ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER-INVESTIGATIONS & OPERATIONS

The Commission works every day to implement the city’s Human Rights Law through enforcement, education, and outreach. The Commission seeks to address historic and contemporary inequities to cultivate a city where everyone can live, work, and thrive free from discrimination.

Through training, education, and policy initiatives, the Commission aims to root out discrimination. The Commission proactively identifies patterns of discrimination through testing employers, housing providers, and providers of public accommodation. The Commissions also uses investigations, litigation, and other enforcement tools to address allegations of discrimination.

The Commission is seeking a dedicated and experienced Associate Commissioner of Investigations and Operations to lead and oversee our investigative operations within LEB. The Associate Commissioner will help manage the process by which the LEB enforces the New York City Human Rights Law, through the investigation and prosecution of complaints of violations filed by members of the public and through Commission-initiated investigations. This senior position involves supervising a team, shaping investigative strategies, and ensuring thorough, fair, and timely investigations of complaints alleging violations of the Human Rights Law. Additionally, this position will help oversee the work of the Assistant Commissioner, Supervising Attorneys, Staff Attorneys, and other staff investigating public complaints, and representing the Commission in settlements and litigation of cases at the Office of Administrative Trial and Hearings (OATH). The Associate Commissioner will work with the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner for Law Enforcement on ensuring timely completion of investigations of public and Commission-initiated investigations, develop affirmative litigation and Commission-initiated investigations, and generally assist in overseeing day to day operations of the Bureau.

Responsibilities Include

• Assisting the Deputy Commissioner in overseeing and managing the daily operations of all aspects of the LEB.
• Providing strategic leadership and guidance to the Bureau team, fostering a collaborative and high performing environment.
• Supervising LEB Supervising Attorneys and other staff in investigations of complaints filed with the Commissioner.
• Assisting and directing Supervising Attorneys manage their teams, ensuring timely completion of investigations of violations of the NYCHRL and the post-resolution processes, as well as with overall documentation and file maintenance.
• Guiding and supervision of LEB attorney teams by assisting Supervising Attorneys with direct and indirect supervision of investigations which are publicly filed and identifying pattern and practice violations.
• Reviewing and developing processes associated with agency-initiated complaints and proposing improvements of such processes.
• Overseeing case assignments, monitoring progress, and ensuring the timely resolution of matters in accordance with legal standards and organizational goals.
• Working with Supervising Attorneys, and staff attorneys to ensure that information provided in the public complaint process is used to inform efforts to identify systemic discrimination and repeat violations that may warrant Commission-initiated investigations.
• Assisting the Deputy Commissioner on statistics and reports related to the agency’s compliance with reporting as well as to ensuring data informs efforts to foster compliance with the NYCHRL.
• Collaborating with the Commission’s Community Relations Bureau, sibling agencies and external partners to facilitate trainings and targeted community outreach programs and to engage in coordinated approaches to rooting out systemic discrimination.
• Representing the Commission at community events, speaking engagements, and other events as necessary.
• Supporting the overall vision, values and mission of the Commission and providing leadership support for the Commission’s key strategic areas.
• Advising the Deputy Commissioner on proposed legislation and other policy matters.
• Other responsibilities assigned by the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner to help effectively and efficiently run LEB.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Admission to the New York State Bar; and 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.

Preferred Skills

• Seven to ten years of litigation experience in anti-discrimination law, employment law, housing law, or other civil rights-related areas. - Thirty-six months of supervision of other attorneys in administrative, managerial or executive capacity. - Proven experience in a leadership or supervisory role, with strong skills in team management and strategic planning. - Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team to manage a large and diverse workload and meet deadlines - Attention to detail and ability to multi-task, prioritize and schedule work effectively to achieve optimal results while demonstrating strong interpersonal skills. - Ability to communicate effectively across cultures, identities, and backgrounds, and to give and receive feedback. - Demonstrated commitment to public service and strong work ethic. - Excellent analytical, investigative and problem-solving abilities. - Strong oral and communication skills. Must be able to effectively convey legal concepts and findings to various audience, including the public, policymakers and fellow staff. - Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information using discretion, professional sensitivity, and sound judgment. - Prior experience working with and/or knowledge of advocacy and legal organizations and non-profits working to advance social justice and/or in areas of housing, employment, or public accommodations
  
  

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City Residency is not required for this position

Additional Information

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.

, $150,000.00 – $166,000.00