THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $160,000 - $172,000.

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community.

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal representation and advice to the Commissioner and all divisions at ACS. OGC identifies areas of legal vulnerability and coordinates with other Divisions to ensure compliance with court orders, consent decrees, and other legal and regulatory mandates. OGC also works closely with the NYC Law Department to minimize risk and avoid litigation and defend ACS in class action and individual lawsuits.

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) FOIL/Records Compliance & Records Management Unit seek an Executive Agency Counsel/Privacy Officer. The Records and Compliance Unit (RCU) within the Office of the General Counsel is responsible for all FOIL requests for the agency; all closed records requests for the agency; is the agency the liaison for the New York City Law Department Torts Division, the Special Federal Litigation Unit, and the Special Litigation Unit; provides advice and support to agency staff regarding the confidentiality of the child protective services records and the Identifying Information Law which is the responsibility of the Agency Privacy Officer (APO) who is responsible for monitoring the agency’s compliance with this local law, by collecting agency wide data and submitting all reports to the Chief Privacy Officer, the Mayor and the NYC Council. Within RCU, the Records Management Unit (RMU) provides support to the entire agency in retrieving and storing records.

Under general direction of the General Counsel and Associate General Counsel/Director of FOIL, Records & Compliance and Records Management Unit with wide latitude for independent judgment, the Agency Privacy Officer / Deputy Director will be responsible for managing the agency’s privacy program and to assist with the daily operations of the unit. The Agency Privacy Officer / Deputy Director will engage in difficult and complex legal work having significant procedural and policy consequences in the areas of Privacy Law, New York Social Services Law, and Freedom of Information Law.

The Agency Privacy Officer/ Deputy Director is responsible for implementing policies and procedures for the collection, disclosure and retention of identifying information for the agency. The Agency Privacy Officer is responsible for conducting investigations of alleged violations of the Identifying Information Law for the agency and for the human service contract providers, providing training and legal consultations to agency staff on confidentiality, responding to mandated quarterly reporting requirements under the Identifying Information Law and completing the bi-annual report to the Mayor, the Chief Privacy Officer and the Speaker. The Agency Privacy Officer / Deputy Director will also assist with the daily operations of the Records and Compliance Unit, including reviewing and assigning work to both legal and support staff, and assisting with the needs of the Records Management Unit.

The Records and Compliance Unit is responsible for responding to and fulfilling record requests made to the Administration for Children’s Services, providing legal advice to the ACS Commissioner, General Counsel, and other ACS staff on both policy and program issues on the confidentiality of social services records and FOIL matters. , The unit also responds to subpoenas for agency records not related to Article X cases, requests from District Attorneys’ offices, and out-of-state child protective services requests. The Unit is also responsible for Records Management Unit which is responsible for the retention and distribution of records for the entire agency.

The duties of the Agency Privacy Officer / Deputy Director of the Records and Compliance Unit include, but may not be limited to the following:

- Responsible for the implementation and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures to ensure the collection, disclosure and retention of all identifying information by the agency i and contractors and subcontractors that provide human services to the families served by ACS in accordance with the Identifying Information Law, Charter section 8(h) and Administrative Code Title 23, Chapter 12.
- As needed, conduct trainings in the Agency regarding the Identifying Information Law and the confidentiality of ACS records
- Assist in the development of a tracking system for reporting requirements under Identifying Information Law.
- Conduct agency-wide inventory on privacy practices and violations of the Identifying Information Law for mandated quarterly reporting and bi-annual reporting to the Mayor’s Office, City Hall and the Chief Privacy Officer
- Supervise attorney and non-attorney staff, assign and review staff work
- Manage and ensure that record requests (document production and/or FOIL reviews and response) made through the unit are appropriately reviewed, redacted, and timely fulfilled.
- Liaise with the New York City Law Department on state tort litigation cases and Federal Special Litigation Unit (NYPD cases)
- Assist the Records Management Unit with special projects as needed
- Develop strong relationships with ACS management and external parties in connection with resources, information or services beneficial to ACS and serve as a liaison with executives of ACS and with other City agencies.


ADDITIONAL INFO

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

Please go to www.cityjobs.nyc.gov or www.nyc.gov/ess for current NYC employees and search for Job ID # 715651.

No phone calls, faxes or personal inquiries permitted.

Note: Only candidates under consideration will be contacted.

EXECUTIVE AGENCY COUNSEL - 95005

Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.

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

- Excellent verbal, written and professional interpersonal communication skills - Excellent judgment, discretion and ability to appropriately handle privileged and confidential information and highly sensitive documents - Ability to deal with challenging telephone calls, emails and letters from the public - Knowledge of New York Social Services Law New York Rules and Regulations and New York Civil Practice Law and Rules - Strong analytical, problem-solving, and time management skills - Detail-oriented while meeting competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment and having the flexibility to shift priorities quickly, effectively and with accuracy - Proficiency in Lexis Nexis and Microsoft Office programs including Outlook, Word, and Excel - Experience with Adobe Acrobat Professional software work with pdf documents and files and /or ability to quickly learn these computer programs - Experience working with confidential records and the production of records

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/.

New York City Residency is not required for this position

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.