Senior Counsel Audit & Special Projects

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York's tenants.

With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.

The Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will be a leader in the Office of Compliance & Risk Management (CRM). This Office includes various compliance, oversight, risk management, and hearing functions to ensure fairness, consistency, and equity in both our external and internal engagement. CRM collaborates with programs across HPD to ensure that the agency and its partners comply with Federal, State, and City laws, regulatory requirements, policies, and procedures.

The Office includes the following Divisions and units:

• Compliance & Strategy
• Economic Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance
• Audit Support
• Adjudications
• Public Information

The Audit Support unit helps agency staff and leaders to manage and coordinate audits and reviews from City, State, and Federal funding and oversight entities; creates and carries out policies and procedures to make the audit process as efficient and streamlined as possible; and helps ensure that conditions discovered in the context of audits are addressed through revised program practice.

The Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will spearhead work that protects resources critical to HPD's mission of ensuring that New Yorkers have safe, stable, affordable housing. In addition to leading the Audit Support unit, the Senior Counsel will advise the Chief Compliance Officer on relevant laws, rules, and regulations; implementation of new legislative or regulatory proposals; and risk mitigation best practices:

• Preparing for, strategizing, and responding to requests and reports from auditors or other external oversight entities
• Guiding internal staff through the coordinated preparation for and response to audit and/or compliance reviews
• Supporting program staff in remedying issues identified internally or through externally initiated audits or reviews
• Bolstering agency risk mitigation efforts through reviews of policies, procedures, and internal controls

Reporting to the Chief Compliance Officer and working closely with staff throughout the agency, the Senior Counsel for Audit & Special Projects will:

• Manage audits and compliance reviews conducted by Federal, State, or City entities that fund and govern program activity and agency commitments. The person in this role will have the opportunity to learn about programs throughout the agency, while also strengthening agency operations and internal controls.
• Strengthen risk mitigation efforts through the review of agency policies and procedures to ensure agency programs meet obligations and align with best practices.
• Lead the Audit Support unit, including managing staff, to facilitate the effectiveness of audit responses or compliance reviews, accuracy of information transmitted, and monitor progress on commitments.

• Manage all aspects of audits, compliance reviews, and/or monitoring’s including:
  • Overseeing the coordination and completion of responses to audit requests for program materials, documents, and status updates on…