Deputy Director of Organizational Development & Innovation

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RFCUNY Benefits and Accruals

Job summary

RFCUNY is seeking a Deputy Director of Organizational Development & Innovation in Downtown Manhattan with a hybrid work arrangement. The role focuses on readiness, change strategy, alignment, culture, and operational effectiveness to support ACS OTWD partnerships.

Responsibilities include strategic planning, project management, and program evaluation. Requires advanced degree and strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Qualifications

• MA/MPA/MS in social science, public administration, or related field.
• Understanding of human or social services, child welfare, or juvenile justice systems is a plus.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• High accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team.
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning: organizational design, process improvement, and change management.
• Identify dependencies, risks, and integration opportunities across initiatives.
• Define project objectives, scope, timelines, and success metrics.
• Develop dashboards to report on project outcomes and performance.
• Communicate with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders to ensure alignment.

Skills

Organizational design

Process improvement

Change management

Project management

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

MA/MPA/MS in social science/public administration or related field

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

Primary Location: CUNY SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Bargaining Unit: No

About the CUNY School of Professional Studies:

As a leading online school in New York since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor's and master's degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University's first undergraduate all-transfer college. With 26 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor's degree, progress from an associate's degree, earn a master's degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers.

Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School's renowned and affordable online programs ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.

As CUNY SPS moves beyond its’ 20th year, we dedicate ourselves to engendering an innovative and transformative student-centered experience. Within and created at the same time as CUNY SPS, the Office of Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS) designs custom workplace learning programs to help organizations achieve their goals.

We are experts in research-based learning practices, online as well as in-classroom curriculum development and implementation. We are uniquely positioned to respond to organizational learning needs and support change management initiatives swiftly and effectively.

Partnership Description:

CUNY SPS ILS partners with the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) to provide foundational and continuous professional development learning for child welfare and juvenile justice direct service staff and supervisors through ACS’s Office of Training and Workforce Development (OTWD). OTWD encompasses three entities: ACS James Satterwhite Academy, the ACS Workforce Institute and the ACS Institute for Leadership Development.

Position Description:

The Deputy Director of Organizational Development & Innovation reports to the Associate Commissioner and successfully executes projects, initiatives, and other work related to the organization's strategic objectives. This role works closely with ACS and OTWD senior leadership to focus on the following strategic objectives: readiness & integration, change strategy, alignment, organizational culture, organizational strategy, and operational effectiveness.

Position Duties and Responsibilities:

STRATEGIC PLANNING DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead organizational design, process improvement, and change management efforts to enhance operational efficiency and organizational effectiveness. Identify dependencies, integration opportunities, and potential risks across strategic initiatives to improve coordination and support informed decision-making. Conduct needs assessments and evaluates operational impacts on programs, processes, and stakeholder groups. Develop and implement frameworks to assess program effectiveness, operational performance, and organizational impact. Collaborate with ACS and OTWD leadership and strategic partners to strengthen cross-functional coordination and streamline organizational processes. Build and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support agency priorities and ensure alignment with strategic goals. Advise the Associate Commissioner on strategic priorities, operational planning, and emerging opportunities, serving as a trusted thought partner on organizational and programmatic decisions.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop business cases and support priority-setting efforts in collaboration with senior leadership and key stakeholders. Define project objectives, scope, timelines, resource requirements, and success measures to ensure alignment across stakeholders. Lead project planning and execution, including facilitating stakeholder meetings, tracking progress, and managing deliverables, budgets, and timelines. Monitor project risks, dependencies, and roadblocks, and implement mitigation strategies to support successful project outcomes. Provide guidance on project management methodologies, tools, and best practices to strengthen project delivery and operational effectiveness. Lead project closeout activities, including documenting lessons learned and best practices to inform future planning and continuous improvement.

EVALUATION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Create and maintain dashboards to report on project outcomes.

COMMUNICATIONS DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop appropriate communication documents and presentations for diverse targeted audiences. Present on project initiatives, progress, and outcome to senior leadership/diverse audiences in both oral and written formats. Attend meetings with OTWD senior leadership, as required and necessary to fulfill the functions of this position. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• MA/MPA/MS in social science, public administration, or another related field.
• An understanding of human or social services, particularly the child welfare and juvenile justice systems is a plus.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• An exceptional commitment to accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work on a team, as well as independently.
• High degree of flexibility and maturity to work in an innovative, fast-paced environment, and to readily embrace change.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to effectively convey complex concepts to a variety of technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience in project management including ensuring project milestones are met on time and collaborating with multiple stakeholders.
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to provide nuanced support to team members on project issues that builds trust and confidence across diverse team cultures and priorities.
• A curious disposition motivated by an internal drive to understand and untangle complex issues.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States on a continuous basis. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location: Downtown Manhattan/ Hybrid

Pay Range: $95,000 – $105,000

RFCUNY Benefits

RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York (RFCUNY) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer.

It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.

RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.