Assistant Commissioner, Horizon

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Assistant Commissioner of Operations for Horizon oversees and manages operations at Horizon Juvenile Center, a secure juvenile detention facility operated by the Administration for Children’s Services’ Division of Youth and Family Justice. The facility serves Juvenile Delinquents, Juvenile Offenders, and Adolescent Offenders whose cases are pending in Family Court or the Youth Parts in Supreme Court. The role is responsible for operating the facility in accordance with applicable regulations, agency policies, and court orders while maintaining community safety and the safety and well-being of staff and youth in care. The position works with ACS Police, other agency divisions, detention leadership, external stakeholders, and oversight agencies to maintain facility security, coordinate responses, and promote consistent practices. The selected candidate will be required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Requirements

A master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and four years of full-time, paid professional experience in a child care institution or in group work with children in a child care setting, including two years in an administrative capacity; or a master's degree from an accredited college in sociology, psychology, education, public administration, or a closely related field and five years of full-time, paid professional experience of the described type, including two years in an administrative capacity; or equivalent education and/or experience.
All candidates must have two years of administrative experience in a child care setting.

Responsibilities

Oversee and manage detention operations in compliance with federal, state, and city regulations, agency policies and procedures, and court orders and decrees, while maintaining community safety.
Ensure the safety, security, and wellness of building personnel and the health, welfare, and safety of youth in care.
Organize regular contraband searches and manage the recovery and storage of contraband, coordinating with ACS Police and the NYC Department of Investigation as necessary.
Ensure safe and efficient movement of youth, staff, vendors, and visitors through the facility.
Monitor and manage facility space, including ingress and egress, security equipment, and the Genetec camera system, coordinating with the Division of Administration and other units to maintain good working order.
Ensure consistent adherence to policies and procedures, including standardized incident review and reporting protocols.
Coordinate with ACS Police on security matters.
Develop and implement contingency and emergency response plans, including conducting drills.
Oversee incident response, including creating and staffing a dedicated Rapid Response Team.
Maintain productive relationships with community groups, union locals, public and private agencies, service delivery partners, and oversight agencies.
Coordinate with secure detention leadership to align practices across facilities.
Undertake other duties as assigned by the Deputy or Associate Commissioner.
Develop a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
Conduct risk maintenance assessments and provide the Deputy and Associate Commissioner with regular reports and recommendations.