Deputy Director of Organizational Development & Innovation

Research Foundation of The City University of New York•New York, NY

9d•$95,000 - $105,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is seeking a Deputy Director of Organizational Development & Innovation to join the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS). CUNY SPS is a leading online school offering numerous degree and non-degree programs, serving as an all-transfer college for the City University of New York. The Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS) within CUNY SPS partners with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) to provide professional development for child welfare and juvenile justice staff. This role will report to the Associate Commissioner and focus on strategic objectives such as readiness & integration, change strategy, alignment, organizational culture, organizational strategy, and operational effectiveness, working closely with ACS and OTWD senior leadership.

Requirements

MA/MPA/MS in social science, public administration, or another related field.
Excellent time management and organizational skills.
An exceptional commitment to accuracy and attention to detail.
Ability to work on a team, as well as independently.
High degree of flexibility and maturity to work in an innovative, fast-paced environment, and to readily embrace change.
Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to effectively convey complex concepts to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences.
Experience in project management including ensuring project milestones are met on time and collaborating with multiple stakeholders.
High emotional intelligence with the ability to provide nuanced support to team members on project issues that builds trust and confidence across diverse team cultures and priorities.
A curious disposition motivated by an internal drive to understand and untangle complex issues.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States on a continuous basis. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Nice To Haves

An understanding of human or social services, particularly the child welfare and juvenile justice systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead organizational design, process improvement, and change management efforts to enhance operational efficiency and organizational effectiveness.
Identify dependencies, integration opportunities, and potential risks across strategic initiatives to improve coordination and support informed decision-making.
Conduct needs assessments and evaluates operational impacts on programs, processes, and stakeholder groups.
Develop and implement frameworks to assess program effectiveness, operational performance, and organizational impact.
Collaborate with ACS and OTWD leadership and strategic partners to strengthen cross-functional coordination and streamline organizational processes.
Build and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support agency priorities and ensure alignment with strategic goals.
Advise the Associate Commissioner on strategic priorities, operational planning, and emerging opportunities, serving as a trusted thought partner on organizational and programmatic decisions.
Develop business cases and support priority-setting efforts in collaboration with senior leadership and key stakeholders.
Define project objectives, scope, timelines, resource requirements, and success measures to ensure alignment across stakeholders.
Lead project planning and execution, including facilitating stakeholder meetings, tracking progress, and managing deliverables, budgets, and timelines.
Monitor project risks, dependencies, and roadblocks, and implement mitigation strategies to support successful project outcomes.
Provide guidance on project management methodologies, tools, and best practices to strengthen project delivery and operational effectiveness.
Lead project closeout activities, including documenting lessons learned and best practices to inform future planning and continuous improvement.
Create and maintain dashboards to report on project outcomes.
Develop appropriate communication documents and presentations for diverse targeted audiences.
Present on project initiatives, progress, and outcome to senior leadership/diverse audiences in both oral and written formats.
Attend meetings with OTWD senior leadership, as required and necessary to fulfill the functions of this position.
Other duties as assigned.