DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC OPERATIONS

AGENCY DESCRIPTION:
The Department of Small Business Services (SBS), an agency of 250 employees and a $100 million budget, makes it easier for companies in New York City to form, do business and grow by providing direct assistance to business owners, fostering neighborhood development in commercial districts, promoting financial and economic opportunity among minority- and women-owned businesses, and preparing New Yorkers for jobs and linking employers with a skilled and qualified workforce.

OPERATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY UNIT DESCRIPTION:
The SBS Operations and Technology Unit supports the business strategy and objectives of all of the Agency?s Program Divisions and its other internal Support Units. The Unit is focused on improving customer service delivery and increasing Agency performance and output. The Unit seeks economies of scale and scope across the Divisions of the Agency and where possible, across Agencies inside of City Government ? seeking better, smarter and more effective ways of serving customers and supporting the administration?s economic development strategy.

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Operations and Technology, with latitude to exercise independent judgment, oversees a portfolio of large-scale strategic and business process improvement initiatives designed to support the Agency?s strategic objectives and the performance of each of its Divisions and Units. In managing both projects and people, the Director will have a critical leadership role in ensuring that the Operations and Technology Unit provides operations and business process thought leadership and consulting services to the Agency. The Director will also have responsibility for leading high-quality software application development / modifications / maintenance, management report writing / report enhancement as well as directing staff training, information transfers and the roll-outs of new systems. The Director will also oversee the resources that provide database support and promote data quality of the Agency?s information systems and operations. The Director will work with SBS headquarters staff, staff at the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT), Workforce1 Career Center staff (service providers and partners) as well as Strategic Operations Coordinators and IT Leads (service provider staff) deployed in the field to create an environment of continuous improvement and strategic alignment of the Agency?s technology and tools with its business objectives.

-Project Management: Conceptualize, develop, coordinate, prepare and implement plans designed to support the business strategies of SBS? Program Divisions. Projects will be of a process re-engineering, systems and software application build / rebuild, business process improvement nature ? and will leverage technology ? and may involve working in partnership with other City Agencies and DoITT. Create tracking mechanisms, outline all resources required for successful implementation of initiatives, establish and implement timetables and control methodologies to ensure robust project management and that Program Division and internal Support Unit needs are met.


-Process Redesign / Improvement: Evaluate, compare, and redesign operational processes that connect all SBS customers with Program Divisions? products and services and with other Agencies ? where appropriate. Identify and name points of commonality of process and of data use across Divisions ? investigate ways to leverage solutions so that all Divisions benefit from rebuild activities. Create a work environment system whereby ongoing evaluation and improvement of Agency operational processes will become regular activities ? performed in each Unit of each Division and supported and led by the Strategic Operations group inside the Agency Operations and Technology Unit.

-Strategic / Operational Planning: Promote the integration of strategic business and operating plans across Program Divisions ? ensuring that technology has an appropriate supporting role for operations ? and that both are helping to formulate and support Agency strategy. Ensure that appropriate Agency Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are chosen to represent Agency performance and output ? that they are calculated using easy to gather operational data in automated fashion ? and that they are clearly understood by all constituencies. Create framework and construct for identifying statistically significant variations in operating measurements and allowing for appropriate management responses.

-Resource / Tool / System Building: Spearhead the integration of automation and tools designed to support decision-making. Engage appropriate constituencies / operations allies early and often in all initiatives ? ensuring various perspectives are represented in the design and implementation of improvement work. Direct the development and implementation of projects that will provide team-building opportunities for the Agency, our partners and the business community. Assist in developing plans, tools and systems designed to integrate and leverage all assets of the City?s municipal service-delivery system. Become a Business Operations Consultant to the Agency ? create an environment and provide tools and analytic frameworks so that Program Divisions and internal Support Units are motivated to share their process needs freely and often.

PREFERRED SKILLS:
-Experience with UML and documenting functionality requirements.
-Understanding of systems design, software architecture and database architecture.
-Experience developing technical and end-user documentation.
-Ability to apply proven software project management methodologies.
-Strong working knowledge of Visio, Crystal Reports, and MS SQL Server.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory, full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience requiring independent decision-making concerning program management or planning, allocation for resources and the scheduling and assignment of work, 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, executive or supervisory capacity. The supervisory work must have been in the supervision of staff performing clerical/administrative work of more than moderate difficulty.

TO APPLY FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE SUBMIT A RESUME AND COVER LETTER WHICH INCLUDES THE JOB VACANCY # (JVN) 801-07-004OT TO:

Department of Small Business Services
Donald Jackson
Executive Director, Human Resources
110 William Street-8th Floor
New York, New York 10038
e-mail: sbsjobs@sbs.nyc.gov