Deputy Director

*Only permanent employees in the civil service title, comparable title (under 6.1.9), eligible for the 55a program, and those that are reachable in the civil service list are eligible to apply.* **This position may be eligible for remote work for up to 2 days per week pursuant to the Flexible Work Pilot Program.** 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 nearly 45,000 businesses in more than 40 industries and enforces key consumer protection and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources, DCWP protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance.

DCWP empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need 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 Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), sign up for its newsletter, or follow on its social media sites, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Within DCWP, the Licensing Division is the central operational hub responsible for ensuring that businesses across New York City meet the legal requirements to operate fairly, safely, and in compliance with local law. The Division is the first point of contact for businesses navigating the licensing process, and it plays a critical role in upholding the integrity of the marketplace by making compliance accessible, efficient, and equitable. The Licensing Division supports DCWP's broader mission of protecting New Yorkers by ensuring that every business that needs to be licensed operating in the five boroughs has met the standards required to serve the public with integrity.

The Licensing Division is seeking a driven, highly organized, and solutions-oriented Deputy Director to build and lead its newly established General Vending (GV) Unit. The Deputy Director will be reporting to the Licensing Assistant Commissioner and will be responsible for establishing the unit from the ground up, developing its structure, staffing, workflows, and operational standards, while managing day-to-day operations and ensuring the efficient, equitable, and legally compliant processing of general vending licenses and waitlists applications. This is a high-visibility role requiring strong leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to manage complex regulatory and operational challenges in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Build and launch the General Vending Unit, including establishing its organizational structure, internal workflows, staffing plan, and operational policies and procedures;
• Supervise, develop, and mentor GV Unit staff, fostering a culture of accountability, accuracy, and customer service excellence;
• Oversee the end-to-end processing of general vending license applications and waitlists, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and compliance;
• Prioritize and ensure timely processing of high-impact and sensitive applications;
• Identify, resolve, and escalate complex applicant issues, policy ambiguities, exercising sound judgment and maintaining thorough documentation;
• Monitor unit performance and implement continuous improvements to maximize efficiency, reduce processing times, and improve the applicant experience;
• Implement regulatory and process changes related to general vending, including updates driven by new legislation, rulemaking, or agency policy directives;
• Maintain and update all GV-related documentation, including standard operating procedures, applicant-facing guidance materials, and internal reference resources;
• Collaborate with DCWP's legal, enforcement, policy, and technology teams and other stakeholders to align unit operations with agency-wide goals and emerging priorities;
• Represent the Licensing Division at meetings and events related to general vending as appropriate; and
• Process applications and payments, and backup others as needed.

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

• Prior experience supervising teams and individual staff and interns including group management, annual workplan development, evaluation processes, and professional development
• Highly organized with strong follow-through and acute attention to detail
• Outstanding analytic, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills
• Excellent communication (written and oral) skills
• Ability to work quickly under pressure and strict deadlines while still ensuring a high-quality work product
• Experience and proven ability to cultivate partnerships with diverse stakeholders
• Ability and willingness to take initiative and work collaboratively
• An enthusiastic and positive individual with strong interpersonal skills and a passion for supporting people

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.