Director of Investigations - Executive Agency Counsel (Job ID: 394713)

Civil Service Title: EXECUTIVE AGENCY COUNSEL

Level: M1

Title Code No: 95005

Salary: $56,990.00/ $61,457.00* - $110,000.00 

Office Title:  Director of Investigations 

Work location: 42 Broadway, New York, NY  

Division/Work Unit: Office of Labor Policy and Standards

Job ID: 394713

Hours/Shift: 35 hours (minimum)

The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCA licenses more than 81,000 businesses in more than 50 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, DCA 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, DCA 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. DCA also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCA and its work, call 311 or visit DCA at nyc.gov/dca or on its social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. 

The Office of Labor Policy and Standards (“the Office,” “OLPS”) is responsible for enforcing the city’s municipal labor laws such as the Earned Safe and Sick Time, Fair Workweek, Commuter Benefits Laws, and the Freelance Isn’t Free Act. OLPS also works closely with stakeholders on outreach and public education efforts to reach vulnerable workers and conducts research and data analysis to support enforcement and make policy recommendations.

The Director of Investigations is part of the senior management team at OLPS and works with other senior managers to protect and promote labor standards and policies that create fair workplaces to ensure all workers can realize their rights, regardless of immigration status. The Director of Investigations will oversee and manage the investigative work of OLPS, which includes, among other things, intake of complaints; investigations and evidence gathering and evaluation; generation of proposed findings and settlement of cases; close coordination with the OLPS legal teams; and review of employer compliance with case resolutions, all arising from alleged violations of City municipal workplace laws. In addition, the Director of Investigations will participate in the overall management of OLPS ranging from strategic planning to the day-to-day operations of the Office.

The Director of Investigations will supervise and train a growing team of ten to fifteen investigators and other agency staff; review and update investigative practices and resources; participate in the planning, design, and implementation of new strategic initiatives; assign cases and actively monitor and guide their progress; draft, review, and edit written investigative and other reports; monitor and report on program metrics; and conduct complex investigations pursuant to the Office’s mandate. Key responsibilities include

·        Planning and conducting complex regulatory investigations to ensure employers comply with municipal workplace laws;

·        Leading enforcement-related policy development and implementation, in coordination with the OLPS senior management team, as well as other labor law enforcement agencies, and external stakeholders;

·        Developing and expanding OLPS’s newly-established directed investigations program, using input and data from OLPS enforcement activities as well as from other jurisdictions and agencies;

·        Reviewing and updating investigative systems, processes, and procedures required to enhance enforcement work and OLPS accountability;

·        Supervising the work of and providing technical support to all staff on the OLPS investigative team;

·        Making recommendations regarding all aspects of investigations, including findings of violations, as well as remedies and penalties;

·        Coordinating with attorneys on case investigations, collections, and specific policy and legal issues;

·        Assisting in preparing investigators to testify in administrative proceedings and ensures that evidence gathered during investigations meets evidentiary standards for administrative litigation;

·        Recommending changes of law, rules, and procedures as needed to improve effective enforcement and advises and recommends on questions of law, fact and administrative policy;

·        Interpreting the law as applied to facts arising in investigations;

·        Negotiating, drafting, and executing consent orders that resolve OLPS investigations;

·        Representing the interests of OLPS in complex and significant cases;

·        Drafting policy statements based on issues arising in investigations;

·        Coordinating efforts between OLPS’s investigative team and other local, state, and federal labor law enforcement agencies, as well as community organizations and working groups;

·        Supporting the development and improvement of OLPS’s case-management database systems;

·        Collaborating with the agency’s External Affairs and Communications Division regarding communications with media, community groups, businesses, unions, and the public; and

·        Developing, tracking, and managing program metrics.

1.      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. 

·        Executive-level leadership skills, including the ability to think and plan strategically and proven success developing and supporting high-performing, diverse work teams;

·        Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including the ability to create and manipulate Excel documents using custom field formulas.

·        Experience using industry-recognized public and private investigative search engines and databases (e.g., LexisNexis or CLEAR).

·        Ability and aptitude to quickly learn new computer programs and technology to improve investigative processes.

·        Ability to understand various laws, rules, and regulations sufficiently to analyze issues and present findings and recommendations.

·        Experience in handling multiple assignments with competing deadlines with a high degree of detail and accuracy;

·        Ability to work collaboratively on operational tasks including personnel, hiring, budget, IT, and reporting.

·        Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills, including public speaking experience.

·        Ability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends.

For Non-City/External Candidates: Handshake will take you to the External Applicant NYC Careers site. Type “Consumer Affairs” on the search line. Then locate the Job ID number.

For Current City Employees: Visit Employee Self Service (ESS) to view and click on Recruiting Activities, Careers, and search by Job ID number

A RESUME AND COVER LETTER ARE REQUIRED.

**LOAN FORGIVENESS: The federal government provides student loan forgiveness through its Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) to all qualifying public service employees. Working with DCA qualifies you as a public service employee and you may be able to take advantage of this program while working full-time and meeting the program’s other requirements. Please visit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program site to view the eligibility requirements: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service** 

Post Date: 5/10/2019

Post Until: Filled

JVN 394713

DCA and the City of New York is an equal employment opportunity employer.