The Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) is leading New York City’s response to, and service provision for, the influx of asylum seekers. New York City’s response is unique throughout the nation and includes complex services for asylum seekers, including but not limited to: legal supports, advocacy, shelter, education, workforce training, clothing and food donations, and collaboration with faith-based and community-based organizations.

OASO coordinates between agencies, makes sure that agencies have the resources they need, and manages the City’s advocacy to the state and federal governments. OASO also leads strategic planning for the City’s response, including long-term planning and policy drafting.

Asylum Application Help Center
In June 2023, OASO opened the Asylum Application Help Center (AAHC) at the Red Cross in Midtown. Under the direction of City managers, the AAHC supports hundreds of asylum seekers per week with immediate, high-quality assistance preparing and submitting applications for asylum pro se. The AAHC does not offer full representation.

Interested asylum seekers are scheduled for one-on-one appointments at the application help center, where trained application assistants work with the applicant to answer questions. Experienced immigration lawyers are on site to supervise application assistants and provide guidance; interpreters are on site to provide in-person language assistance.


Reporting to the OASO Executive Director, the Executive Director at the AAHC will serve as the on-site lead on all operational matters,

The Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) is seeking one (1) Assistant Deputy Commissioner (Social Services) M5 to function as an Executive Director, Asylum Application Help Center who will:

- Oversee staff and programing at the AAHC

- Monitoring and evaluating AAHC’s operational performance, and recommending and implementing
corrective measures across the AAHC operational divisions to ensure efficient

- Leading change management efforts and fostering a culture of innovation, using data-driven
decision-making to drive performance improvements

- Participating in, alongside the Director of Strategic Initiatives, the development of AAHC's expense
budget and capital plan to ensure efficient and effective operations, protection of AAHC assets, and
delivery of objectives

- Developing, alongside the Director of External Affairs, strong working relationships with agency
partners

- Representing AAHC in community town halls and in meetings community groups and advocacy
organizations

Work Hours/Shift
Monday- Friday, 9am-5pm

Location
22 Reade Street, NY, NY

1.A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory, full-time experience of a nature to qualify for the duties of the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity or supervising personnel performing activities related to the duties of the position; or

2. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. However, all candidates must have the 18 months of administrative, managerial, executive or supervisory experience described in "1" above.

- 8+ years of administrative or managerial experience in a large governmental agency, business firm, civic or community organization operating in the area of social services - Extensive knowledge of federal immigration policy - 2+ years of experience working in a social services capacity servicing immigrant populations and/or communities - Strong analytical skills - Excellent oral and written communication skills - Highly organized and excellent ability to manage multiple priorities - Highly detail-oriented and committed to rapid execution - Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels - Highly professional demeanor - Sound judgment, critical thinking skills, patience, and a growth mindset - Ability to adapt to changing conditions quickly and effectively - Ability to work flexible hours and occasional weekends

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 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.

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.