Chief Strategy Officer

City of New York•New York City, NY

4d•Onsite

About The Position

As the City’s primary capital construction project manager, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) delivers the essential public buildings and infrastructure that New Yorkers rely on every day. In partnership with client agencies, industry leaders, and world-renowned architects and consultants, DDC manages the design and construction of firehouses, libraries, police precincts, courthouses, senior centers, and other civic facilities. The agency also oversees the reconstruction of roadways, sidewalks, sewers, water mains, and pedestrian infrastructure across all five boroughs, helping to build a safer, more resilient, equitable, and sustainable New York City. The New York City Department of Design and Construction is seeking a Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) to serve as a senior member of the Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Commissioner. The CSO will lead agency-wide strategic planning, policy development, innovation, and organizational transformation efforts, working in close partnership with the Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and senior leadership to define and advance DDC’s long-term strategic direction. In collaboration with the Chief of Staff, the CSO will translate the Commissioner’s priorities into clear, measurable goals and initiatives, ensuring alignment across all divisions while advancing DDC’s core values of safety, accessibility, equity, sustainability, operational excellence, and state of good repair. As a trusted advisor to the Commissioner, the CSO will identify emerging industry trends, develop forward-looking policy and strategy recommendations, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and foster collaboration with City Hall, client agencies, and external partners to advance key priorities. The CSO will lead the development and execution of DDC’s Strategic Blueprint and agency-wide reform initiatives, with a focus on modernizing capital project delivery and improving organizational performance. This includes advancing legislative and policy initiatives, supporting citywide capital process reform, overseeing executive-level performance management and reporting, and ensuring strategic alignment across all agency programs and operations. In addition, the CSO will provide executive leadership for the agency’s sustainability, resiliency, and decarbonization agenda, including implementation of DDC’s Sustainability Strategic Plan and Advanced Capital Planning Program. Working across divisions and in partnership with public-sector and industry stakeholders, the CSO will integrate sustainability, energy efficiency, and innovation into capital project delivery, promote continuous improvement through data-driven decision-making and lessons learned, and track progress toward citywide performance and environmental goals.

Requirements

Currently authorized to work full-time in the United States (U.S.).
Must present original documents proving citizenship or the legal right to work in the U.S.
DDC is unable to support or sponsor any visa application or visa extension.
Educational credentials must be from a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accredited institution.
Credentials from foreign institutions require independent equivalency verification from an approved evaluation service.
Admission to the New York State Bar.
Four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar.
Eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.
Must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

Responsibilities

Lead agency-wide strategic planning, policy development, innovation, and organizational transformation efforts.
Translate the Commissioner’s priorities into clear, measurable goals and initiatives.
Identify emerging industry trends, develop forward-looking policy and strategy recommendations.
Strengthen stakeholder engagement and foster collaboration with City Hall, client agencies, and external partners.
Lead the development and execution of DDC’s Strategic Blueprint and agency-wide reform initiatives.
Advance legislative and policy initiatives.
Support citywide capital process reform.
Oversee executive-level performance management and reporting.
Ensure strategic alignment across all agency programs and operations.
Provide executive leadership for the agency’s sustainability, resiliency, and decarbonization agenda.
Implement DDC’s Sustainability Strategic Plan and Advanced Capital Planning Program.
Integrate sustainability, energy efficiency, and innovation into capital project delivery.
Promote continuous improvement through data-driven decision-making and lessons learned.
Track progress toward citywide performance and environmental goals.