Job Description YOU MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE JOB OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST TITLE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR. THIS IS A PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT, WHEN A TEST BECOMES AVAILABLE IN THE ASSOCIATE JOB OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST (AJOS) TITLE, YOU MUST TAKE AND PASS THE EXAM TO REMAIN IN THE AJOS TITLE. The Homelessness Prevention Administration (HPA) was established in 2014 and has since played an essential role in the City’s overall eviction and homelessness prevention efforts to combat housing instability to help New Yorkers stay housed. HPA Office of Prevention and Housing Assistance (PHA) is primarily responsible for administration of the CityFHEPS rental subsidy program, the contracted in-community Homebase eviction prevention program and for new developments and an expanding continuum of homelessness prevention programing and contracts. PHA is currently comprised of the following units -The Rental Assistance Programs (RAP), the HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program (HOME TBRA), and the Office of Prevention and Community Support (PCS) and its expanding unit for Contracts (Homebase, Phase I,2,3-Cluster/Master Lease, City Council Discretionary Awards and Special Housing Assistance Resource (SHARE). The PHA-RAP is recruiting for two (2) Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist IIs to function as the RAP Team Leaders, who will: - Approve eligibility for tenant or landlord, approves check request for brokers and landlord payments for Rental Assistance Subsidy Programs; troubleshoot issues made by tenants, landlord, lawyer, advocate, legal aid via a review conference to achieve resolutions; addresses request for information and services from RAP landlords, tenants, and community advocates. - Ensure that Rental Assistance Unit Subsidy Program payments to landlords /brokers are executed timely and ensures the annual renewal of RAP subsidies. Approve modification made by the tenants for their CityFHEPS Rental Assistance Supplement Amount; review and approve the data entries of tenant information for federal funds into federal databases; utilizes other databases such as Housing Assistance Payment Systems (HAPS), HRA One Viewer, WMS, Finance.net, IQ System and SAVE. - Recommend new subsidy certificates for tenants who wish to submit a transfer request via email for issues with landlord, inhabitable apartments, etc., addresses requests for information and services from RAP landlords, tenants, and community advocates; supervises JOS workers who interview applicants and assess eligibility for immediate rent / public assistance; works with applicants to remove. Prepares daily and weekly statistical reports on work performed as well as monthly audits. Assist with case consultation on individual cases and guidance on difficult cases in the case planning process as necessary. - Supervisor staff that corresponds with homebound / homeless clients; supervises a team of JOS who provide quick service for those clients; take appropriate action on reported/ provided documentation and maintains contact with other teams to ensure awareness activities that affects the case management plan. She / he supervises staff who interview and determines housing needs of tenants at risk of homelessness. Assists in the development of anti-eviction/housing plan of intervention for referred participants. Qualifications 1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a related setting, providing either: a) client services. b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming. 2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full[1]time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or 3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full[1]time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above. 4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing social/human services work as described in one (1) above. 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.