What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Disability Retirement Services position at NYC Department of Social Services?
*Applicants must be permanent in the title of Administrative Staff Analyst or have a permanent comparable civil service title.*
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Disability Retirement Services will lead the Division, providing strategic oversight for the processing of disability and accidental death benefit applications. This leadership role will focus on ensuring seamless support for clients navigating the disability benefits process while driving transformative improvements in service delivery including case management.
The Director will champion a results-oriented approach, integrating innovative practices to enhance the client experience, improve operational efficiency, reduce wait times, and contribute to the overall success of the division.
This role demands a strategic and tactical leader that can apply critical thinking at scale, applies a data-driven approach, and is able to lead the division successfully through change. The candidate will need to be adaptable and learn the disability retirement laws, policies, pension laws, and benchmark against industry best practices. The Director will prioritize improvement in service delivery while ensuring procedural compliance, optimizing team performance, and upholding service excellence.
The ideal candidate will be a forward-thinking leader with a commitment to fostering collaboration, driving accountability, and delivering exceptional outcomes for both the organization and its clients.
Key Responsibilities for the Director of Disability Retirement Services:
Leadership and Management: Oversee the Medical Operations teams comprising 21 team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment. Directly supervise two Associate Directors, ensuring the effective daily management of team operations.
Staff Development: Provide training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to enhance the skills and expertise of team members.
Customer Service Excellence: Address and resolve complex cases and applicant inquiries timely, ensuring a client-focused approach that upholds the highest standards of service.
Strategic Reporting: Prepare and present detailed reports to executive leadership, highlighting processing outcomes, challenges, and actionable recommendations for continued improvement.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Analyze performance metrics and operational data to assess team and individual effectiveness and implement improvements informed by evidence-based strategies.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including medical professionals, legal advisors, employer partners, and human resources, to support the Division’s objectives.
Policy and Process Optimization: Review, refine, and implement policies and procedures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Medical Division’s operations.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure adherence to all applicable Pension and Social Security laws, Board Rules and policies governing the processing of disability retirement and accidental death claims.
Industry Expertise: Stay informed on trends, legislative changes, and best practices related to disability and accidental death claims to position the Division as a leader in service delivery and compliance.
Minimum Qualifications
This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.
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 https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
Additional Information
The 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.
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Disability Retirement Services will lead the Division, providing strategic oversight for the processing of disability and accidental death benefit applications. This leadership role will focus on ensuring seamless support for clients navigating the disability benefits process while driving transformative improvements in service delivery including case management.
The Director will champion a results-oriented approach, integrating innovative practices to enhance the client experience, improve operational efficiency, reduce wait times, and contribute to the overall success of the division.
This role demands a strategic and tactical leader that can apply critical thinking at scale, applies a data-driven approach, and is able to lead the division successfully through change. The candidate will need to be adaptable and learn the disability retirement laws, policies, pension laws, and benchmark against industry best practices. The Director will prioritize improvement in service delivery while ensuring procedural compliance, optimizing team performance, and upholding service excellence.
The ideal candidate will be a forward-thinking leader with a commitment to fostering collaboration, driving accountability, and delivering exceptional outcomes for both the organization and its clients.
Key Responsibilities for the Director of Disability Retirement Services:
Leadership and Management: Oversee the Medical Operations teams comprising 21 team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment. Directly supervise two Associate Directors, ensuring the effective daily management of team operations.
Staff Development: Provide training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to enhance the skills and expertise of team members.
Customer Service Excellence: Address and resolve complex cases and applicant inquiries timely, ensuring a client-focused approach that upholds the highest standards of service.
Strategic Reporting: Prepare and present detailed reports to executive leadership, highlighting processing outcomes, challenges, and actionable recommendations for continued improvement.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Analyze performance metrics and operational data to assess team and individual effectiveness and implement improvements informed by evidence-based strategies.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including medical professionals, legal advisors, employer partners, and human resources, to support the Division’s objectives.
Policy and Process Optimization: Review, refine, and implement policies and procedures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Medical Division’s operations.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure adherence to all applicable Pension and Social Security laws, Board Rules and policies governing the processing of disability retirement and accidental death claims.
Industry Expertise: Stay informed on trends, legislative changes, and best practices related to disability and accidental death claims to position the Division as a leader in service delivery and compliance.
Minimum Qualifications
- A master's degree from an accredited college in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, public health, human resources management, management science, operations research, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, statistics, personnel administration, labor relations, psychology, sociology, human resources development, political science, urban studies or a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school, and two years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in one or a combination of the following: working with the budget of a large public or private concern in budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, or fiscal or economic research; or in management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluation; or in personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, labor relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration, labor market research, economic planning, social services program planning/evaluation, or fiscal management. Eighteen (18) months of this experience must have been in an executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory capacity. Supervision must have included supervising staff performing professional work in the areas described above.
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in the areas described in “1” above, including the 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory experience, as described in “1” above.
- An associate degree or completion of 60 semester credits from an accredited college and six years of satisfactory full-time professional experience as described in “1” above, including the 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory experience, as described in “1” above.
- A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State’s department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and eight years of satisfactory full-time professional experience as described in “1” above, including the 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory experience, as described in “1” above.
- A combination of education and/or experience equivalent to “1”, “2”, “3”, or “4” above. College education may be substituted for professional experience at the rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a high school diploma and at least two years of experience as described in “1” above, including the 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory experience, as described in “1” above.
- At least 7-10 years of direct leadership experience in managing a team of professionals, with responsibility for divisional operations, client service delivery, and strategic direction. - Experience in overseeing disability retirement claims, accidental death benefits, or similar benefit programs is desirable. - Experience in integrating innovative strategies and technologies to optimize processes and improve client service. - Experience with regulatory compliance, specifically in the area of pension laws, disability retirement laws, and Social Security regulations is desirable. - Proven ability to manage complex cases and high-stakes situations with client service excellence in mind. - Exceptional decision-making skills in high-pressure environments, with the ability to navigate change effectively in an evolving legal and regulatory environment. - Expertise in implementing industry best practices for customer service excellence and/or case management is desirable. - Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to analyze relevant data, and prepare and present detailed strategic reports to senior leadership. - Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners. - Proven ability to manage stakeholder expectations, deliver complex messages, and drive collaboration across teams. - Ability to benchmark operations against industry best practices and adopt forward-thinking strategies to improve client satisfaction and operational efficiency. - Client-focused, with a deep commitment to delivering exceptional outcomes for both clients and the organization.
This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.
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 https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
Additional Information
The 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.
