Special Assistant

NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Real Estate Services seeks an experienced Special Assistant to provide executive support to the Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff, coordinating calendars, meetings, and travel. You will assist with purchase orders, lease documents, and HR tasks, while maintaining confidential records and ensuring smooth daily operations across RES units.

The role emphasizes strong written and verbal communication, meticulous organizational skills,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and two years of administrative experience.
• Associate degree with three years of administrative experience including one year supervisory experience.
• Four-year high school diploma with four years of administrative experience including one year supervisory experience.
• Education/experience equal to items 1–3 with one year supervisory experience accepted as substitution.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive-level administrative support to Deputy Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and Executive Office.
• Manage Deputy Commissioner external and internal meetings, calendar, and conference calls.
• Prepare and process purchase orders, contracts, and lease documents for signature.
• Support human resources functions within RES units and maintain confidential records.
• Coordinate meetings, arrange travel, and assemble meeting materials ahead of Deputy Commissioner meetings.
• Ensure signatures on contracts, leases, and amendments are obtained and filed.

Skills

Clear communication

Analytical thinking

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Microsoft Office

Team player

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Associate degree

High school diploma

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Visio

Job description

DCAS's mission is to make city government work for all New Yorkers. From managing New York City’s most iconic courthouses and municipal buildings, to purchasing over $1 billion annually in goods and services for more than 80 City agencies what we do ensures that all agencies can deliver on their mission. Our reach touches every facet of city government and is instrumental to the successful day-to-day operations of the City of New York.

Our Commitment To Equity, Effectiveness, And Sustainability Guides Our Work Providing City Agencies With The Critical Resources And Support Needed To Succeed, Including

• Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
• Managing 56 public buildings.
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
• Leading the City's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

When you work at DCAS, you're not just working for one agency, but in service of them all. It's an opportunity to provide impactful support, quality customer service, and help protect the future of New York City for generations to come. Visit our website at nyc.gov/dcas to learn more about the work we do.

Job Description

DCAS Real Estate Services is the real estate arm of the City of New York. They are responsible for the acquisition, disposition and reallocation of the City’s real property. DCAS oversees the City’s commercial rental and surplus real estate portfolio, and in addition, negotiates and administers City leases of private property for City agency use. This includes overseeing the design and build-out of leased office space, as well as the strategic management of the City’s office portfolio, which includes both leased and owned offices.

The Special Assistant provides executive-level administrative and operational support to the Deputy Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and Executive Office of DCAS Real Estate Services (RES). Responsibilities include managing executive calendars and correspondence, coordinating meetings and events, processing purchase orders, preparing contracts and lease documents for signature, supporting human resources functions, maintaining confidential records, and facilitating communication across RES units to ensure efficient daily operations.

Duties Include But Not Limited To

• Provide special assistance to the Executive Office in their everyday activities,
• Assist with managing Deputy Commissioner external and internal meetings and conference calls;
• Provide support with Deputy Commissioner daily calendar, scheduling meetings and events;
• Serve as the first point of contact for scheduling and routine inquiries to the Executive Office, working in coordination with the Chief of Staff to manage access to the Deputy Commissioner and route substantive matters appropriately;
• Support the Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) and the Chief of Staff with RES human resources functions;
• Print, scan, and file documents for the unit;
• Create and process purchase orders for Real Estate Service’s needs;
• Coordinate logistics for senior staff meetings, unit-wide meetings, and events, including room reservations, catering, and materials;
• Assist in ensuring all signatures have been obtained for contracts, leases, and amendments;
• Prepare and maintains contracts, leases, and amendments the Deputy Commissioner signs;
• Maintain organized electronic and physical records for the Executive Office, including shared drives, distribution lists, and contact lists;
• Assemble meeting materials (agendas, attendee lists, and documents supplied by staff) ahead of the Deputy Commissioner's meetings;
• Provides smooth day-to-day flow of communication within the unit;
• Contributes to unit goals by accomplishing related duties as required;
• Assist with travel arrangements for Deputy Commissioner;
• Prepare and provide exceptional writing and editing support;
• Provide special assistance to top management on special assignments and projects;
• Manage and respond to all incoming RES Correspondence emails;
• Handle confidential and pre-decisional information with discretion.

Only permanent employees in the title, a comparable title, and those that are reachable on the civil service list are eligible to apply.

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience, one year of which must have been in an administrative capacity or supervising staff performing clerical/administrative work of more than moderate difficulty; or
• An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience described in "1" above; 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 satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience as described in "1" above; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above. However, all candidates must possess the one year of administrative or supervisory experience as described in "1" above. Education above the high school level may be substituted for the general clerical/administrative experience (but not for the one year of administrative or supervisory experience described in "1" above) at a rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for 6 months of experience up to a maximum of 3 year.

Preferred Skills

• Ability to communicate clearly in oral and written form and strong analytical, interpersonal communications and problem-solving skills. - Successful candidate should be detail oriented and accurate with details, and self-motivated with strong organizational skill. -Proficient computer skills, including advanced Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, etc.). -Must be flexible adaptable to change and be a team player. -The successful candidate must be able to work independently, work well under pressure and manage tight timeframes. -The candidate should possess excellent academic credentials, and preferably at least 3 years or more of experience

55a Program

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.

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 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.