Special Projects Manager, Office of the Executive Deputy Commissioner

Job Description

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is a world-renowned agency with a long tradition of protecting and promoting health in the nation’s most culturally and linguistically diverse city. Our 7,000-plus team members bring an extraordinary array of languages, cultures, and experiences to bear on the work of public health. Our diversity fuels creativity because all perspectives are heard and valued. DOHMH aims to improve the health outcomes of all New Yorkers by centering persistent racial inequities and promotion of social justice at the core of its work. The Division of Mental Hygiene of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is responsible for policy, programs and provide oversight related to mental health, alcohol and drug use prevention care and treatment and developmental delays and disabilities.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Executive Director of Programs and Operations in the EDC Office, the Special Projects Manager will take on diverse duties to assist the EDC, provide support and leadership in the EDC Office, and collaborate with staff and leadership from across the Division to design, implement, and track various programs and initiatives.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement special projects requested by the EDC and the Executive Director.
- Conduct comparative analyses of best practices from other jurisdictions, agencies, or research institutions and adapt findings for local implementation.
- Design and conduct research and literature reviews on emerging public health, behavioral health, and social service issues to inform policy and program development.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to identify trends, assess program outcomes, and generate actionable recommendations for leadership.
- Develop evidence-based policy briefs, white papers, and research summaries to guide decision-making and support funding proposals.
- Coordinate responses to and staffing for meetings, briefings, and presentation requests made by internal and external partners.
- Develop reports, memoranda, talking points, briefing materials, and presentations for use by the EDC and other senior officials.
- Develop or improve upon, implement, and maintain project management systems which track communication and deadlines of requests, projects, and other time-limited or ongoing initiatives.
- Manage division-wide data-gathering and reporting projects for both public-facing and internal strategic initiatives and activities.
- Develop and implement activities to improve intra-divisional communications and collaboration, including serving as a communication liaison and point of contact between staff and senior leadership within the Division as well as across the agency and as representative on special working groups and intra-divisional or intra-agency initiatives.
- Collaborate with staff to ensure timely scheduling and preparation of regular and ad hoc meetings, briefings, and other activities and engagements.
- Support planning and implementation of initiatives to promote social cohesion across the division, such as distributing newsletters, hosting regular divisional meetings, events, and trainings, and other activities.
- Participate in Race to Justice, the agency's racial justice and equity initiative, including providing assistance to design and implement projects to embed racial equity and social justice within the office, Division, agency, and health and behavioral health field.
- Lead planning and implementation of key meetings, briefings, and responses to presentation requests made by internal and external partners.
- Convene Division, Agency, and as needed, external partners to develop processes for collecting, tracking, and using data related to new initiatives and other special projects.
- Develop and oversee processes for Office and Division project management activities, such as reporting, document review, and more.

Preferred Skills:
- Experience with and dedication to racial equity and social justice work.
- Experience in public health, notably in conducting literature reviews, and reading and interpreting research and data.
- Experience collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.

Why you should work for us:

- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
o a tax-deferred savings program and
o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healt