Senior Program Assistant, Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations

About the role

The Bureau of Health Promotion for Justice-Impacted Populations (HPJIP) in the Division of Mental Hygiene aims to reduce the negative social and health consequences of criminal legal system involvement through innovative policy and practice change. By centering community, addressing racial inequities, honoring lived experience, and elevating trauma-and-resilience-informed approaches, we promote evidence-based best practices to address the needs of those disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects (which may involve Programs Unit, Epidemiology Unit, Policy Unit, or community input) related to key strategic areas for the Bureau.
• Conduct literature searches and investigate best practices, and care for individuals and communities with legal system involvement and behavioral health concerns; review and summarize articles and guidance documents.
• Consult and collaborate with various offices within the Division and Department as well as external partners in the community.
• Cookordinate development of indicators, data collection and reporting for the bureau for Quality Performance Review, Mayor’s Management Reports, Office of Community Mental Health requests and other reports.
• Delegate assignments to program supervisors and collaborate with them to ensure timely completion.
• Review data and work products of program supervisors to ensure they meet the expectations of the Bureau and Division.
• Develop and administer tools and tracking sheets to organize Programs workflows.
• Organize internal and external meetings in person, e.g., prepare agenda, meeting materials, and minutes; draft communications to meeting participants; ensure appropriate follow-up on action items.
• Serve as Programs communication liaison, providing direct, hands-on support across locations.
• Develop content for internal and external webpages for the Bureau programs; ensure consistent messaging across public-facing materials.
• Collate, coordinate, assist with and conduct data collection, quantitative/qualitative data analysis and research to track all programming across both units for reporting purposes; develop and implement special projects to fill gaps in care as needed.
• Liaise with unit, divisional, and departmental offices for assigned projects.
• Draft reports, proposals, and presentations for internal and external distribution.
• Prepare the Senior Director of Programs for high level meetings through organized agendas, situational awareness, and presentation development.
• Manage special projects as needed including timely response to requests from internal and external parties such as the Executive Deputy Commissioner’s Office or City Hall.
• Work closely with Senior Director of Programs, to ensure program strategies are well-documented and executed effectively.
• Flexibility in schedule, including working other shifts, weekends, staying later or coming in earlier as needed to meet shifting programmatic demands.
• Must travel between offices/work locations on a regular basis, promoting effective communication and providing direct support with programs.

Requirements

• Bilingual capabilities with written and verbal fluency preferred to effectively communicate and support diverse population needs.
• Understanding of the NYC mental health system for persons with legal system involvement.
• Understanding of other agencies and systems in the legal system (e.g., courts, probation, incarceration, parole) highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills; ability to plan, problem-solve, prioritize, and ensure the timely response to program requests and deadlines.
• Ability to work flexibly, adapt to schedule shifts, and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to coordinate and facilitate others’ work, including managing logistics for in-person meetings.
• Experience coordinating and contributing to the development of grant applications (narrative and budget).
• Strong research and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to engage diplomatically with colleagues, leadership and external parties during on-site visits and collaborative sessions.
• Ability to act independently and exercise good judgment, escalate accordingly.
• Proficiency in Excel, Microsoft Project, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, and MS Teams.
• Strong Attention to detail, Problem-solving, Time management skills.

Qualifications

• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
• A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization.
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above.

Skills

• Bilingual capabilities with written and verbal fluency preferred.
• Understanding of the NYC mental health system for persons with legal system involvement.
• Understanding of other agencies and systems in the legal system (e.g., courts, probation, incarceration, parole) highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work flexibly, adapt to schedule shifts, and multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to coordinate and facilitate others’ work, including managing logistics for in-person meetings.
• Experience coordinating and contributing to the development of grant applications (narrative and budget).
• Strong research and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to act independently and exercise good judgment, escalate accordingly.
• Proficiency in Excel, Microsoft Project, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, and MS Teams.
• Strong Attention to detail, Problem-solving, Time management skills.

Benefits

Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/).

Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as: a 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. a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement. a tax-deferred savings program and a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.