Senior Executive Director of Veterans Support Services
: Job Details :

Senior Executive Director

About DVS The mission of the Department of Veterans' Services is to connect, mobilize, and empower New York City's Veteran Community in order to foster purpose-driven lives for New York City Service Members past and present in addition to their caregivers, survivors, and families. DVS fulfills this mission by providing New York City's approximately 200,000 Veterans with essential services and programs focused on pivotal areas such as economic empowerment, housing security, benefits, health and wellness, and culture.

About the Role The Client Services Unit is responsible for the agency's benefits and support services, this includes ongoing resource development, policy and programmatic improvements and continuous coordination with city, state, federal and private sector partners that provide resources to Veterans. DVS seeks a highly qualified candidate to join the Client Services team as a Senior Executive Director. The Senior Executive Director will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a team responsible for client intakes and referrals through a multi-provider network of service providers. In addition, the Senior Executive Director will also be a subject matter expert in processing VA claims for Veteran benefits and supervising staff on how to process VA claims. Accreditation to process claims will be provided by New York State Department of Veterans Services.

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• VetConnectNYC: Supervise Care Coordinators and Specialists who perform intakes and make referrals within a coordinated service of network providers and perform comprehensive benefits counseling.
• Assess Veteran's unmet needs, identify point of contacts with trusted service providers, determine eligibility criteria for programs and services, and/or assist Veterans to navigate resources through VetConnectNYC.
• Confirm that the appropriate forms are accurately and efficiently completed and submitted.
• Ensure Veterans who have been identified as high-risk through DVS health screeners are connected to mental health resources.
• Process VA Claims, Provide Veteran Benefits Counseling: Possess high-level knowledge of processing claims for Veteran benefits from the VA. Trainings and Accreditation from New York State Department of Veterans Services (NYS DVS) will be provided and is required to maintain this role.
• Assist Veterans seeking disability compensation, Non-Service-Connected Pension, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, and other claimed benefits from the VA.
• Counsel Clients on VA benefits and ensure staff is trained and competently able to perform intake, advise on earned VA benefits, request and gather necessary military records and personal statements, to effectively and efficiently process claims through the NYS DVS VetOps system.
• Ensure veteran community are counseled concerning their rights and entitlements and are treated in a courteous, caring and highly professional manner.
• Perform as a case manager, conduct follow-ups, and take necessary action to ensure satisfactory veteran progression.
• Funeral Honors: Ensure Veterans who have died unclaimed and deemed indigent receive military burials with honors, through coordination with OCME, VA eligibility determination, funeral home assignments, and DVS Fiscal Operations for payments and reimbursements.
• Supervision: Responsible for direct supervision of a team of coordinators, which will include managing work schedules, time, leave, job training, job performance appraisals, case management, and client issue resolution.
• Monitor claim progression, reviewing decisions to determine appropriate courses of action to resolve unfavorable decisions.
• Oversee the service office activities and functions.
• Veteran Resource Centers: Manage compliance with Local Law 215 to maintain minimum hours at Veteran Resource Centers in each of the five boroughs.
• Reporting: Responsible for meeting agency reporting requirements for client services and related veteran data.
• Support Outreach and Engagement efforts: Maintain key relationships in the greater New York City area, New York State Department of Veterans' Services, VA; On occasion, may be asked to attend Veteran Advisory Board meetings, relevant civic and community boards/meetings, precincts, veteran service organizations, and represent DVS at community and ceremonial events. Conducts programs in accordance with polices adopted by the Department of Veterans Service Committee which involve planning, maintaining standards, and coordinating activities.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory professional experience related to the projects and policies to be performed in the position including 18 months of experience in an executive, managerial, administrative or supervisory capacity; or 2. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's department of education or recognized accrediting organization and eight years of experience as described in 1 above, including the 18 months of experience in an executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory as described in 1 above. 3. A combination of education and/experience equivalent. However, all candidates must have 18 months of experience in an executive, managerial, administrative, or supervisory capacity as described in 1 above.

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. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at studentaid.gov/pslf.

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.

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.