The Public Advocate, an independently elected public official, serves as a direct link between city government and residents, acting as a “watchdog” for New Yorkers. The Public Advocate is a non-voting member of the New York City Council, an ex officio member of all Council committees and introduces and co-sponsors legislation. The Public Advocate serves on various City committees and appoints members to several boards and commissions. The Office of the New York City Public Advocate reviews and investigates residents’ complaints about City services and administrative actions, assists people having difficulty receiving City services, assesses whether City agencies are responsive to the public, and recommends legislative or policy proposals to address identified service deficiencies.
The Public Advocate’s Constituent Services Department assists with complaints or inquiries involving government-related services and regulations. The Constituent Services Department provides information and referrals and works closely with New York City agencies to find solutions to help resolve the situation. The Constituent Services Associate manages the case management process from beginning to end.
Responsibilities: -Intake - speak with constituents in person and via telephone to gather information regarding their complaints; -Advocacy - serving as a liaison between the city agency and the constituent to resolve the problem and/or making referrals to other entities; -Follow up - provide proactive constituent and agency outreach through timely and comprehensive communications; -Entering and maintaining data in our constituent services database; -Report directly to the Director of Constituent Services; -Represent the Public Advocate at offsite events and meetings.
-Perform other related duties as required.
-At least two years of relevant experience in case management or advocacy; -Basic knowledge of the functions of the various city agencies; -Ability to handle a large caseload while working in fast-paced environment and multi-tasking; -Strong written, presentation and interpersonal skills. -Bilingual/multilingual proficiency a strong plus; -New York City residency is required within 90 days from hire date.
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.