Strategy and Research Program Manager

About the role

THE SELECTED CANDIDATE WILL BE OFFERED A SALARY BETWEEN $87,743.00 - $100,904.00.

The Administration for Children's Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community.

ACS' Division of Child and Family Well-being (CFWB) designs and executes strategies to support caregivers, children, and communities, so they can thrive and enjoy self-determination. A critical piece of CFWB's portfolio is the operation of the City's subsidized child care voucher system -- one of the largest child care assistance programs in the country. ACS providers vouchers to tens of thousands of low-income and child welfare-involved families, allowing parents and caregivers to access affordable child care at the provider of their choice while they pursue work, education, or training.

The Office of Strategy, Research, and Provider Partnership (SRPP) leads CFWB efforts to strengthen services for children, youth, and families by aligning strategic priorities with data-driven practices. The Office also partners with contracted community-based organizations citywide to implement programs, including Family Enrichment Centers and PromiseNYC Programs.

Through this work, the Office helps CFWB build a system that is innovative, responsive, and grounded in evidence. The Office is comprised of four specialized teams: Family Enrichment Centers Program Management (FEC PM), the FEC Program Sustainability and Improvement (PSI) team, the Child Care Data Management and Systems (DMS), and the Strategy and Research (SR) team.

The Strategy and Research Program Manager will report to the Director of Strategy and Research and provide strategic, operational, and programmatic oversight for division projects, including the citywide child care assistance program, PromiseNYC.

The Strategy and Research Program Manager tasks and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Strategic and Operational Oversight
• Lead the development and execution of short- and long-term strategic goals for strategy and research projects within portfolio of work in collaboration with the Director of Strategy and Research and contracted programs.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable team culture across all program stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with ACS policies, city contracting requirements, and program guidelines.
• Provider oversight and technical assistance to contracted partners
• Serve as the primary liaison to contracted providers within portfolio of work, including PromiseNYC providers, offering responsive technical assistance and coaching to support high-quality, culturally responsive service delivery.
• Collect, analyze, and use data to assess program quality and provider performance.
• Identify trends, challenges, and successes across the network to inform policy and practice adjustments in consultation with the Associate Commissioner.
• Lead the development and refinement of standards, protocols, and frameworks that promote child- and family-centered service delivery.
• Fiscal Oversight and Budget Management
• Provide guidance to providers on budget development, modifications, and fiscal reporting in alignment with program guidelines, ACS and NYC fiscal policies.
• Review and approve budgets and invoices, ensuring accurate documentation, allowable expenses, and timely processing.
• Partner with internal finance teams to ensure fiscal compliance, timely review and processing, and troubleshoot budgetary issues.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Building
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal ACS divisions (finance, legal, procurement, program operations) and external agencies as related to success of programs within portfolio of work.
• Cultivate strong relationships with advocacy organizations, immigrant-serving agencies, and other partners to ensure holistic and equitable support for families.

Additonal Info

Section 424-A of the New York Social Services Law requires an authorized agency to inquire whether a candidate for employment with child-caring responsibilities has been the subject of a child abuse and maltreatment report.

TO APPLY: No phone calls, faxes or personal inquiries permitted.

Note: Only candidates under consideration will be contacted

Qualifications & Requirements

• For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.

To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have

• A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE: Probationary Period

Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.