Deputy Director, Social Work, PAH-Brooklyn

Since 1968, Build Up Justice NYC (BUJNYC) has provided free legal services for low-income residents of Brooklyn, pursuing neighborhood-based mission of justice, empowerment, and community development. For over half a century, we have utilized an array of legal and advocacy strategies—community organizing, affirmative civil rights litigation, and eviction defense to defend the rights of individuals and families. Collaboration with the city, state, and federal officials to enforce housing laws and develop legislative solutions is also an integral part of our strategy.

BUJNYC has three core programs—Preserving Affordable Housing (PAH) Program, Consumer & Economic Advocacy (CEA) Program, and Community & Economic Development (CED) Program—each of which has unique initiatives and plays a vital community role to ensure basic needs are met and fundamental rights affirmed.

The Deputy Director, Social Work, PAHB will be responsible managing a team of social workers to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery to clients who are living in Brooklyn, New York and who are at risk of displacement. They will supervise a team of social workers who provide direct client and referral services and limited counseling to clients in support of or related to their legal issues to include ensuring case notes are completed and entered into the appropriate database in accordance with expected time frames and requirements.

Reporting to the Program Director, they will develop, conduct, and participate in community outreach, education, and training which may occur during evenings and weekends. They will strategize with the staff on how to best interact with and support clients with medical, mental health and other special needs and prepare necessary reports, proposals, and other documents relating to their legal work.

• Oversee client services planning and implementing and case management functions;
• Conduct and oversee assessments, crisis intervention, short-term counseling, emotional support, and case management services that are person-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive;
• Oversee caseloads/client management and engagement, track progress, and ensure proper documentation and follow-up to ensure accountability and maintenance of professional standards;
• Develop referral resources and provide clients with referrals appropriate to their service needs as related to the legal case, and maintaining liaisons with referral resources, service providers, community agencies, private and public institutions;
• Identify service resources, which may include but not be limited to medical, mental health or additional specific social services to prepare clients for engaging in services;
• Develop templates and monitor implementation of service plans that help prepare clients to more effectively advocate on their own behalf;
• Provide supportive counseling, crisis intervention, education and emergency safety planning to clients and designated collateral parties as needed;
• Identify and create opportunities for staff development to promote professional development;
• Provide case coverage, as needed;
• Confer and consult with PAHB team leaders on social work advocacy relevant to legal matters;
• Accompany vulnerable clients to various venues relating to legal case or supporting referrals, e.g. court, appointments with administrative agencies and / or community-based organizations, as needed;
• Maintain up-to-date program and client data to ensure its accuracy in case management systems and with gathering and monitoring data for grant and program progress reporting, as needed;
• Develop, conduct, and participate in outreach, education, and training with community groups and agencies which may…