Special Assistant

DCAS's mission is to make city government work for all New Yorkers. From managing New York City’s most iconic courthouses and municipal buildings, to purchasing over $1 billion annually in goods and services for more than 80 City agencies what we do ensures that all agencies can deliver on their mission. Our reach touches every facet of city government and is instrumental to the successful day-to-day operations of the City of New York.

Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing City agencies with the critical resources and support needed to succeed, including:

• Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
• Managing 55 public buildings.
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
• Leading the City's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.
  
  

When you work at DCAS, you're not just working for one agency, but in service of them all. It's an opportunity to provide impactful support, quality customer service, and help protect the future of New York City for generations to come. Visit our website at nyc.gov/dcas to learn more about the work we do.

Job Description

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) seeks a Special Assistant to the General Counsel to provide critical support in the following areas:

• Administrative, organizational, and project management: Managing the General Counsel’s calendar; coordinating meetings with internal and external partners; organizing files; note-taking; project management with opportunities to lead projects as delegated by the General Counsel; working with the Strategic Operations team to ensure templates, tools, and supplies align with OGC’s broader goals; and handling other administrative and organizational needs as assigned.
• Policy analysis and presentation materials: Assisting with sensitive projects, policy development, and presentations. This includes conducting literature reviews, preparing decision memos, and creating presentation materials that are clear and tailored for diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Legal research and drafting: Providing support on legal research and drafting related to the General Counsel’s projects. Tasks include but are not limited to assisting with Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, waiver memos, and subpoena compliance, in collaboration with the Strategic Operations team as needed.
  
  

Reporting directly to the General Counsel and working with latitude for independent judgment on delegated projects, the successful candidate must be detail-oriented, proactive, and organized. The Special Assistant must consistently handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and demonstrate adaptability, strong critical thinking skills, and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively. Strong communication skills, sound judgment, a collaborative approach are essential, and a sense of humor to contribute to a dynamic and evolving structured environment.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the General Counsel’s primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide direct administrative support, including calendar management, meeting and event coordination, answering phones, staffing events, reminders, and note-taking.
• Ensure timely responses to all communications and correspondence.
• Build and maintain relationships across various departments and partner agencies.
• Track and follow up on assignments delegated by the General Counsel to ensure deadlines are met.
• Prepare presentations, summaries, and reports as guided by the General Counsel or the Strategic Operations team.
• Draft correspondence for the General Counsel’s review and signature.
• Plan and execute special projects, managing logistics effectively.
• Provide legal support on sensitive matters requiring research, analysis, and drafting.
• Assist with other administrative tasks, special projects, and duties as needed
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.
• One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
• Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).
  
  

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements:

To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

Preferred Skills

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree required. - Minimum of one year of experience as a practicing attorney preferred. - Strong legal research, analytical, and writing skills. - Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills. - Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. - Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant tools.
  
  

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 not required for this position

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.