Chief of Staff, Division of Building and Land Development Service

City of New York • New York, NY

2d • $100,000 - $125,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.

The Office of Development (OOD) leads the agency’s effort to create and preserve affordable housing in collaboration with other HPD offices as well as other city, state and federal agencies. The OOD is comprised of eight divisions that administer a range of programs. These divisions include New Construction Finance, Special Needs Housing, Housing Incentives, Building and Land Development Services (BLDS), Homeownership Opportunities and Preservation, Preservation Finance, Portfolio Management and Conversions, and Compliance and Enforcement.

The Division of Building and Land Development Services (BLDS) provides architectural, engineering, cost valuation, environmental planning, and construction support services to the various divisions within HPD’s Office of Development. BLDS is the largest division within the Office of Development with over 100 staff composed of seven units which include: the Bureau of New Construction Design Review Services, the Bureau of Preservation Design Review Services, the Bureau of Engineering, the Bureau of Construction Services, the Environmental Planning Unit, the Policy Unit, and the Program Management Unit.

As Chief of Staff, you will be responsible for managing and implementing a portfolio of initiatives implemented by BLDS Executive Office. The Chief of Staff will be the liaison among the BLDS Executive Office, the Office of Development and external stakeholders, such as Department of Buildings, Con Ed and Department of Environmental Protection, among others.

As the Chief of Staff for BLDS, you will report to the Associate Commissioner of BLDS, and help to manage the division’s operations, develop policy, and assist with the implementation of the Executive Office’s priorities. This position will include close collaboration with the Office of Development leadership and partner agencies. The ideal candidate should have management experience and a Bachelor or Graduate degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Architecture, Construction Management, or related field; technical skills and experience in affordable housing development are strongly preferred. S/he should possess excellent organizational and communication skills and be competent in negotiating with diverse technical specialists and applying sound judgment in technical matters.

Requirements

• Management experience
• Bachelor or Graduate degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Architecture, Construction Management, or related field
• Technical skills and experience in affordable housing development are strongly preferred
• Excellent organizational and communication skills
• Competent in negotiating with diverse technical specialists
• Applying sound judgment in technical matters
• Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position.
• A baccalaureate degree in architecture from an accredited college or university and two (2) years of full-time experience in planning, design, research, investigations and/or studies related to urban design development programs; or A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above. However, a baccalaureate degree in architecture is required of all candidates. Graduate work leading to an advanced degree in architecture, urban design or city planning maybe substituted for experience on a year-for-year basis.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated capacity for performing multiple tasks, analyzing complex processes, and using independent judgment.
• Knowledge of or experience working with affordable housing developments and /or capital projects.
• Knowledge of or experience with the design and construction process; ability to read architectural drawings and familiarity with the City’s zoning and building codes is a plus.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office suite; data visualization experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Associate Commissioner and the BLDS Executive Office to develop, implement, track progress, and evaluate various operational, policy, and strategic planning strategies for the division, and assure they are aligned with the Agency’s mission;
• Work collaboratively with Office of Development leadership and various parts of the Agency to ensure that the division’s efforts are aligned with the Agency’s and Administration’s goals and priorities, as outlined in the Housing Blueprint;
• Serve as a liaison with senior leadership team members across the agency to represent the division in intra- and inter-agency objectives, initiatives, and special projects;
• Review proposed policy and/or legislation and identify potential impacts on project pipelines, programmatic timeframes, and technical services provided by the division;
• Develop tracking tools, technical reports, and other deliverables, as requested;
• Assist in data management and data analysis for the division;
• Develop and maintain communication and strong working relationships with teams across BLDS, the Office of Development, and HPD, and support the division’s role in interagency-related initiatives;
• Respond to various inquiries and attend meetings on behalf of the Associate Commissioner, as necessary;
• Assist with operational and/or policy-related tasks and time-sensitive requests, as necessary.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager