The Client Advocate will work on behalf of clients and elected officials to help them with HRA, DHS and DSS benefit concerns, questions and Reasonable Accommodation Requests (RARs).

The Office of Constituent and Community Affairs (OCCA) are recruiting for two (2) Principal Administrative Associate II’s, to function as a Client Advocates in the Office of Constituent Services and Community Affairs.

The Client Advocate will:

- Advocate on behalf of clients who call or write to inquire about their case or services
with various DSS/HRA/DHS units to ensure all concerns are addressed, proper
resolution is obtained and provides effective and immediate intervention to stop any
adverse actions on cases when applicable.

- Provide excellent customer service with active and empathetic listening skills and a
clear focus on the clients’ needs, interacting in a professional manner and handling
frustrated callers in a calm, reassuring demeanor.

- Use multiple computer systems to research and resolve inquiries while conversing
with callers, using most HRA database systems, including the Welfare Management
System (WMS), New York City Work Accountability and You (NYCWAY), Paperless
Office System (POS), HRA One Viewer, Intranet Quorum (IQ) etc., to determine and
assist with the next steps to resolve the constituent’s issue.

- Report findings by summarizing and writing on cases into clearly organized and
plainly communicated letters, emails, and memos, including written responses that
are sent to constituents on behalf of the Mayor and the Commissioner utilizing
templates available in the Intranet Quorum (IQ) system.

- Liaise with Job Centers, SNAP Centers, Medicaid offices, HASA, other HRA/DSS/
DHS programs, and other government agencies to take the necessary actions on
cases, and let the constituent know the outcome by phone or letter.

- Review and prioritize inquiries received as telephone calls and as written inquiries by
email, fax, and mail from participants and applicants in HRA/DSS/DHS programs,
elected officials, and the general public.

- Real-time processing of RARs within a few days so that clients are provisionally granted
Ras as quickly as possible.

- Collaborating closely with MIS, CAS, FIA, Medicaid, OLA and the HRA Administrator’s office
to review complex and unusual cases, to clarify and streamline the RAR process, and to flag
any cases or circumstances that need expediting or escalation.

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience, one year of which must have been in an administrative capacity or supervising staff performing clerical/administrative work of more than moderate difficulty; or
2. An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience described in "1" above; or
3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and five years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience as described in "1" above;
4. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above. However, all candidates must possess the one year of administrative or supervisory experience as described in "1" above. Education above the high school level may be substituted for the general clerical/administrative experience (but not for the one year of administrative or supervisory experience described in "1" above) at a rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for 6 months of experience up to a maximum of 3½ years.

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.