Constituent & Grievance Specialist

City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 71,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

City of New York’s Department of Correction seeks a Constituent & Grievance Service Specialist/Coordinator to manage complaints from individuals in custody and the public. You will coordinate investigations, conduct field visits, and prepare formal responses, ensuring timely, accurate handling per department protocols.

Under the Executive Director of Constituent Services, you will monitor caseloads, contribute to policy improvement, and support training materials while maintaining ethical and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; two years of full-time paid experience in correction, social work, psychology, law, public administration or related field.
• Alternative: high school diploma with four years of relevant experience as described in item 1.
• Graduate degree in social work, psychology, law, criminal justice or public administration may substitute up to one year of experience.

Responsibilities

• Receive, review, and process complaints from people in custody and constituents via email, phone, correspondence, and electronic systems.
• Investigate, categorize, escalate, and respond to complaints; manage caseload from intake to closure.
• Conduct field visits to Department facilities and interview people in custody to clarify complaints or grievances.
• Prepare verbal responses and written communications for people in custody, constituents, and external stakeholders.
• Monitor cases, deadlines, and performance metrics; prepare reports and identify trends.
• Assist with training materials, and contribute to program operations and quality assurance.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Writing

Analytical skills

Research skills

Problem solving

Organization

Education

Bachelor's degree

High school diploma + related experience

Job description

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is an integral part of the City’s evolving criminal justice system, participating in reform initiatives and strategies aimed to move the City towards a smaller jail system without compromising public safety. The DOC is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment for our employees, visitors, volunteers, and people in our custody. Importantly, safe jails enable DOC to provide people in custody with the tools and opportunities they need to successfully re-enter their communities. The DOC operates facilities and court commands across the five boroughs with more than 7,500 diverse professionals and knowledgeable experts.

The Office of Constituent and Grievance Services (OCGS) serves as the Department's centralized office for receipt, coordination, oversight, and resolution of constituent complaints, incarcerated individual grievances, and other matters requiring Department review and response. Acting as a critical link between the Department and the broader community, OCGS promotes transparent, accessible, and responsive communication with incarcerated individuals, their families and loved ones, legal representatives, advocates, elected officials, oversight entities, community stakeholders, and members of the public. The Office of Constituent and Grievance Services seeks a Constituent & Grievance Service Specialist/Coordinator.

Under executive direction of the Executive Director of Constituent Services, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Constituent Relations & Intake

• Receive, review, and process complaints received from people in our custody and constituents through multiple intake channels, including email, telephone, correspondence, and electronic systems.
• Conduct preliminary review, investigate and resolve complaints by determining appropriate category, urgency, routing and outcome.
• Coordinate investigations and communicate with correctional facility and agency divisions to obtain information, updates and results.
• Manage assigned complaint caseload from intake through closure.
• Prepare verbal responses and written correspondence for people in custody, constituents and external stakeholders.

Field Visits & Direct Engagement

• Conduct scheduled and/or as-needed field visits to Department facilities to provide people in custody with an opportunity to discuss complaints, inquiries and grievances.
• Conduct in-person interviews with people in custody to clarify the nature, scope, and circumstances of a complaint or grievance. Confirm, to the extent practicable, complaints submitted or placed on behalf of a person in custody.
• Escalate urgent, serious, or potentially time-sensitive matters identified during field visits in accordance with established OCGS protocols.
• Monitor assigned cases, response deadlines and follow-up requirements.

Program Operations, Support & Quality Assurance

• Monitor assigned cases to flag urgent matters, ensure timely responses and compliance with established service standards. Identify cases requiring supervisory review.
• Monitor performance metrics and response timelines. Prepare statistical and operational reports.
• Assist with identifying complaint trends and recurring issues.
• Document the substance of field visits and interviews.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and assist with strategic planning initiatives.
• Assist with developing training materials and user guides.
• Performing related operational and support duties as assigned.

CORRECTIONAL STANDARDS REVIEW - 52615

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and two years of full-time paid experience in correction, social work, psychology, law, public administration or related field providing direct services to an inmate or detention population within a correctional or related facility; 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 four years of full-time paid experience as described in “1” above; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to “1” or “2” above. Service as an inmate in a correctional or related facility may be substituted for a portion of the required experience up to a maximum of two years on a year for year basis. A graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social work, psychology, law, criminal justice or public administration which includes a field placement performing duties as described above may be substituted for up to one year of full‑time paid experience as described above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of full‑time paid experience as described in “1” above.

Preferred Skills

• Service oriented with excellent inter-personal, communication, writing, analytical, research, problem solving and organization skills - Excellent knowledge of MS, Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint - Critical thinking skills and the ability to think and act quickly in accordance with established policy and procedures and meet restrictive deadlines - Ability to exercise independent judgment, prepare and discuss written reports and documents, attention to detail. - Ability to adhere to deadlines and utilize effective communication skills to build rapport with staff in various units and divisions.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

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 https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

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 it 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.

, $71,238.00 – $81,924.00