ASSISTANT DEPUTY COMMISSIONER

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 Office of Policy is responsible for most aspects of agency policy development, including development and advocacy of waiver and demonstration projects, development of commentary on regulatory changes, legislative position development, negotiations with legislative bodies, and compliance with legal reporting requirements and implementation of laws.

The Office of the General Counsel / Office of Policy, Procedures and Training (OPPT) is recruiting for one Executive Agency Counsel M3 to function as Assistant Deputy Commissioner who will:

Under the executive direction of the Deputy Chief Legal Affairs Officer, of the Office of Legal Affairs, with the widest latitude for the exercise of independent initiative and decision, the Assistant Deputy Commissioner acts as the legal expert on Department of Social Services (DSS) policy and issues. The Asst. Deputy Commissioner ensures close relationships with policy developers, operations managers, various affiliated programs, and business partners that interface with DSS daily, such as the Human Resources Administration (HRA) Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) and the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Prepares work for the Commissioner's signature, such as the agency's Biennial Employment Plan and prepares requested waivers of government regulations such as to permit the use of on demand interviews in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The ADC maintains relationships with top-level HRA executives including the agency commissioner, cabinet staff, federal, state, and local officials, and policy makers.

• Provide legal expertise in agency consultations and serves as chief policy person with Operations and program implementation staff on the administration of DSS policy or procedural issues pertaining to social services programs such as the SNAP, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Safety Net Assistance, Medicaid, legal assistance, and all employment services provided by the agency. Provide guidance to agency staff in benefit administration. Acts as legal and policy expert for the implementation of agency reform efforts in FIA Job and SNAP centers and Employment Services.

• Write and develop in depth Biennial Employment Plan, required by the OTDA and stemming from a mayoral initiative. Writes plan in full compliance with all relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. Incorporate feedback from advocacy groups, other City and State, agencies, DSS employees, clients, and other interested parties, as approved by the Commissioner and in full compliance with all relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. Add amendments and resubmit to the state as changes occur. This plan acts as the foundational document for all HRA employment, and educational services provided by both FIA staff and outside contractors to recipients of Cash Assistance and SNAP benefits, including all specialized services for specific populations such as: survivors of domestic violence, young adults, persons with disabilities or mental or physical health barriers, immigrants, homeless individuals, persons with substance use issues, people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), those lacking necessary literacy skills, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers.

• In conjunction with the Deputy Chief Legal Affairs Officer, represents DSS as final legal authority to promulgate agency policy statements and informational program descriptions in accordance with the new goals and priorities of the agency and in response to new regulations, legislation, and court orders. Participate in the formulation of DSS policy and make policy statements and comments on all legal matters pertaining to the interpretation, development and implementation of social services policy and procedures, particularly as relates to agencies new reform efforts.

• Serve as a legal counselor to the agency's managerial and executive staff in matters of litigation and regulation accountability that pertain to DSS.

• Direct the development of programmatic justifications for sought after changes at federal state and local social services law and regulations.

• Manage staff engaged in the research, development, and submission of regulatory waiver requests to appropriate state and/or federal agencies. Ensures that local plans, plan amendments and regulatory waiver requests are submitted accurately and on a timely basis.

• Carries out special projects of a legal nature as assigned by the Deputy Chief Legal Affairs Officer on the development of DSS policies and procedures. Examples are development of FIA ethics review guidelines to assure compliance and providing recommendations for the administration of client storage fees.

• Manages the efficient and timely collection of all state and local plans (including other than the Biennial Employment Plan) by office staff and submitted by DSS, the cataloguing of the process pursuant to which they are submitted and amended, and the filing of all such submission on behalf of the agency along with all amendments to the state and local authorities.

• Manages the preparation of reports supporting litigation or regulatory revisions, directing the historical review of precedents and analysis of federal, state, and local welfare reform initiatives as required by the Deputy Commissioner.

• Directs professional staff serving as liaisons between FIA and other DSS offices in reviewing and commenting on complex, important and highly technical proposed legislation and regulations and oversees the coordination of the Division's work in this area.

EXECUTIVE AGENCY COUNSEL - 95005