Chief of Staff to Deputy Commissioner

Overview

About The Agency The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.

• We maintain building and resident safety and health
• We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability
• We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity

As Chief of Staff to the First Deputy Commissioner, you will help lead a talented group of professionals and experts in meeting the goals and vision for housing in NYC. You will support the First Deputy Commissioner in the strategic direction and management of a varied portfolio of offices and teams.

Reporting to the First Deputy Commissioner and working with his executive team and other direct reports, the Chief of Staff tracks and leads a wide variety of policy and operational initiatives. The position includes broad contact with HPD senior leadership, representatives from City Hall and City Council, as well as key partner agencies such as DCP, EDC, HDC, DSS, NYCHA, OMB, and DCAS.

• Under general direction, with wide latitude for independent initiative and decision making, assist the FDC in developing and executing external engagement strategies, new policy development, operational and fiscal efficiencies, team building and strategic planning
• Partner with the FDC to support other Deputy Commissioners and key agency staff in building and maintaining relationships with federal, state and local elected officials, community boards, and other key stakeholders to benefit agency objectives and goals and other policy initiatives as necessary
• Monitor and coordinate proactive progression of HPD commitments relevant to the divisions that directly report to the FDC and across various initiatives from within the agency and in coordination across the Administration
• Assist in monitoring and drafting agency responses to correspondence, informational queries and related requests from city, state and federal elected officials, community boards, affordable housing sector participants, and other City agencies regarding agency matters
• Assist with agenda setting and briefing materials as needed
• Representing First Deputy Commissioner and the Agency at meetings as needed

• Exceptional team- and project-management skills, including ability to execute. Proven ability to: manage multiple teams and complex projects with multiple internal and external stakeholders; receive direction and anticipate next steps; think through, communicate, document, organize, and execute on project goals and keep other team members on schedule. Ability to manage up, down, and across teams. Attentive to the details, organized, and able to follow through.
• Subject-matter expertise. Knowledge of New York City government, affordable housing, urban planning principles and processes; basic understanding of real estate development principles; masters degree in urban planning, urban studies, public policy, real estate or a related field; substantial professional experience in a related field.
• Outstanding communication skills. Extremely strong written, verbal, and presentation skills. Proven ability to produce high-quality materials in a variety of formats for internal and external audiences.
• Strong analytical skills. Ability to work with, understand, analyze and communicate qualitative and quantitative information in a variety of formats.
• Good judgment. Ability to analyze a situation, understand what is needed, understand when additional input is needed, flag or resolve issues as necessary, and escalate when appropriate.
• Collaborative and creative spirit. Excited to be part of a team, to work with others to solve problems creatively and get quality work done. Ability to hear, take, and give feedback effectively and productively; to motivate peers to get the job done.

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of full-time satisfactory professional experience in one or more of the following fields: public and/or business administration, public relations, labor relations, fiscal/financial administration or a related field; at least eighteen months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity or supervising professional personnel performing duties in one or more of the fields described above;
  
  or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to the above. However, all candidates must possess the eighteen months of supervisory, administrative, managerial or executive experience as described above.

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 at…