The mission of HEROs Vacancy Control and Placement unit is to ensure the fluid management of vacancies across all populations of the DHS shelter system. HERO is a hub for shelter placements and vacancy control. HERO operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week and serves to facilitate and track shelter placements and transfers for all individuals in need of temporary housing assistance. Vacancy Control is responsible for the supervision and administration of all shelter placements, transfers, and reconciliation of vacancies across the entire shelter system, including DHS directly operated and provider-operated shelters. Vacancy Control collaborates with other DHS program area leads, nonprofit service providers, and high-level personnel at other City agencies to develop, establish, and enforce streamlined enhancements to information-sharing crucial to the placement of individuals and families with complex needs. The unit is also responsible for the opening and closing of the Agencies flexible capacity, consisting primarily of commercial hotels. These duties are performed on a 24/7 basis.

The Department of Homeless Services is recruiting for one (1) Administrative Director of Social Services M-4 to function as Assistant Commissioner of Vacancy Control and Placement, who will:

- Provide high-level oversight of the operational activities of clerical, analytical, and social services staff in the areas of Placement, Transfers and Transportation, and Vacancy Control for Families with Children, Single Adults, and Adult Families.

- Communicate the Deputy Commissioners goals to managerial staff through meetings and strategic goal setting.

- Work with senior and executive staff, including the Deputy Commissioner of HERO & Systems and the DHS Administrator, to establish both short- and long-term plans, taking into consideration New York City’s right to shelter.

- Develop strategies to increase the efficiency of Vacancy Control operations, including streamlining workflow processes in transportation, creating clear channels for information-sharing between vacancy control specialists and DHS nonprofit providers.

- Create future performance objectives based on current Agency priorities. In collaboration with other Department of Homeless Services divisions, Administration for Childrens Services/Department of Homeless Services staff, non-profit providers, and other internal and external stakeholders, leading implementation of enhancements to CARES and other data systems relative to placement of individuals with complex needs and families requiring higher level of care by drafting enhancements, designing proposals, developing and testing creative solutions.

- Provide oversight to planning and development, data analytics, external affairs/press and intra-agency work with other government agencies to achieve the mayor's Turning the Tide plan.

- Oversee the management of data pertaining to Vacancy Controls processes; capture and disseminate data relevant to vacancies, shelter assignments, shelter censuses, overages, and transfers.

- Allocate personnel resources and staffing to ensure administrative policies are applied into workable processes and procedures for establishing and maintaining organizational control.

- Oversee the management of the Agency's hotel portfolio across all client populations, including proper administration of contracts with nonprofit service providers to deliver social services to DHS clients.

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and four years of progressively responsible experience, in a large governmental agency, business firm, civic or community organization operating in the area of social services, including one year at the administrative or managerial level; or

2. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. Graduate education or a license may substitute for up to a maximum of three years of experience in the area of social services, but not for the one year of experience at the administrative or managerial level as described in "1" above, as follows:

(A) A master’s degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, business, child welfare, counseling, economics, education, finance, human resources, labor relations, management, management science, nursing, operations research, organizational behavior, personnel or public administration, political science, psychology, sociology, social work, statistics, and/or urban studies may substitute for two years of experience; and/or

(B) Graduate education beyond the baccalaureate degree may be substituted at the rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college or university in the area(s) listed in “2(A)” above for each year of experience up to a maximum of three years; or

(C) A valid New York State Registration as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) may substitute for three years of experience.

However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and one year of experience at the administrative or management level as described in "1" above.

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.