legal and project direction and oversight.
• Manage tracking system for prioritization and efficient completion of EH Legal projects.
• Assist with legal emergency preparedness and response work.

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.

Skills

• Motivated legal thinker with demonstrated sound judgment, attention to detail, and analytic skills who thrives in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for both legal and lay audiences (e.g., comfortable writing legal memos, guidance documents for a regulated community, and fact sheets for the general public).
• Strong organizational abilities with demonstrated project management skills for multiple simultaneous initiatives.
• Previous supervision of legal staff.
• Experience in environmental health and public health, as well as administrative hearing, code enforcement, and regulatory experience in a public, non-profit, or academic setting.
• Experience with OATH rules and systems and administrative court procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment and collaborate with both legal partners and program or other collaborators not versed in legal procedures and language.

Benefits

• Premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually (per a 2024 assessment).
• Additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
• Public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
• Tax-deferred savings program.
• Robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job security compared to private sector employment.

Additional Information

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.

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, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website.