Executive Director of Engineering

About the Agency: The New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city's neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love. We maintain building and resident safety and health. We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability. We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity. HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of "Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness," Mayor Adams' comprehensive housing framework. To support this important work, the administration has committed $5 billion in new capital funding, bringing the 10-year planned investment in housing to $22 billion the largest in the city's history. This investment, coupled with a commitment to reduce administrative and regulatory barriers, is a multi-pronged strategy to tackle New York City's complex housing crisis, by addressing homelessness and housing instability, promoting economic stability and mobility, increasing homeownership opportunities, improving health and safety, and increasing opportunities for equitable growth.

Your Team: The Division of Building and Land Development Services (BLDS) leads the agency's effort in providing architectural, engineering, environmental planning, and construction support services to the various divisions within HPD's Office of Development. The Office of Development utilizes a public-private partnership model and provides loans, grants and/or incentives to assist in the finance of housing development projects that will benefit low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. The Division of Building and Land Development Services is the largest division within the Office of Development with over 120 staff composed of seven units which include: the Bureau of New Construction Design Review Services, the Bureau of Preservation Design Review Services, the Bureau of Engineering, the Bureau of Construction Services, the Environmental Planning Unit, the Policy Unit, and the Program Management Unit.

Your Impact: As Executive Director of Engineering, you will report directly to the Assistant Commissioner of BLDS and serve as part of the division's senior leadership team. The Executive Director will oversee the Bureau of Engineering, which includes the following units; Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Design Review, MEP Inspections, Structural Engineering, Environmental Compliance, and Cost Valuation. This role will manage approximately 35 technical and professional staff engaged in engineering-related tasks, including the review and evaluation of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire suppression, and structural systems, inspections of oil tanks, and MEP and structural building systems, quality assurance inspections, requisition and change order reviews, and cost valuation services.

Your Role: The ideal candidate should have a background in Engineering, or related field, and possess a thorough understanding and strong knowledge base of New York City building and construction codes, Federal, State, and City housing codes and regulations, as well as experience in methods and standards for the new construction and preservation of multi-family housing.

Your responsibilities include:

• Working closely with the Assistant Commissioner to lead the division's engineering efforts and represent BLDS in meetings with agency partners that pertain to engineering matters.
• Perform managerial duties, including providing guidance to staff in achieving agency goals, preparing management reports for the Assistant Commissioner, establishing appropriate productivity measures, promoting collaboration among staff, and evaluating staff performance.
• Overseeing technical staff that review drawings and documents for MEP, sprinkler, fire suppression, and other building systems to assure compliance with industry design standards and pertinent codes, including the New York City Building Code, ASHRAE, New York City Conservation Code and Enterprise Green Communities.
• Overseeing staff who conduct inspections of MEP and structural systems to assure compliance with the approved plans and specifications.
• Overseeing inspections of existing oil tanks and preparing scopes of work, cost estimates and recommendations for repair and/or system replacement.
• Supervising the review and analysis of design proposals submitted by engineers, contractors and/or consultants to determine cost reasonableness of proposed design and making recommendations to HPD loan programs.
• Coordinating with multiple internal divisions and units, as well as numerous outside City agencies and organizations on engineering-related matters that arise on HPD projects.
• In collaboration with Directors, Deputy Directors, and Project Managers, provide technical assistance, troubleshoot, make appropriate recommendations, and ensure all necessary plan approvals are obtained.
• Responding to requests for information and overseeing the production of detailed reports, memoranda, presentations, and written correspondence regarding projects, programs, new initiatives, or other special projects, as needed.
• Representing the Assistant Commissioner on behalf of the agency at internal and external meetings related to engineering matters.
• Collaborating with other HPD divisions to achieve agency goals, as well as to identify, monitor and/or resolve project, and policy issues.

Preferred Skills:

• A valid license as a professional engineer is highly preferred.
• Thorough knowledge in all areas of engineering, and construction technology, including City, State, and Federal regulations and procedures, and methods and standards for the preservation and construction of multi-family housing.
• Excellent trade base knowledge and familiarity with New York City government and housing issues.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, negotiate with diverse technical specialists, apply independent judgment in technical matters, take initiative, and work effectively with others.
• Excellent leadership, writing, research, interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, coordinate multiple initiatives at the same time, and deal with complex construction issues.
• Preference will be given to candidates with at least 5 years of experience in a managerial, administrative or supervisory position, and strong knowledge of design, trends, architectural building systems, building codes and proficiency with AcrobatPro, and Microsoft Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, and Powerpoint).
• A Motor Vehicle Driver License valid in the State of New York may be required for certain assignments. If required, this license must be maintained for the duration of the assignment.

Minimum Qualifications:

(1) Four (4) years of full-time, satisfactory experience in mechanical engineering work; and (2) A valid New York State Professional Engineer's License. Current New York State registration as a Professional Engineer must be maintained for the duration of your employment. A masters degree in mechanical engineering from an accredited college or university, accredited by regional, national, professional or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) may be substituted for one year of the mechanical engineering experience required in "1" above. Special Note: In addition to above qualification requirements, to be eligible for placement in Assignment Levels II and III, individuals must have at least one year within the last three years of experience as a major contributor or a project leader on a complex project requiring additional and specific expertise in the disciplines needed to design or construct the project.

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs.

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.