The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES), situated within NYCHA’s Department of Resident Services, Partnerships, and Initiatives (RSPI), is charged with working to develop, and implement programs, policies, and collaborations to measurably support residents increased economic opportunities with a focus on asset building, employment, advancement, adult education and training, and business development.

NYCHA has implemented a Zone Model approach, which leverages NYCHA’s and partner resources to expand economic opportunity for public housing residents through place-based service coordination. Through this approach, REES enables NYCHA to (1) Generate more economic opportunities for NYCHA residents and NYCHA neighborhoods, while strategically investing and leveraging NYCHA’s spend; (2) Provide a more comprehensive economic empowerment platform with additional capacities around financial literacy, asset building and business development; (3) Reduce the duplication of services – better investing limited resources; (4) Enable NYCHA to be a better partner to community-based organizations, government agencies, philanthropies, community colleges, schools, employers and other key stakeholders; and (5) Drive more resources and investment into public housing neighborhoods.

Each zone is overseen by a dedicated REES Zone Coordinator, a neighborhood focused service coordinator and partner manager who uses local knowledge and resident needs to identify, coordinate and attract economic empowerment partnerships and resources for residents of public housing in those specific geographies.

REES is seeking a dynamic Zone Coordinator, Western Queens who will serve as project and partnership manager with a community-based focus, providing place-based service coordination for NYCHA residents in these NYCHA neighborhoods. The Zone Coordinator will help to identify, coordinate and attract economic empowerment resources for residents of public housing in those specific geographies with a special focus on a few key NYCHA developments and execute a portfolio of strategic projects that achieve clearly defined outcomes, including Jobs-Plus, a place-based employment program designed to increase the earnings and employment of working-age residents through customized employment services, financial counseling, rent-based incentives and peer to peer support.

Responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to the following:

1. Oversee the Zone model approach for a specific geographic area, serving 8,000-12,000 households on average.
2. Assess neighborhood needs and service gaps. Identify key adult education, training, workforce development, financial literacy and asset building and business development stakeholders and resources within a specific geographic area.
3. Establish formal partnerships, through an application and evaluation process, with relevant economic opportunity services providers. Establish and manage formal agreements and/or contracts with partner organizations.
4. In collaboration with partner organizations, develop, manage and execute, a portfolio of strategic projects that connect residents to critical services and achieve clearly defined outcomes measures. Set defined performance targets for projects and manage effectively to reach intended outcomes. Manage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to advance project outcomes.
5. In the NYCHA neighborhoods of Western Queens, including Astoria, L.I.C and Woodside, maintain and build a local referral and recruitment infrastructure utilizing the web-based referral system and other referral tools. Leverage partner organizations, frontline NYCHA staff, and key stakeholders. Strategically leverage NYCHA and REES communication channels when executing all projects and initiatives.
6. Identify neighborhood economic opportunity needs and gaps and work with partner organizations, as well as key REES staff and community stakeholders, to develop strategies for securing additional resources and/or launching pilot initiatives with the potential to scale. Establish partner networks, based on local need, to meet key service area gaps and leverage best practice.
7. Manage relationships with up to three (3) Jobs Plus programs (serving the developments of Astoria, Queensbridge I&II/Ravenswood, and Woodside, respectively) to ensure that there is a strong working relationship between the Jobs-Plus contractor staff and NYCHA’s frontline staff, as well as with the residents of the respective developments. In addition, connect Jobs-Plus sites to opportunities, organizations and resources that can support the sites and JP members in achieving their goals. Act as a liaison with property management and the Jobs Plus sites to encourage an increase in residents participating in a rent incentive associated with the program.
8. Regularly manage project performance through quantitative and qualitative analysis. Utilize standard reporting tools and obtain regular partner and resident feedback through formal methods. Monitor performance of ongoing initiatives (e.g. volume of referrals to partner organizations) on a consistent basis to ensure REES reaches established performance targets. Consistently implement new strategies to improve or enhance outcomes based on evaluation.
9. Manage relationships with Resident Associations and other resident-led bodies, development property managers and other key contacts.
10. Ensure website, resources and materials are up to date with accurate neighborhood information.
11. Work with partners and REES team to identify best practices that support the annual outcomes for REES. Research and share community economic development best practices with partner organizations and REES staff.
12. Represent REES and NYCHA at external resident, community and citywide events including meetings with senior NYCHA leadership. Provide regular training and external presentations.

Additional Information

1. NYCHA employees applying for transfer, promotion, title or level change opportunities must have served a period of one year at current location and in current title and level (if applicable).
2. NYCHA residents are encouraged to apply.
3. NYCHA provides benefits that include a choice of medical coverage plans, deferred compensation plans and a defined pension benefit plan as a member of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS).

Please read this posting carefully to make certain you meet the minimum qualification requirements before applying to this position.

COMMUNITY COORDINATOR - 56058

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

1. Master’s degree in social work, public administration, community and economic development, public policy, education, business or related field preferred. 2. Proven experience using data to define and achieve outcomes. 3. Proven experience in creating and managing complex public-private partnerships and consortia. 4. Experience with one or more of the following preferred: community organizing, workforce development, financial literacy and asset building, resident business development, adult education, job training, management consulting, program evaluation. 5. Demonstrated success in managing performance-based contracts experience working with New York City government a plus. 6. Creative and strategic thinker, entrepreneurial proven leadership abilities. 7. Exceptional project management, organizational, analytical, quantitative and qualitative skills. 8. Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. 9. Interest in pioneering a new community development initiative and working with and in low-income communities. 10. Ability to work independently and as part of a team. 11 Bilingual preferred.

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/.

NYCHA has no residency requirements.

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.