Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects

City of New York • New York, NY

5d • $125,000 - $150,000 • Hybrid

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 Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will be a leader in the Office of Compliance & Risk Management (CRM). This Office includes various compliance, oversight, risk management, and hearing functions to ensure fairness, consistency, and equity in both our external and internal engagement. CRM collaborates with programs across HPD to ensure that the agency and its partners comply with Federal, State, and City laws, regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures. The Office includes the following Divisions and units: Compliance & Strategy, Economic Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance, Audit Support, Adjudications, Public Information.

The Audit Support unit helps agency staff and leaders to manage and coordinate audits and reviews from City, State, and Federal funding and oversight entities; creates and carries out policies and procedures to make the audit process as efficient and streamlined as possible; and helps ensure that conditions discovered in the context of audits are addressed through revised program practice.

The Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will spearhead work that protects resources critical to HPD’s mission of ensuring that New Yorkers have safe, stable, affordable housing. In addition to leading the Audit Support unit, the Senior Counsel will advise the Chief Compliance Officer on relevant laws, rules, and regulations; implementation of new legislative or regulatory proposals; and risk mitigation best practices. They will do this by:
- Preparing for, strategizing, and responding to requests and reports from auditors or other external oversight entities
- Guiding internal staff through the coordinated preparation for and response to audit and/or compliance reviews
- Supporting program staff in remedying issues identified internally or through externally initiated audits or reviews
- Bolstering agency risk mitigation efforts through reviews of policies, procedures, and internal controls.

Reporting to the Chief Compliance Officer and working closely with staff throughout the agency, the Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will:
- Manage audits and compliance reviews conducted by Federal, State, or City entities that fund and govern program activity and agency commitments. The person in this role will have the opportunity to learn about programs throughout the agency, while also strengthening agency operations and internal controls.
- Strengthen risk mitigation efforts through the review of agency policies and procedures to ensure agency programs meet obligations and align with best practices.
- Lead the Audit Support unit, including managing staff, to facilitate the effectiveness of audit responses or compliance reviews, accuracy of information transmitted, and monitor progress on commitments.

Requirements

• 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.
• Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex legislation, regulations, and policy requirements, and translate them into clear operational guidance and practical implementation approaches
• Ability to strategically assess and evaluate agency processes, interpret and synthesize complex findings into actionable recommendations and, and develop effective agency-wide responsive plans.
• Ability to manage multiple time-sensitive, complex projects related to business operations and to coordinate with various parties to help complete them.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders and to be a strategic partner in identifying issues and solutions.
• Ability to clearly, effectively and persuasively communicate findings and issues to various internal and external stakeholders, both for written and verbal communication
• Familiarity with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS)
• Interest in improving government practice and devising solutions that support the advancement of affordable housing efforts.

Responsibilities

• Manage all aspects of audits, compliance reviews, and/or monitoring's including: Overseeing the coordination and completion of responses to audit requests for program materials, documents, and status updates on recommendations.
• Preparing agency responses to audit reports, in close collaboration with program staff and Legal
• Lead the design, development and implementation of all audit plans with a focus on coordinating processes to streamline program audit work
• Supervise the Audit Support team in the creation and maintenance of materials to simplify and automate periodic audit and oversight requirements
• Foster relationships with key external audit representatives from City, State, and Federal funding / oversight entities and internal stakeholders to promote positive and efficient workflows.
• Analyze and assess programs for compliance and risk management, leading to more effective and efficient program operations:
• Research applicable statutes, case law, or other material
• Work with programmatic staff to ensure agency programs and services are delivered in a way consistent with relevant laws and regulations
• Draft clear and effective analytical documents, as well as guides or other materials for program staff
• Advise on enforcement and administration of acts, rules, laws and regulations
• Collaborate and consult with the Office of Legal Affairs (Legal) to provide operational guidance regarding compliance with Federal, State, and City rules and regulations
• Evaluate HPD’s risk management and internal controls procedures to improve operational efficiency and alignment to agency objectives, compliance requirements, and audit mandates.
• Advise staff on the implementation of commitments and/or work with agency staff to help alleviate roadblocks to implementation
• Advise programs on ways to strengthen policies and procedures to meet agency obligations
• Identify other opportunities for risk mitigation
• Lead projects with stakeholders across the agency to strengthen program performance and further the agency’s.
• Prepare briefing materials with analysis and recommendations for leadership decision and action, including but not limited to: Responses to the implementation of new legislative or other legal mandates, regulatory comments, or other formal legal submissions
• Corrective action plans or similar to remedy issues identified as part of an internal risk assessment or recommendations from externally initiated audits or reviews
• Execute other priority projects and special initiatives as required

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: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed