Director, Community Engagement and Capacity-Building, Office of the Executive Deputy Commissioner

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: Community Research, Needs Assessment, and Surveillance - Lead efforts to systematically gather and assess information from communities, organizations, and other stakeholders to identify suicide prevention needs, gaps, assets, and emerging concerns. - Coordinate community needs assessments, listening activities, surveys, focus groups, and other information-gathering approaches to strengthen understanding of populations and settings disproportionately affected by suicide. - Work with Office research, surveillance, and subject matter experts to integrate community-generated information with epidemiologic data, surveillance findings, and available research evidence. - Identify trends, disparities, service gaps, and opportunities for intervention and translate findings into recommendations for prevention planning and practice. - Ensure data and information-gathering approaches appropriately reflect community context, health equity considerations, and populations that may be underrepresented in traditional data sources. Evidence-Informed Community Capacity-Building - Lead development and coordination of strategies to strengthen community capacity based on identified needs, surveillance findings, research evidence, and community priorities. - Coordinate access to evidence-informed training, technical assistance, tools, and other resources responsive to identified capacity gaps. - Work with subject matter experts and community partners to support implementation and adaptation of evidence-informed suicide prevention practices across diverse settings. - Monitor implementation and emerging evidence to identify opportunities to strengthen or modify community-based approaches. - Promote culturally responsive and equitable approaches to prevention that account for differences in risk, protective factors, access to resources, and community context. Lived Expertise and Community Knowledge - Lead the Office's Lived Expertise Advisory Board and related engagement activities to systematically incorporate lived experience and community knowledge into suicide prevention planning. - Develop processes for gathering, synthesizing, and applying lived expertise to inform research priorities, program design, policy recommendations, and prevention strategies. - Ensure individuals with lived expertise and communities disproportionately affected by suicide have meaningful opportunities to shape Office priorities and initiatives. - Promote trauma-informed, equitable, and culturally responsive approaches to engaging and interpreting community knowledge. Policy, Planning, and Practice Translation - Translate findings from community assessments, surveillance, research, and stakeholder engagement into recommendations for policy, programs, services, and prevention planning. - Work with Office leadership, Department bureaus, City agencies, and external partners to apply evidence and community-informed findings to citywide suicide prevention initiatives. - Identify opportunities to adapt or scale prevention strategies based on available evidence, population needs, and implementation experience. - Prepare analyses, recommendations, and briefings for Office leadership that synthesize research evidence, surveillance data, community perspectives, and health equity considerations. Cross-Sector Research and Partnership Coordination - Develop and maintain partnerships with community organizations, healthcare systems, academic institutions, schools, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders to advance research-informed prevention. - Coordinate multidisciplinary initiatives that bring together community knowledge, public health surveillance, research, and implementation expertise. - Facilitate information-sharing and collaboration across partners to identify emerging issues, research needs, and opportunities for coordinated prevention action. - Represent the Office in community, professional, academic, and public forums and communicate evidence and findings in ways accessible to diverse audiences. Initiative Management and Evaluation - Develop work plans, implementation strategies, and performance measures for community engagement and capacity-building initiatives. - Establish processes for monitoring activities, assessing implementation, and identifying opportunities for improvement. - Coordinate collection and review of qualitative and quantitative information to assess reach, effectiveness, equity, and community responsiveness. - Use findings from monitoring and evaluation activities to recommend adjustments to programs, partnerships, and resource allocation. - Supervise assigned staff and provide direction and oversight for community research, engagement, and capacity-building activities. PREFERRED SKILLS: - Experience implementing suicide prevention programming, training, and capacity-building efforts. - Experience leading community engagement, coalition-building, capacity-building, or public health initiatives. - Experience working with communities and populations disproportionately affected by suicide or other adverse health outcomes. - Experience engaging individuals with lived expertise in program or policy development. - Experience supervising staff and managing complex, cross-sector initiatives. - Experience developing or coordinating training, technical assistance, or community capacity-building initiatives. - Knowledge of behavioral health, trauma-informed practice, and health equity - Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/) - 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. CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744 Qualifications 1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health. To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have: 1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or 2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or 3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above. NOTE: Probationary Period Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.