Assistant Commissioner

City of New York•New York City, NY

18h•Onsite

About The Position

The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) operates the largest and most diverse portfolio of public capital projects in both the vertical and horizontal spaces across all five boroughs on behalf of more than 20 client agencies and public-sector partners. DDC seeks to hire an Assistant Commissioner to lead the agency’s Alternative Delivery Program, including design-build and emergency on-call contracting initiatives. Reporting directly to DDC’s First Deputy Commissioner and exercising wide latitude for independent judgment and executive decision-making, the Assistant Commissioner will establish the strategic direction, governance framework, operational standards, and long-term growth strategy for DDC’s alternative delivery portfolio. The selected candidate will serve as DDC’s senior strategic advisor on alternative delivery methods and will oversee the continued expansion, institutionalization, and maturation of the agency’s alternative delivery framework. This includes transitioning the program from early implementation phases into a scalable, repeatable, and high-performing delivery model that supports the agency’s long-term capital objectives. The Assistant Commissioner will advise executive leadership on procurement strategy, project suitability assessments, market conditions, capital portfolio optimization, risk allocation, and implementation approaches for major public works projects. DDC’s capital program includes projects managed by DDC’s Infrastructure Division, which includes horizontal construction work, and DDC’s Public Buildings Division, which includes vertical construction work. The Assistant Commissioner will oversee a diverse portfolio of alternative delivery projects and maintain accountability for schedule performance, cost certainty, quality outcomes, delivery consistency, risk management, and stakeholder confidence across the program. The selected candidate will work closely with DDC’s contracting officers, Legal Division, Public Buildings Division, Infrastructure Division, project controls, budget unit, and the unit supporting opportunities for emerging businesses, certified minority-owned businesses, and certified women-owned businesses. The Assistant Commissioner will lead the development and institutionalization of standardized policies, procedures, governance protocols, measurable performance metrics, and continuous improvement systems to support program effectiveness and long-term sustainability. The Assistant Commissioner will also evaluate and recommend projects suitable for alternative delivery methods and advise both internal and external stakeholders on implementation strategy, procurement planning, and delivery execution. This role will require regular participation in executive-level management meetings with sponsor agencies, oversight entities, elected officials, and other public-sector stakeholders regarding projects within the portfolio and future opportunities for alternative delivery implementation. Additionally, the selected candidate will lead market outreach and industry engagement efforts to strengthen DDC’s partnerships with the design, construction, and infrastructure communities while incorporating national best practices, lessons learned, and evolving market trends into DDC’s delivery approach. The Assistant Commissioner will also collaborate with public authorities, public benefit corporations, and State agencies to advance innovation and alignment across public-sector capital programs. The emergency on-call contracts program was groundbreaking when DDC, in partnership with NYC Emergency Management, launched the initiative following Superstorm Sandy. The current program is now in its second generation and requires strategic oversight, operational leadership, long-range planning, and continuous refinement to support future emergency response and resiliency needs for the City of New York. The selected candidate will also be responsible for developing internal organizational capacity to support continued expansion of alternative delivery throughout the agency, including staff development, multidisciplinary team leadership, succession planning, workforce readiness, and cross-divisional coordination.

Requirements

Permanent in the Administrative Project Manager title OR took and passed the DDC promotional list (exam #5565) OR took and passed the open-competitive list (exam #5164).
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college in engineering, engineering technology, architecture, landscape architecture, architectural technology, construction, construction management, construction technology, sustainable design, urban planning, urban studies, city planning, transportation planning, business administration, or public administration, and five years of full-time satisfactory experience in the planning, administering or expediting of engineering design, and/or construction, or coordinating a very large engineering project, two years of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, executive or supervisory capacity.
OR A four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and nine years of experience as described above, two years of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, executive or supervisory capacity.
OR Education and/or experience equivalent to the above.
One year of experience credit will be given for: (a) each 30 semester credits of college or university education leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the specified disciplines; (b) An accredited Master's degree in one of the specified disciplines; (c) a Juris Doctor degree, or (d) a valid New York State license as a Professional Engineer, Registered Architect or Landscape Architect.
All candidates must have the two years of the administrative, managerial, executive, or supervisory experience.
All candidates must be currently authorized to work full-time in the United States (U.S.).
Original documents proving citizenship or the legal right to work in the U.S. must be presented.
Educational credentials must be from a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accredited institution. Credentials from foreign institutions require independent equivalency verification.

Responsibilities

Lead the agency’s Alternative Delivery Program, including design-build and emergency on-call contracting initiatives.
Establish the strategic direction, governance framework, operational standards, and long-term growth strategy for DDC’s alternative delivery portfolio.
Serve as DDC’s senior strategic advisor on alternative delivery methods.
Oversee the continued expansion, institutionalization, and maturation of the agency’s alternative delivery framework.
Advise executive leadership on procurement strategy, project suitability assessments, market conditions, capital portfolio optimization, risk allocation, and implementation approaches for major public works projects.
Oversee a diverse portfolio of alternative delivery projects and maintain accountability for schedule performance, cost certainty, quality outcomes, delivery consistency, risk management, and stakeholder confidence across the program.
Work closely with DDC’s contracting officers, Legal Division, Public Buildings Division, Infrastructure Division, project controls, budget unit, and the unit supporting opportunities for emerging businesses, certified minority-owned businesses, and certified women-owned businesses.
Lead the development and institutionalization of standardized policies, procedures, governance protocols, measurable performance metrics, and continuous improvement systems to support program effectiveness and long-term sustainability.
Evaluate and recommend projects suitable for alternative delivery methods and advise both internal and external stakeholders on implementation strategy, procurement planning, and delivery execution.
Lead market outreach and industry engagement efforts to strengthen DDC’s partnerships with the design, construction, and infrastructure communities.
Collaborate with public authorities, public benefit corporations, and State agencies to advance innovation and alignment across public-sector capital programs.
Provide strategic oversight, operational leadership, long-range planning, and continuous refinement for the emergency on-call contracts program.
Develop internal organizational capacity to support continued expansion of alternative delivery throughout the agency, including staff development, multidisciplinary team leadership, succession planning, workforce readiness, and cross-divisional coordination.