Deputy Commissioner of Policy & Strategy

City of New York • East Elmhurst, NY

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is an integral part of the City’s evolving criminal justice system, participating in reform initiatives and strategies aimed to move the City towards a smaller jail system without compromising public safety. The DOC is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment for staff, visitors, volunteers, and people in our custody. The DOC operates facilities and court commands across the five boroughs with more than 7,500 diverse professionals and knowledge experts. The Department is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and results-driven leader to serve as Deputy Commissioner (DC) who will oversee the implementation of critical aspects of the Department’s transformation agenda. This portfolio of work includes leading broader organizational change work, bringing the borough-based jails (BBJ) and remaining outposted therapeutic units online, transition planning for the Department’s move into the BBJs, updating the Department’s policies and directives, and overseeing project management and innovation across the agency. The DC will design and oversee strategic initiatives involving all aspects of DOC’s delivery of care and support of staff as the agency enters its next chapter. Reporting to the First Deputy Commissioner (FDC), the Deputy Commissioner will be a critical thought partner to the executive team. The Deputy Commissioner will oversee the day-to-day work to affect broad organizational change. This work, in close partnership with executive leadership and external support, will transform the working and living environment in the Department of Correction, replacing a culture of stagnation and punishment with one grounded in learning, mutual respect, dignity, and health, while creating meaningful opportunities for staff and incarcerated people to grow and actively shape their environment. To start, this work will include the development of an organizational change strategy and critical recruitment and retention strategies. The Deputy Commissioner will be tasked with ensuring the plans and designs for the borough-based jails meet the operational needs of the Department. In addition, they will ensure that DOC feedback is in line with the Commissioner’s vision for the facilities and broader criminal justice reform; and work with DDC to develop and implement construction management plans to ensure appropriate DOC oversight during the Design/Build process. In addition, the DC will work in close collaboration with the Department of Design and Construction, Office of the Mayor, Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, State Commission on Correction, as well as advocacy groups and working groups. The Deputy Commissioner will also supervise the strategic revising and development of general policies impacting the DOC's planning initiatives in support of the move to the borough based jails and to reach and sustain compliance with all consent decrees, advise on critical DOC reform policies in alignment with vision, mission, and best practice; and conduct routine and extraordinary testing of the efficacy of executed policies and initiatives. With a longer-term strategic focus, the Deputy Commissioner will, in partnership with the Deputy Commissioner for Management, Analysis, and Planning, create, refine and promote strategies and policies using all analytical tools available across the agency; coordinate targeted data and policy analyses; design and streamline operational practices and regulatory procedures; and interface with and convene key internal and external stakeholders on a wide range of strategic and policy issues. In addition, the Deputy Commissioner will provide leadership and management for the Project Management Office (PMO) who works with leaders from across the agency and the City to identify and define high-priority, innovative initiatives, lead projects that advance key policy goals, and conduct internal engagements that refine the agency’s operations and programs. The PMO is involved in the creation of key DOC initiatives and policies, advising on feasibility and implementation strategy, and the ongoing maintenance of various projects to ensure timely milestone delivery and project completion.

Requirements

• A Master’s Degree from an accredited college in Public Administration, Personnel Administration, Business Administration, Human Services, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Psychology or an equivalent/related field, plus five years of satisfactory experience of a nature to qualify for the duties and responsibilities of the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity or supervising personnel performing activities related to the duties of the position; or
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with a major in Public Administration, Personnel Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Human Services, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Psychology or an equivalent/related field, plus seven years of satisfactory experience of a nature to qualify for the duties and responsibilities of the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity or supervising personnel performing activities related to the duties of the position.
• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and eleven years of satisfactory, full-time progressively responsible experience as described in "1" above, 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, executive or supervisory capacity.

Nice To Haves

• At least fifteen (15) or more years of extensive managerial, executive or supervisory experience in government, non-profit, corrections or criminal justice administration.
• Strong leader and collaborator across multiple diverse teams, with excellent communication, interpersonal, and listening skills, and the ability to build relationships at all levels, help develop junior team members, and work effectively with diverse stakeholders internally and externally.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage projects, and drive results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to plan, organize and coordinate the efforts of numerous individuals, workstreams, and stakeholders to implement viable and effective program service delivery systems.
• Ability to adapt to rapid change, multi-task, and meet restrictive deadlines.
• Ability to analyze risk and feasibility in the execution of large intra- and inter-agency projects in corrections and/or government context.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Professional demeanor, kindness, good sense of humor, and an ability to work well in a high-pressure executive environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the implementation of critical aspects of the Department’s transformation agenda.
• Lead broader organizational change work.
• Bring the borough-based jails (BBJ) and remaining outposted therapeutic units online.
• Manage transition planning for the Department’s move into the BBJs.
• Update the Department’s policies and directives.
• Oversee project management and innovation across the agency.
• Design and oversee strategic initiatives involving all aspects of DOC’s delivery of care and support of staff.
• Oversee the day-to-day work to affect broad organizational change.
• Develop an organizational change strategy and critical recruitment and retention strategies.
• Ensure the plans and designs for the borough-based jails meet the operational needs of the Department.
• Ensure DOC feedback is in line with the Commissioner’s vision for the facilities and broader criminal justice reform.
• Work with DDC to develop and implement construction management plans to ensure appropriate DOC oversight during the Design/Build process.
• Supervise the strategic revising and development of general policies impacting the DOC's planning initiatives in support of the move to the borough based jails and to reach and sustain compliance with all consent decrees.
• Advise on critical DOC reform policies in alignment with vision, mission, and best practice.
• Conduct routine and extraordinary testing of the efficacy of executed policies and initiatives.
• Create, refine and promote strategies and policies using all analytical tools available across the agency.
• Coordinate targeted data and policy analyses.
• Design and streamline operational practices and regulatory procedures.
• Interface with and convene key internal and external stakeholders on a wide range of strategic and policy issues.
• Provide leadership and management for the Project Management Office (PMO).
• Identify and define high-priority, innovative initiatives.
• Lead projects that advance key policy goals.
• Conduct internal engagements that refine the agency’s operations and programs.
• Advise on feasibility and implementation strategy for key DOC initiatives and policies.
• Oversee the ongoing maintenance of various projects to ensure timely milestone delivery and project completion.

Benefits

• The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees