Senior Expeditor & DOB Liaison

Job Description

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the nation’s oldest and largest public housing authority with more than 177,000 apartments, and responsibility for administering a citywide Section 8 leased housing program that serves over 150,000 additional tenants. NYCHA’s mission is to provide quality housing for New Yorkers that is sustainable, inclusive, and safe, while fostering opportunities for economic mobility.

NYCHA’s Asset & Capital Management (A&CM) Division leads the Authority’s capital, sustainability and resiliency programs that comprise a $6 billion capital projects portfolio – one of the largest in NY State – as well as a range of activities related to property modernization and strategic asset management. A&CM aims to preserve and modernize NYCHA buildings and apartments through strategic portfolio planning, comprehensive design standards, innovative financing and project delivery models, strong partnership with NYCHA residents and other stakeholders, and effective program and project management of capital investments. The Division also positions NYCHA’s housing portfolio for the future by piloting and scaling-up sustainable and resilient technologies and practices, improving residents’ quality of life while enhancing building performance. The work culture of the Division is strongly customer service oriented, collaborative and delivery focused. More information can be found on our website at: Modernizing NYCHA Properties.

The Architecture & Engineering Services Department (AES) partners closely with other A&CM departments to deliver capital projects and other strategic initiatives. AES provides design services as well as oversight of architecture and engineering firms involved in projects, while setting overall design standards and performance requirements that apply to all NYCHA modernization programs. This includes expediting services and other interagency coordination related to regulatory compliance, code and standards analysis, and technical investigation and advisory services. The departments are organized into three main teams that comprise a number of architecture, engineering, landscape and urban design studios, as well as other specialized units.

Reporting to the Director of Architecture Services & Oversight, the Senior Expeditor/DOB Liaison is responsible for providing coordination with governmental agencies having jurisdiction over NYCHA’s capital projects. This individual’s responsibilities include assisting NYCHA Departments within A&CM to obtain approvals from and to clear violations issued by various city and state agencies having jurisdiction (AHJ) over capital projects, including the Department of Buildings (DOB), the Fire Department, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, and others. This work is typically time sensitive and is in support of several different departments and divisions of NYCHA, requiring the Senior Expeditor/DOB Liaison to possess and demonstrate good organizational and communication skills, as well as the ability to represent and promote NYCHA’s interests in connection with capital projects approvals with the DOB.

Specific project work includes regulatory agency-related applications, approvals, violations dismissal, Code interpretation and other interactions with AHJs related to the renovation and restoration projects for NYCHA’s portfolio of buildings and grounds in all five boroughs to meet existing and developing maintenance needs, compliance with local laws of the city, and the changing programmatic needs of NYCHA.

The Senior Expeditor / DOB Liaison will act as NYCHA’s representative within the Department of Buildings. The role will be based at NYCHA’s Long Island City offices, but will also require the individual selected to spend approximately 2 days per week in the DOB’s Manhattan Office where the Senior Expeditor / DOB Liaison will be embedded within the DOB. This arrangement further aids in ensuring project priorities, applications and permitting related to NYCHA capital and operations work are effectively addressed with DOB teams. The role requires technical knowledge and understanding of New York City’s building codes as well as DOB filing requirements and procedures. The role therefore requires strong communication skills with an ability to prioritize and effectively communicate NYCHA priorities with another agency.

Key day-to-day responsibilities include, but are not limited, to the following:

1. Collaborate with NYCHA’s professional and technical staff assigned to address the regulatory activities involved with obtaining approvals, sign offs, and violation resolution for NYCHA capital projects and NYCHA properties. Act as agency liaison to DOB which includes physical presence at DOB at least two days per week.
2. Provide consulting and advisory services for NYCHA staff from A&CM