Controller/Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Controller

City of New York • Long Island City, NY

8d

About The Position

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene seeks a dynamic, strategic, results-oriented leader to serve as Controller/Assistant Commissioner and executive leader of the Bureau of the Controller. Reporting to the CFO and Deputy Commissioner of Finance, this role ensures the integrity, accuracy, and efficiency of the agency’s financial transactions. It directs the Offices of Payroll, Fiscal Management, Funds Management, and Cash Management, overseeing financial operations that generate and monitor more than $1 billion annually in personnel, vendor, consultant, contract, and miscellaneous payments. The position leads a team of more than 70 professionals and promotes operational excellence, accountability, customer service, and continuous improvement. It also leads process modernization, stronger financial controls, improved customer service, and technology solutions, and serves as a primary contact for oversight agencies and other government and financial stakeholders.

The role is within the Division of Finance, which is centrally responsible for the agency’s financial management and helps ensure that programs and administrative operations have the information, analysis, funding, and technical capacity to deliver services and meet agency objectives. The Controller/Assistant Commissioner also contributes to emergency management, continuity-of-operations planning, and emergency response.

The position is open to candidates permanent in the civil service title of Administrative Staff Analyst or the comparable titles of Administrative Contract Specialist or Administrative Procurement Analyst. Because there is an active promotional list for Administrative Staff Analyst, only permanent NYC Health Department employees can be considered.

Requirements

• Must be permanent in the civil service title of Administrative Staff Analyst or in the comparable titles of Administrative Contract Specialist or Administrative Procurement Analyst; due to an active promotional list, Administrative Staff Analyst candidates must be permanent NYC Health Department employees.
• Qualify under one of the stated education and experience pathways for Administrative Staff Analyst: a relevant master's degree or Juris Doctor plus two years of qualifying professional experience; a bachelor's degree plus four years; an associate degree or 60 college credits plus six years; a high school diploma or equivalent plus eight years; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Qualifying professional experience must be in areas such as budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, fiscal or economic research, management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research, program evaluation, personnel or public administration, or the other listed related fields.
• At least 18 months of the required experience must be in an executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory capacity supervising staff performing professional work in the specified areas.
• All candidates must have a high school diploma and at least two years of qualifying professional experience, including the required 18 months of executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory experience.
• College education may substitute for professional experience at a rate of 30 semester credits for one year of experience.

Responsibilities

• Direct and oversee the Offices of Payroll, Fiscal Management, Funds Management, and Reporting.
• Analyze complex financial, payroll, operational, and compliance issues and develop and implement strategic solutions.
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of payroll, vendor payments, contract payments, and other financial transactions.
• Oversee payroll operations for more than 6,000 employees, including payroll accounting, compliance, examinations, timekeeping administration, and related functions.
• Direct cash management activities, including banking relationships, bank account reconciliations, cash flow monitoring, and financial controls.
• Develop, implement, and monitor policies, procedures, and internal controls to safeguard agency resources and ensure financial accountability.
• Ensure compliance with applicable City, State, Federal, and regulatory requirements, including directives issued by oversight entities.
• Lead fiscal year-end closing activities, including timely payment processing, accrual establishment, reconciliations, and accurate financial reporting.
• Oversee funds management activities, including expenditure monitoring, appropriations tracking, encumbrance management, and fiscal reporting.
• Direct agency financial reporting, expenditure analysis, reconciliation activities, and executive-level reporting.
• Lead business process reengineering and technology modernization initiatives to improve operational efficiency and strengthen internal controls.
• Lead managers, supervisors, and professional staff responsible for financial and payroll functions through regular meetings and staff development.
• Represent the agency in intergovernmental, citywide, and external forums involving payroll, fiscal management, financial reporting, and operational matters.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on strategic initiatives supporting agency priorities and operational objectives.
• Play a key leadership role in emergency management, continuity-of-operations planning, and emergency response.

Benefits

• Potential eligibility for federal or state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs.
• Premium-free health insurance plan; the posting says this saves employees over $10,000 annually based on a 2024 assessment.
• Additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available depending on the position’s associated union or benefit fund.
• Public-sector defined-benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
• Tax-deferred savings program.
• Worksite Wellness Program offering health resources and opportunities.
• Depending on the position, the ability to work from home up to two days during the week.
• Job security compared with private-sector employment.

What This Job Offers

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