Agency General Counsel

The Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) helps the City apply evidence and innovation to reduce poverty and increase equity. We work to improve the systems of government by advancing the use of research, data and design in program and policy development, service delivery, and budget decisions. Our work includes analyzing existing anti-poverty approaches, developing new strategies, facilitating the sharing of data across City agencies, and rigorously assessing the impact of key initiatives.

NYC Opportunity manages a discrete fund and works collaboratively with City agencies to design, test and oversee new programs and digital products. NYC Opportunity also produces research and analysis of poverty and social conditions, including its influential annual Poverty Measure, which provides a more accurate and comprehensive picture of poverty in New York City than the federal rate. Part of the Mayor's Office for Strategic Initiatives, NYC Opportunity is active in making equity a core governing principle across all agencies.

Enterprise Data Solutions (EDS)

Within NYC Opportunity, the Enterprise Data Solutions team takes innovative and privacy-based approaches to facilitate cross-agency data sharing that helps inform decision making by City leadership, agencies, providers and residents. EDS views data as a protected asset that can be responsibly leveraged across digital products to support analytical initiatives, facilitate knowledge sharing, and develop policy strategy.

Responsibilities

The Agency General Counsel role will support NYC Opportunity's work to facilitate responsible data sharing across City agencies. This work often involves exchanges across health and human service agencies that work under a complex array of federal, state and local laws that govern what and how information can be shared.

The Agency General Counsel will operate under supervision of the EDS Director with significant latitude for the exercise of independent judgment and will handle a variety of agency matters with a particular focus on our privacy and data sharing work.

The Agency General Counsel's responsibilities include:

Draft Memorandum of Understanding, Data Use Agreements and Confidentiality

Agreements relating to exchange and use of confidential information.

Liaise with Agency Counsel and Chief Privacy Officers at City agencies.

Research and draft legal opinions and policy statements.

Plan or consult on new strategic initiatives that require legal and technological frameworks for data

sharing.

Conduct legal research and draft written analyses as needed, often on time-sensitive basis.

Work collaboratively with legal, technical, and business teams to meet agency needs.

Advise on questions of law, fact, and administrative and agency policies.

Respect and promote core principles of data privacy and ethics.

Perform other legal and related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

Preferred Skills

Commitment to the mission of advancing greater equality and opportunity. Previous experience with privacy law and/or technology law.

Experience working in a collaborative environment. Exceptional communication and organization skills. Ability to think critically and detail oriented. Familiarity with Microsoft Office programs.

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.

Additional Information

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.