SENIOR ADVISOR

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. The Supportive Programs and Initiatives Team at HRA/DSS oversees programs and initiatives that help underserved New Yorkers lead successful lives, including IDNYC (New York City’s municipal ID program), Fair Fares (subway and bus fare discounts for eligible New Yorkers), and HEAP (assistance with heating and cooling costs).

About the role

Under general supervision of the Deputy Commissioner for IDNYC, Fair Fares, and HEAP, with latitude for independent judgment, the Senior Advisor performs legal, strategy, policy, and project management work in collaboration with the Deputy Commissioner, the Executive Deputy Commissioner for SPI, and the Assistant Deputy Commissioner for IDNYC.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead on all policy and legal matters related to the IDNYC program.
• Identify, research, and address legal and policy questions pertaining to all aspects of the program, including new initiatives and workstreams.
• Stay abreast of and advise on developments in City, state, and federal laws, regulations, and policies that impact IDNYC.
• Serve as the main liaison with the DSS Office of Program Accountability and DSS Office of Legal Affairs to assist in the review and interpretation of existing laws, rules, and regulations, and in the preparation of administrative Rule proposals for IDNYC.
• Represent the program at meetings with the Mayor’s Office, other City Agencies, and Community Partners to ensure appropriate understanding of program rules and regulations.
• Provide situation-specific guidance to IDNYC staff on topics related to risk management and agency compliance.
• Draft, revise, and review legal, policy, and related documents for the IDNYC program, including policies and procedures, user guides, contracts, procurement-related materials, and memoranda of understanding.
• Support and lead a variety of special projects spanning the SPI portfolio of programs, such as:
  • Researching policy and program proposals made by HRA/DSS leadership and other stakeholders.
  • Reviewing best practices in other jurisdictions.
  • Overseeing strategic planning efforts for the SPI team.
  • Partnering with colleagues in DSS’ research and reporting teams to develop data dashboards and other means of tracking program performance.
  • Incubating new initiatives to improve access and/or the breadth of services offered through SPI’s programs.
• Represent SPI leadership at meetings, conferences, and other events.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Admission to the New York State Bar.
• One of the following:
  • One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar.
  • Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).
• Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

Qualifications

To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

To be assigned to AL III, candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

Skills

• Strong oral and written advocacy skills.
• Ability to articulate the law and advocate on behalf of the Agency.
• Superb legal research and writing skills.
• Experience in interpreting city government policies.
• Proven time management skills.

Benefits

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.

Schedule

Monday - Friday; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

New York City Residency is not required for this position.