Review Vacancy
AgencyChildren & Family Services, Office of
TitleSpecial Assistant (Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Officer)
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitM/C - Management / Confidential (Unrepresented)
Salary RangeFrom $109000 to $130000 Annually
Minimum Qualifications Preferred Qualifications:
• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Public Policy, Public Administration, or a related field required.
• Five years of experience advancing diversity, inclusion and equity in a complex organization;
• 3 years’ experience in the areas of cultural communications, diversity training, organizational culture, team-building and developing global workforce competencies preferred.
• Knowledge of strategic development, program leadership, policy and procedure development, and community outreach.
• Strong judgement, decision-making, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Cultural competency that encompasses all aspects of equal opportunity
and non-discrimination as it relates to under-represented groups – including but not limited to LGBTQ individuals, people and veterans with disabilities, and women.
• Excellent oral and written communications, and presentation skills.
• Ability to build strong interpersonal relationships at all levels of an
organization.
• Expertise in using data in decision-making processes.
Duties Description The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is currently recruiting for a Special Assistant (Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Officer) to join its motivated and cohesive team.
The Special Assistant (Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Officer) will be responsible for leading OCFS’ Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (ODIE) and will help cultivate and sustain a diverse statewide workforce that is reflective of the many unique cultures, voices, backgrounds, ideas, and talents of the citizens and communities that we serve, while promoting inclusion in all of our workplaces statewide. The Office will also extend its reach beyond OCFS to promote equity in local social service districts and not for profit agencies serving children, youth, families and communities throughout the state.
Reporting to the Associate Commissioner for Human Resources, the incumbent will develop and execute diversity, inclusion and equity strategies for the organization and partner with Executive staff to execute on the vision globally. They will serve as a partner to the agency, providing advisory services with regards to leadership, employee relations, talent acquisition, engagement, culture, organizational design and change, performance management, learning and development.
Specific responsibilities include:
• Works with executive and senior management and key stakeholders to ensure that our diversity and inclusion efforts are well-managed and moving towards intercultural competency within the agency.
• Provides clearly articulated strategic guidance and support for diversity, inclusion and equity considerations at both the state and county levels.
• Develops an equity-focused community of practice where policy development and decision making, is assessed with a recognition of implicit bias and strategies to alleviate such bias.
• Researches and advises agency management on diversity, inclusion and equity issues and creates programs and training to support mission. Identifies external trends and recognizes best practices to increase diversity among the workforce.
• Establishes and reinforces the need to apply an equity lens to all decision-making processes and works with program areas to help identify specific work processes where progress can be realized.
• Partners with HR and the Public Information Office to provide support, resources, strategies and community outreach, to help create a brand that reflects the priority the agency places on diversity, inclusion and equity. Prepares and builds relationships among colleagues and external partners through diversity, inclusion and equity training.
• Partners with all Divisions to ensure that all programs throughout OCFS are aligned and resourced to achieve diversity, inclusion and equity goals.
• Clearly identifies performance indicators for diversity, inclusion and equity activities and plans and consistently evaluates outcomes via data collection and reporting.
• Builds relationships with key stakeholders to ensure that our diversity, inclusion and equity efforts are well-managed and thoroughly embedded in the culture of the organization.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement and transforms these into solutions through use of multidisciplinary approaches.
• Establishes training programs to communicate expectations, discourage misunderstanding, and build awareness. Engages employees and leadership in relevant training sessions to identify areas where diversity, inclusion and equity play a role in effective job performance and delivery of quality service.
• Actively seeks the perspectives and ideas of employees and leaders and develops comprehensive employee training and orientation programs.
• Works closely with Human Resources and Divisions to review all aspects of the recruitment, hiring and onboarding processes to assure that diversity, inclusion and equity efforts are an ingrained part of all aspects of the hiring process.
Additional Comments Benefits include: membership in the New York State Retirement System; health, vision and dental packages; deferred compensation plan; and leave benefits.
Background Investigation Requirements:
1) All prospective employees will be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC), which includes State and federal Criminal History Record Checks. All convictions must be reported; conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, or any falsified or omitted information on the prospective appointee’s employment application, may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Prospective employees will be fingerprinted in order to obtain a record of their criminal history information, and may be required to pay any necessary fees.
2) All prospective employees will be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees will be required to pay any necessary fees.
3) For Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) prospective appointees will be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s) if applicable.
The New York State Office of Children and Family Services is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. OCFS is committed to ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and workplace diversity. It is the policy of OCFS to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position for which they are applying or for which they are employed. OCFS does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under title I of the ADA.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Name New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Email Address eoajobpostings@ocfs.ny.gov
Address
Street Bureau of Personnel, Attn: Tonya Boniface
52 Washington Street, 231 North
Notes on ApplyingQualified candidates should send a resume and cover letter giving the Title, Location, and EOA Number of the position being applied for. Please provide your email address and your work, home and cell phone numbers. In order to qualify you for the position when you have current or prior New York State employment, you may be contacted by OCFS Personnel for your social security number to confirm your employment history.