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.
OFE is currently seeking a Program Officer to join OFE’s Asset Building team, with primary responsibility for the volunteer program supporting the NYC Free Tax Prep initiative. The Program Officer will report to the Assistant Director of Asset Building and will support a Senior Program Officer, who oversees the NYC Free Tax Prep initiative. This individual is an enthusiastic relationship builder and organized project manager who will support the development and implementation of activities to expand the number of volunteers supporting the NYC Free Tax Preparation initiative and increase utilization of this vital service. The ideal candidate brings experience in volunteer program management and training, is deeply committed to financial inclusion, and can effectively manage multiple projects and timelines.
OFE coordinates the Annual Tax Season Initiative, which seeks to increase awareness of and access to free tax preparation services and valuable tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the New York City Child Care Tax Credit (NYC CCTC). The Annual Tax Season Initiative is a key component of DCWP OFE’s strategy to help New Yorkers build assets, save for emergencies and increase their financial stability. Through its primary activity, the NYC Free Tax Prep program, OFE seeks to increase access to and awareness of free tax preparation services and valuable tax credits and use tax time as an opportunity to connect filers to asset building and financial health resources. Through NYC Free Tax Prep, OFE coordinates a network of non-profit organizations who deliver Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly (VITA/TCE) and AARP Tax-Aide programs at approximately 150 sites throughout the city, as well as online self-preparation at nyc.gov/taxprep. Since 2014, more than 900,000 returns have been completed for New Yorkers, helping them to save an estimated $140 million in tax prep fee savings.
Duties of the Program Officer will include, but are not limited to:
• Helping improve volunteer recruitment and retention at NYC Free Tax Prep and Self-Employed Tax prep sites, with a focus on the identification, creation and maintenance of large-scale volunteer partnerships with colleges, universities, employers, and other government agencies;
• Managing the implementation of a volunteer recruitment campaign, including identifying partners, creating content, and managing the distribution of campaign materials;
• Leading the development of training materials and delivery of workshops to train volunteers on program requirements including IRS VITA/TCE guidelines and applicable state and local tax law;
• Leading the development of training materials and delivery of workshops to train tax prep provider organizations on volunteer management best practices;
• Managing and developing feedback loops with providers, volunteers, and other strategic partners to capture ideas for improving volunteer recruitment and retention to better support free tax preparation services such as site visits, consultations, and other activities;
• Assisting Senior Program Officers in liaising with nonprofit service providers, monitoring volunteer operations and service delivery, maintaining relationships with provider managers, and reporting on trends;
• Working with the data analysis and evaluation team to understand and document success of volunteer programs, develop new and improve upon existing report templates, pull reports on the performance of volunteer programs, and review reports for quality assurance purposes;
• Providing general administrative assistance including drafting, proofreading and/or editing a range of materials, including but not limited to reports, program documents, and presentations.
• Represent OFE at outreach events, as appropriate, and help to plan, organize and execute various events including meetings, conferences and convenings; and
• Support and contribute to broader team projects as needed, as a member of the Asset Building Programs team.
Minimum Qual Requirements
1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to “1” or “2” above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in “1” above.
Preferred Skills
• A creative and organized individual with strong interpersonal skills and a passion and commitment to helping people with low- incomes improve their financial health;
• Experience in one or more of the following: the IRS VITA/TCE program, asset building, financial inclusion, volunteer programming, community organizing, or community development;
• Ability and willingness to take initiative and work collaboratively;
• Confident public speaker with experience cultivating relationships with agency partners and stakeholders;
• Attention to detail and ability to work with a sense of urgency while still ensuring a high-quality work product;
• Creative thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Effective project manager with a demonstrated ability to successfully guide and manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously and to organize and drive projects to timely completion;
• Excellent organizational, communication (written and oral), and presentation skills;
• Ability to use data to drive program planning and implementation;
• Experience using databases, CRM tools, and comfort with pulling and disseminating data reports;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel; and
• Fluency in one of the New York City’s priority languages (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian, and Haitian Creole), a plus but not required.
Additional Information
In addition, the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) offers competitive salaries and the following benefits:
Paid Time Off and Holidays
• Paid time off for vacation and personal leave
• Paid time off for sick leave
• A generous holiday package of up to 13 days
Health Benefits
• Medical insurance plans
• Dental and vision insurance plans
• Employee assistance program
Financial and Savings Benefits
• 529 college savings plan
• Direct deposit
• Flexible spending account programs
• New York City Municipal Credit Union savings program
• Transit benefit programs
• Loan forgiveness
Retirement and Pension Plans
• New York City Employee Retirement System (NYCERS) pension plan
• New York City Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP) 401(k) and 457 plan
Additional Benefits for Union Members
• Disability insurance
• Health club reimbursements
• Life insurance
• Supplemental hospital coverage
• Tuition reimbursement
*Please note only employees represented by a labor union may qualify for additional benefits provided by the union welfare fund.
Employee Discounts
• Apple and Dell products
• Cell phones and plans
• Gym memberships
• Special pricing on event tickets through Barclay Center, Plum Benefits and Working Advantage
• And more!
To Apply
For Non-City/External Candidates: Visit the External Applicant NYC Careers site and type Consumer and Worker Protection 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.
PLEASE INDICATE IN YOUR COVER LETTER HOW YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS POSITION.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
NO PHONE CALLS, FAXES, E-MAILS, OR PERSONAL INQUIRIES PERMITTED.
NOTE: ONLY THOSE CANDIDATES UNDER CONSIDERATION WILL BE CONTACTED.
*Appointments are subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval.
*55-a Candidates: NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and culturally responsive workforce. We strongly encourage 55-A candidates to apply to our positions in order to be given the opportunity.
**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.
***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 DCWP 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
*Drug Screening: A drug screening may be required prior to being appointed
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations that enable people with disabilities to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by others. If you are contacted to attend an interview for one of our open vacancies and would like to request an accommodation for that date, please send an email to ReasonableAccommodationRequests@dcwp.nyc.gov.
If interested in being sent our job postings on a monthly basis, please email your resume at dcajobs@dcwp.nyc.gov. Make sure to include your personal contact information and the civil service title you are currently serving and civil service exams you have taken.
Public Svc 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 StudentAid.gov/PSLF .
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
POSTING DATE
07/20/2023
POST UNTIL
09/15/2023
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.