Chief Administrative and Strategy Officer

Job Description

NOTE: Please include a cover letter, detailing your experience with managing the administrative (e.g. budget, finance, human resources, procurement/contracting, technology); accountability (e.g. audit response, compliance, validation. data analytics/reporting); and/or strategic planning functions of a complex organization with your application.

The Division of Citywide Workforce Opportunity (CWO) at the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) serves over 90,000 jobseekers and 900 employers each year through its employment and training programs. Specifically, CWO manages three dozen training programs, in such areas as tech, health care, and construction, that are offered in collaboration with higher education institutions and non-profit training providers. The Division also oversees a network of 18 Workforce1 (WF1) career centers, operated in all five boroughs by workforce development providers under contract with SBS.

CWO serves two core constituencies through its centers and programs. One is jobseekers, most of whom have traditionally been underserved and have not had ready access to employment and training opportunities. Eligible jobseekers enroll in SBS’ training programs at no cost to them and can also visit WF1 centers to take advantage of career services such as interviewing workshops or direct connections to employment opportunities across NYC. The second constituency is employers. Working with a variety of internal and external partners, CWO identifies employers who might benefit from hiring graduates of our training programs as well as those who might benefit from targeted recruitment services offered through the WF1 centers that enable employers to find qualified candidates for a variety of positions.

Reporting to the Deputy Commissioner for Citywide Workforce Opportunity, the Chief Administrative and Strategy Officer (CASO) leads CWO’s Administration, Accountability, and Analytics (“Triple A”) Team, which helps to ensure accountability and excellence in the day-to-day administration of CWO, including compliance with all federal, state and local laws, rules and agency policies; preparation for audits; CRM and technology project management; human resources management; program evaluation; data collection, analysis and validation; policy analysis and development; and strategic planning.

Specific responsibilities of the CASO include:

- Oversee teams that review and validate invoices/expenses from CWO’s contracted vendors as well as vendors administering training vouchers. Ensure that such expenses are within budget parameters and in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations. Ensure that vendors receive excellent customer service and liaise with them on an as-needed basis.
- Serve as CWO lead on all budget and fiscal matters, and as main point of contact to SBS’ Financial Management and Administration (FMA) division. Meet with FMA team on a regular basis and together with them, maintain (and adjust, as needed) CWO’s annual budget.
- Manage all CWO technology projects, including SBS’ workforce development CRM and data management system, as well as the division’s software needs and licenses. Liaise with SBS’ Information Technology Team.
- Serve as CWO lead on all matters related to human resources, and main point of contact to SBS’ Human Resources Team. Organize divisional all-staff meetings and off-sites. Support and advise CWO’s Chief Learning Officer in developing and implementing professional development opportunities for CWO staff.
- Coordinate all division matters related to procurement/contracting. Provide support to CWO’s Workforce1 Career Center and Training Teams in their contract management efforts and liaise with SBS’ Procurement Team.
- Direct division responses to all local, state, and federal audits of CWO programs, working closely with the FMA division and Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent). Stay abreast of local, state, and federal regulations related to recordkeeping and other compliance matters, and work to ensure that they are implemented by CWO’s contracted vendors and within all CWO programs.
- Lead all division efforts related to data collection, analysis, and reporting, including program evaluation. Identify and set program metrics/benchmarks that help ensure that all CWO programs are of the highest quality and that our customers (jobseekers and businesses) are well-served. Develop data dashboards and other means to visualize data in a way that is accessible to SBS and contracted provider leadership. Respond to data requests from funders, oversight entities, and other stakeholders. Create a culture among CWO and contracted partner colleagues of using data to foster accountability and influence change.
- Direct strategic planning efforts for CWO. With Deputy Commissioner and CWO senior leadership, create an annual strategic pl