Deputy Commissioner

Job Description

Hours: Full-Time Position – 35 Hours Work Location: 30-30 Thomson Avenue, LIC, NY 11101 Only candidates who are permanent in the Administrative Engineer title or those who are reachable on the DDC promotional list (exam #5564), or the open-competitive list (exam #5163) may apply. Please indicate a copy of your Notice of Result card or indicate if you are already permanent in the title. If you do not meet the previously mentioned civil service criteria, you will not be considered for an interview. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) seeks an experienced, strategic, and forward-thinking executive to serve as Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Infrastructure. Reporting directly to the First Deputy Commissioner, with wide latitude for independent judgment, initiative, and decision-making, the Deputy Commissioner will direct the agency’s Division of Infrastructure. This executive leader oversees the planning, design, and construction of New York City’s consolidated roadways, sewer, and water main capital programs, managing an active multi-year capital portfolio valued at approximately $15 billion. Key Executive Responsibilities: • Portfolio & Program Governance: Provide overarching leadership, technical direction, and administrative oversight for all Infrastructure capital design and construction contracts. Ensure the division meets or exceeds commitments set forth in the City’s Capital Commitment Plan. • Strategic Planning & Agency Alignment: Establish short- and long-term strategic priorities, performance metrics, and operational goals. Partner with client agencies—including the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Transportation (DOT)—to synchronize capital planning and align interagency project delivery. • Executive Advisory: Formulate and deliver high-level technical, policy, and contractual recommendations directly to the Commissioner regarding complex engineering initiatives, regulatory mandates, and high-visibility capital programs. • Capital Delivery Innovation: Drive program-level modernization, including the adoption of streamlined project delivery models, progressive procurement practices, front-end scope validation, and risk mitigation strategies to control costs and minimize community impact. • Divisional Leadership & Workforce Development: Manage a large multi-disciplinary workforce consisting of executive directors, licensed professional engineers, construction managers, technical specialists, and administrative personnel. Promote professional development, succession planning, and equitable operational practices. • Stakeholder & Crisis Leadership: Represent the agency before City Hall, oversight authorities, community boards, utility partners, and elected officials on critical infrastructure initiatives, project milestones, and urgent field matters. Educational credentials must be from a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accredited institution. Credentials from foreign institutions require independent equivalency verification from an approved evaluation service. A list of providers (fees apply) is available at: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/nyc-dcas-foreign-education-evaluation-guide.pdf. All applicants, including City Employees: Please go to NYC Government Jobs Explore Careers City of New York, go to Search for Open Jobs, and type in the Job ID # listed above. Submit job application as prompted. Do not apply via Employee Self-Service (ESS), e-mail, mail, or fax your resume to DDC directly.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

1. A valid New York State License as a Professional Engineer and six (6) years of full-time satisfactory experience in chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, or plan examining work, at least two (2) years of which must have been in an executive, managerial, or administrative capacity.

Preferred Skills

Please note the following preferred skills for this position: 1. Executive Infrastructure Experience: At least 10–15 years of progressively responsible managerial, administrative, and technical leadership overseeing large-scale civil infrastructure projects (including deep sewer installation, trunk water mains, complex subsurface utilities, and street reconstruction). 2. Capital Portfolio Management: Proven track record directing multi-million or multi-billion-dollar municipal capital programs from preliminary design through contract registration, active construction, and closeout. 3. Interagency & Regulatory Acumen: Thorough familiarity with NYC municipal operations, capital budgeting processes (FMS/OMB), environmental permitting (DEC, EPA), utility coordination, and relevant city/state regulatory codes. 4. Collaborative Leadership: Demonstrated capability to guide, mentor, and build consensus across extensive multi-disciplinary teams, diverse labor workforces, and executive-level interagency task forces. 5. High-Stakes Communication: Superior executive presentation, negotiation, and written communication skills, with extensive experience presenting complex engineering and financial analyses to senior government officials, civic organizations, and external oversight bodies.