Supervisor, Property Damage Claims

About the role

Note: All applicants must be current City of New York employees serving in a permanent (not provisional) Civil Service title of Claim Specialist. To be considered for this position, PLEASE CLEARLY INDICATE YOUR CURRENT PERMANENT CIVIL SERVICE TITLE on your resume and cover letter.

The New York City Comptroller's Office works to promote the financial health, integrity, and effectiveness of New York City government, in order to strengthen trust, secure a thriving future for all New Yorkers, and build a more just, equitable, and resilient city. Led by an independently elected citywide official, the comptroller's office provides checks and balances needed to hold City government accountable for budgeting wisely, investing responsibly, operating efficiently, acting fairly, living up to its obligations and promises, and paying attention to the long-term challenges we face together.

Authorized by the New York City Charter, the Comptroller, through the Bureau of Law and Adjustment (BLA), negotiates and approves all monetary settlement of claims and lawsuits involving the City of New York. BLA investigates and, when in the best interest of the city, settles pre-litigation claims for and against the City of New York.

In resolving claims before litigation is commenced, BLA protects the fiscal interest of the City while ensuring that pre-litigation claims are resolved in a fair and just manner, and in accordance with applicable laws. BLA furthers this goal in its review, evaluation, and authorization of requests to settle litigated cases involving the City and through diligent administration of disputes arising out of City contracts.

BLA manages City risk by holding agencies accountable, rooting out fraud, and identifying trends, as well as, coordinating with the Law Department and other City agencies on issues that impact the public fiscal and public safety.

The Bureau of Law & Adjustment is responsible for investigating and adjusting claims filed for and against the City of New York. The Property Damage Division investigates and resolves tort claims including, but not limited to, automobile accidents, defective roadway/sidewalk, water main breaks, sewer overflows, and damage by City personnel. The Property Damage Division works closely with the New York City Law Department and various agencies and departments on a variety of matters.

Under the direction of the Assistant Division Chief, with wide latitude for independent initiative and judgment, responsibilities of the supervisor include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Supervise the daily work of claim specialists, coordinate their work, and review claims submitted by staff to ensure they are complete, and that an accurate disposition is determined regarding claim settlement or disallowance;
• Guide and monitor the performance of staff, including setting tasks and standards, completing performance evaluations, and maintaining regular diary reviews of assigned claims;
• Supervise and/or aid in the investigation of high-profile claims that involve multiple claimants, preparing and/or reviewing spreadsheets, or drafting reports or memoranda when required;
• Communicate effectively and professionally with all claimants, especially with pro se claimants; act as a liaison between the Comptroller's Office, agencies, attorneys, claimants, insurance carriers, etc. for the purpose of investigating and settling claims;
• Interact within prescribed limits to approve/disapprove recommendations made by the Law Department;
• Communicate effectively and professionally with the Comptroller's engineering and auditing staff, the Bureau of Fiscal Services, the Central Imaging Facility, the motor vehicle damage appraisal contractor, as well as the staff of other elected officials, among others;
• Use available databases for the purpose of obtaining information relevant to the investigation of a claim;
• Provide the Assistant Chief Division Chief with regular activity reports of staff assigned;
• Perform related assignments and special projects as required.

Qualifications & Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; or
• An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college or university and two years of full-time satisfactory experience investigating and/or settling claims for personal injury or property damage or loss; 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 satisfactory experience investigating and/or settling claims for personal injury or property damage or loss; or
• A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to "1", "2" or "3" above.

Additional information

College education may be substituted for experience as described in "2" or "3" above on the basis that 30 semester credits from an accredited college or university may be substituted for each year of required experience. However, all candidates must have a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.