Deputy Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives

Deputy Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives

The New York City Mayor's Office is responsible for overseeing city services throughout the five boroughs, coordinating public agencies and departments, and managing public property. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The Adams' administration is leading the fight to serve the people of the greatest city in the world, ensuring delivery of efficient and effective services, working to make New York City's economy stronger, reducing inequality, improving public safety, and making the city more affordable that meets the needs of all New Yorkers. We value leadership, transparency, fairness, and efficiency as we actively seek diverse talents from various sectors to join our team.

The Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health (OCMH) coordinates and develops citywide policies and strategies to fill critical gaps in mental healthcare so every New Yorker, in every neighborhood, has the support they need. OCMH was codified into the City Charter by Executive Order 68 and Local Law 155 by the City Council in December of 2021, becoming the first mayoral office dedicated to addressing the mental health of New Yorkers. OCMH coordinates the development of citywide policies and strategies to fill critical gaps in mental healthcare. OCMH works with City agencies to reduce barriers to mental health care for underserved communities. OCMH's priorities are rooted in equity, racial justice, and cultural responsiveness. OCMH adopts a strength-based and community-centered approach that recognizes diverse perspectives, lived experiences, resilience, and unique needs of New Yorkers. OCMH's priorities are : improving access to mental health care and equitable distribution of resources, partnering with communities to elevate mental health promotion and community resilience, building and supporting the mental health workforce in NYC, and developing a coordinated mental health crisis response system. Overall, OCMH plays a critical role in advancing mental health services and policies in the community, and its work is instrumental in improving mental health outcomes for all New Yorkers.

The Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health is seeking a Deputy Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives who will head the multidisciplinary Community and Workforce Strategies team within the office that is broadly responsible for accomplishing the two office priorities : partnering with communities to elevate mental health promotion and community resilience; building and supporting the mental health workforce in NYC. The Deputy Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives will bring expertise in developing multi agency initiatives, designing and managing programs and relationships with community level organizations, and collaborating with academic institutions. This position will report up to the Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health and will manage a team of 4 with one direct report.

The Deputy Executive Director will have the following key responsibilities :

• Develop and drive key strategic priorities for the workforce and community-centered strategies, ensuring their successful implementation in collaboration with the Executive Director and Executive Leadership team at OCMH.
• Lead and manage staff overseeing the Academy for Community Behavioral Health, as well as workforce and community initiatives, ensuring strong relationships with key partners.
• Guide and support staff in project design, resolving operational challenges, and pursuing additional strategic collaborative relationships with community-based organizations and academic institutions to advance our goals.
• Establish and lead a portfolio of strategic partnerships with community organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions to facilitate multidirectional knowledge exchange on mental health innovations.
• Collaborate with OCMH's Research and Mental Health Access teams, along with external partners, to creatively develop quantitative and qualitative measures that nonprofits can use to demonstrate the effectiveness of community-rooted mental health practices.
• Liaise with the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services team, City Hall, and intergovernmental partners, and serve as a proxy for the Executive Director in senior-level meetings, including external presentations and City Hall events (weekends and evenings as required).
• Collaborate closely with the Office's external affairs teams to shape public messaging on initiatives developed and managed by the Strategic Initiatives team.
• Lead and manage additional projects as needed.

About You :

You have an advanced degree in social work, mental health, public health, or a relevant discipline is required. You have at least 8 years of significant management experience is required. You are an ideal candidate who will pose excellent strategic and project management skills, with proven expertise in fostering and maintaining productive partnerships. You have excellent written and verbal communication skills which are essential, including the ability to translate complex technical information into clear, compelling presentations for diverse audiences, including senior leadership. You are proficient in Microsoft Office, and spreadsheets is required. You have strong operational skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while ensuring attention to detail and high-quality execution. You have demonstrated cultural competence and experience working with communities of color in under-resourced areas that face disproportionate mental health challenges, including higher rates of illness and barriers to accessing care, resulting in premature death.

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.