Job DescriptionTHE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $175,000-$185,000. The New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) is seeking an outstanding candidate to serve as an Associate Commissioner in the Office of Youth Success Services to lead the visioning, planning and implementation of strategies at ACS and to achieve positive safety, well-being and permanency outcomes for children and families in the child welfare system through the provision of education, workforce readiness, job placement and housing supports. Working cross-divisionally with ACS’ juvenile justice, prevention and child protection teams, the Office of Youth Success Services is housed within the ACS Division of Family Permanency Services (FPS), which is the agency’s foster care division. Reporting to the Deputy Commissioner of FPS, the selected candidate will be an integral member of the FPS and ACS leadership teams. The Associate Commissioner of the Office of Youth Success Services will oversee the ACS Office of Education Support and Policy Planning (OESPP), the ACS Office of Employment and Workforce Development Initiatives (OEWDI) and the Office of Housing Initiatives. OESPP serves as the agency point of contact for all education policies, regulations, and program development and provides education case consultations. OEWDI was established to expand access to workforce programs and resources in order to improve work readiness and employment outcomes for youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Office of Housing Initiatives designs, implements, and oversees systems that connect eligible youth and families to an expanding array of housing set-aside programs, and community-based supports as they transition to permanent housing. In addition to foster care, juvenile justice and preventive contracted providers, this leader will work closely and in collaboration with a host of other key stakeholders including The Center for Fair Futures, the NYC Department of Education (DOE), the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), the City and State University of New York systems, Department of Homeless Services (DHS), the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (DHPD), the NYC Housing Authority, and philanthropic organizations. Specific Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
Develop, refine, promote, and implement strategic plans for improving education, housing and employment outcomes for children, youth, and families in the child welfare system.
Develop, expand, and nurture partnerships with public and private partners.
Build and maintain effective working relationships across the ACS child protection, prevention, foster care and juvenile justice divisions, as well as with ACS contracted preventive, foster care and juvenile justice providers.
Coordinate and integrate efforts between, OESPP, OEWDI and Housing Initiatives to ensure the units are operating in unison to meet the well-being and success for children, youth, and families.
Participate as a member of interagency workgroup, provide regular updates on project timelines and milestones, & evaluate staff and the success of the units.
Oversee staff providing education consultations and advocacy in approximately 7,000 cases annually.
Communicate with children and their families, education unit staff, DOE, and other stakeholders to assess and resolve school problems related to children’s educational issues.
Develop and implement policies, practices, and materials to ensure that children and parents that touch the child welfare system are informed and connected to appropriate education support services that meet their individualized needs.
Interpret educational law and regulations to internal and external stakeholders including attorneys, and members of the judiciary.
Manage the work of Agency Attorneys who conduct legal and regulatory analysis and research.
Coordinate with DOE, DYCD and ACS’ Division of Policy, Planning and Measurement to design and prepare data analysis reports to assess the educational outcomes of ACS-involved children and youth.
Inform agency staff on changes in education-focused legislation, policies, and practices from federal, state, and local education agencies.
Design and provide training on early intervention, special education, and general education to a wide range of audiences including foster care and preventive caseworkers, parents, and foster parents.
Provide legal guidance on complex cases; advise and recommend on questions related to educational policies and state and federal regulations.
Manage staff overseeing the partnership between ACS, CUNY, and a private contractor to provide full-year housing, academic and social-emotional supports to a select group of students in foster care that attend CUNY colleges.
Collaborate with Fair Futures coalition, a group of child welfare agencies, non-profits, foundations, advocates, and young adults working to make coaches accessible to all youth in foster care through age 26.
Develop and implement strategies to enhance provider capacity to improve work readiness and employment outcomes for youth in the foster care and juvenile justice systems.
Represent ACS at city and statewide education and workforce development related meetings and conferences.
Oversee day-to-day operations of the Housing Unit. This includes designing, implementing, and overseeing systems that connect eligible clients to an expanding array of housing set-aside programs, ensure full utilization of housing slots, and link clients to community-based supports as they transition to permanent housing.
Partner with the Department of Homeless Services, NYC Health and Hospitals, the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the NYC Housing Authority, and other city agencies to identify common clients and build strong collaborations.
Preferred Skills:
The preferred candidate will be an experienced, senior level professional with deep child welfare practice and policy experience.
The preferred candidate will possess the personal and professional skills to effectively lead and manage this critical function.
The preferred candidate holds a graduate degree in social work, public administration, public policy, education or in a related field.
The preferred candidate has skills to work effectively at a leadership level within ACS and with the foster care agencies, advocacy organizations, legal organizations, the Family Court, and other stakeholders.
The preferred candidate can manage, lead, and inspire a team in a fast-paced environment.
The preferred candidate possesses superb executive skills including interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills.
The preferred candidate can manage conflict and the capability to implement accountability mechanisms. The preferred candidate is flexible and a diplomatic team player.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Section 424-A of the New York Social Services Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-caring responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.TO APPLY:APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY USING ONE OF THE OPTIONS BELOW:For all other applicants go to www.nyc.gov/careers and search for Job ID# (624293) Click on the "Apply" button. For current city employees, go to Employee Self Service (ESS), Recruiting Activities, Careers and search for Job ID# (624293)If you do not have access to a computer, most public libraries have computers available for use. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.Qualifications
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of full-time, satisfactory professional social services or related experience in organizations dealing directly with children and/or adolescents; such as (but not limited to) child welfare agencies, Day-Care, educational institutions, mental health groups, pediatrics, juvenile justice. At least eighteen months of the required experience must be in a supervisor, administrative, managerial or executive capacity.
Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. However, all candidates must have at least eighteen months of experience in a supervisory, administrative, managerial, or executive capacity. A Master's degree in Social Work may be substituted for one year of the required general experience.
Additional InformationThe 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.