OFE Program Officer

Job Description

THIS POSITION MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REMOTE WORK FOR UP TO 2 DAYS PER WEEK, PURSUANT TO THE REMOTE WORK PILOT PROGRAM.

To Apply: Email your resume and cover letter to [email protected] with the Job ID number and Position Name in the subject line.

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCWP licenses more than 45,000 businesses in more than 40 industries and enforces key consumer protection, licensing, and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources and, by helping to resolve complaints, DCWP protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. Through its community outreach and the work of its offices of Financial Empowerment and Labor Policy & Standards, DCWP empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to be educated consumers and to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCWP also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCWP and its work, call 311 or visit DCWP at nyc.gov/dcwp or on its social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Within DCWP, the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) focuses on initiatives that support New Yorkers and communities with low incomes in building wealth and improving their financial health. OFE is the first local government initiative in the country with the mission to educate, empower, and protect New Yorkers and neighborhoods with low incomes so they can build assets and make the most of their financial resources. OFE uses data and research, policy, partnerships, and convenings to advance its mission. Using this model, OFE is able to develop, offer, and advocate for innovative programs and products for all New Yorkers. In 2008, OFE established the Financial Empowerment Center Initiative, which provides free, high-quality financial counseling to New Yorkers with low and moderate incomes. Financial counselors (“counselors”) at the City’s Financial Empowerment Centers (“Centers”) help clients develop a strategy to reduce debt or lower payments, establish or improve their credit, create a budget, open or transition to safe and affordable bank accounts, and more. Clients seeking assistance with consumer financial issues via 311 or www.nyc.gov are directed to one of more than thirty (30) Center locations around the City where they can receive services in-person or remotely via telephone. Services are available to anyone eighteen (18) years or older who lives or works in New York City, with no immigration or income restrictions.
OFE is seeking a Program Officer to join OFE’s Financial Counseling and Coaching team, with the primary responsibility of supporting the day-to-day of operations of OFE’s financial counseling and coaching programs, including OFE’s flagship initiative, the Financial Empowerment Centers, and its expansions to serve more New Yorkers including the co-located services in the Department of Small Business Solutions (SBS) Workforce1 Career Centers launched in 2022 as part of the Adams Administration’s Economic Recovery Blueprint. The Program Officer is an organized project manager who will assist in implementation, oversight, and communication of activities for programs that support New Yorkers and communities with low incomes in building wealth and improving their financial health by helping New Yorkers access financial counseling and coaching to build savings, reduce debt, establish and improve credit, and access safe and affordable financial products and services to improve their financial health and economic mobility. The Program Officer will report to the Senior Program Officer who oversees the NYC Financial Empowerment Centers.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

- Assisting the Senior Program Officer in liaising with nonprofit service providers, monitoring operations and service delivery, maintaining relationships with provider managers, and reporting on trends;
- Collaborating with the Senior Program Officer , use research, learnings from SBS’ Workforce 1 expansion, service providers, and end-user input, to inform the design and implementation of the expansion of the NYC Financial Empowerment Centers to reach more New Yorkers – including metrics, touchpoints for service integration, and operational strategy;
- Helping improve performance at OFE’s financial counseling and coaching programs, with a focus on operational efficiency, maximizing client outcomes, and reaching New Yorkers who need financial empowerment services the most;
- Coordinate the launch of program expansion, including support of and leading training for all involved parties and frontline staff;
- Participate in regular check-ins with community-based and City agency partners;
- Liaising with DCWP’s Communications and Marketing, External Affairs, Consumer Services, and Division of Technology and Strategic Solutions teams to execute program activities, tasks, and outreach;
- Tracking performance, appointments, scheduling, and quality through OFE’s customer relationship management system;
- Developing and maintaining expertise in the customer relationship management system, troubleshooting issues with service provider staff and clients, escalating issues and liaising with the DCWP’s information technology department when appropriate;
- Developing and maintaining relationships with City agencies, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders;
- Working with the data analysis and evaluation team to understand and document success of programs, pull reports on the performance of programs, review reports for quality assurance purposes, and assist the Senior Program Officer in synthesizing and analyzing data to provide timely updates to the Assistant Director and OFE leadership;
- In partnership with the Financial Counseling and Coaching team, organize quarterly training and professional development events for financial counselors, and helping to plan, organize and execute various events including meetings, conferences and convenings;
- Representing OFE at outreach events, as appropriate, to raise awareness and establish partnerships to facilitate the referral of clients to OFE’s financial counseling and coaching programs;
- Supporting efforts to integrate financial counseling and coaching into other OFE programs and initiatives, staying abreast of financial health research and best practices;
- Providing general administrative assistance including drafting, proofreading and/or editing a range of materials, including but not limited to reports, program documents, and presentations.
- Support and contribute to broader team projects as needed, as a member of the Financial Counseling and Coaching team.

Qualifications

Qualification Requirements
1. High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.