Administrative Specialist

ONLY PERMANENT EMPLOYEES IN THE TITLE AND THOSE THAT ARE REACHABLE ON THE PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE CIVIL SERVICE LIST ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.

Division/Program Summary: The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is expanding home visiting in NYC and streamlining how providers, organizations, and community residents can access quality home-visiting services. The goal is to improve maternal and child health and well-being by matching families’ assessed risks to evidence-based (EB) or evidence-generating (EG) home visiting (HV) models that are most appropriate for them based on their needs, and to connect them to other resources as needed. Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities create disparate outcomes in certain neighborhoods as compared with the rest of the city, and providing services beginning in the prenatal through postpartum period is vital to improving these outcomes. In addition, recent attention to inequities in maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in New York City, points to the need for more respectful maternity care and greater agency for people during childbirth, both of which the program’s staff will facilitate, in partnership with community stakeholders.

DOHMH’s New Family Home Visits (NFHV) program will serve families from pregnancy through the postpartum period. NFHV incorporates a strong mental-health and chronic-disease focus, including screening for diabetes, hypertension, maternal depression, and anxiety, along with referrals to needed services.

We are seeking a candidate who is able to inspire, influence and enable others to achieve a specific mission and meet program goals.

Position Summary: The Principal Administrative Assistant (PAA) for this innovative initiative will provide administrative support to the Program Director and Initiatives Manager in the establishment of systems and processes in support of successful programmatic completion.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide administrative support to the Program Manger including but not limited to updating and scheduling appointments on Outlook calendars, answering telephone and keeping track of messages, processing invoices for travel, developing spreadsheets to track program statistics and materials, entering data, maintaining up-to-date records and distributing information as needed.
• Support Program recruitment efforts, scheduling interviews and submission of hiring packets to the Division Administration Unit.
• Coordinate logistics and participate in meetings and events; Draft and distribute announcements and agendas; Prepare and distribute minutes; Collaborate with staff; Distribute and manage post- meeting/event surveys; Maintain correspondence lists and communicate with Program partners/vendors when needed.
• Develop, generate and respond to reports, letters and other communications for internal and external use.
• Prepare and track purchase requisitions and order supplies. Ensure paperwork is submitted to the Administrative Unit in a timely manner.
• Prepare items required for budget justifications.
• Prepare and submit reports and assist with preparing presentations as needed.
• Work closely with Director/Managers to coordinate activities and utilize problem solving skills to accomplish tasks.
• Participate in Program-sponsored events, for example: crib distribution and assist senior management in other assignments.

Why you should work for us:

• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as: o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.

o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.

o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement. o a tax-deferred savings program and o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.

• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers! Commitment to Equity: 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.

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at sahn1@health.nyc.gov or 347-396-6549.

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience, one year of which must have been in an administrative capacity or supervising staff performing clerical/administrative work of more than moderate difficulty; or
• An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience described in "1" above; or
• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and five years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience as described in "1" above;
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above.

However, all candidates must possess the one year of administrative or supervisory experience as described in "1" above.

Education above the high school level may be substituted for the general clerical/administrative experience (but not for the one year of administrative or supervisory experience described in "1" above) at a rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for 6 months of experience up to a maximum of 3½ years.

Preferred Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access; Analytical, interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills including the ability to write correspondence.
• Experience working with confidential records; Ability to handle multiple and diverse assignments efficiently; Ability to work on teams and independently.
• Data entry experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications is needed.
• Fluency in English and Spanish or French preferred.
• Citywide Travel to different Program Sites may be required.

Education and Experience Required:

• High school graduation or evidence of having passed an examination for a high school equivalency diploma, and
• One year of satisfactory experience in a program related to the duties of the position.

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.