Special Assistant, Central Office;

Duties Description The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is recruiting to fill one exempt position of Special Assistant, NS, in the Office of Chief Medical Officer (OCMO). The Special Assistant will function as the Director of Operations, serving as an advisor to the Chief Medical Officer and providing executive leadership for the operational functions of a diverse portfolio of statewide clinical, prevention, population health, data, and research activities, ensuring alignment with organizational mission, strategic priorities, and public mental health outcomes. The incumbent will manage, direct, and coordinate prevention and collaborative care initiatives, as well as initiatives impacting populations with complex care needs (including Medicaid/Managed Care and homelessness), and work closely with the Chief Medical Officer, as well as offices that provide operational support to the Office of the Chief Medical Officer (e.g. Nursing Services, Health Services), and the OMH’s Research Institutes.

Specific duties to be performed may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serve as the principal operational advisor to the Chief Medical Officer, translating strategic vision into agency-wide initiatives, performance objectives, and measurable organizational outcomes.
• Provide leadership and policy direction to OCMO staff in program planning, development, and implementation to maximize efficiency and impact.
• Lead operations for cross-divisional initiatives, emerging policy priorities, emergency preparedness and response activities, and intra-agency collaborations, ensuring coordinated implementation, risk mitigation, and timely achievement of organizational objectives.
• Provide operational leadership and project management for a diverse portfolio of statewide clinical, prevention, population health, data, and research activities, ensuring alignment with organizational mission, strategic priorities, and public mental health outcomes.
• Direct fiscal strategy and stewardship for operating budgets, procurement activities, contract management, grant-funded initiatives, and resource allocation processes to ensure financial sustainability and alignment with strategic priorities.
• Leverage data analytics and operational metrics to drive accountability, improve service delivery, and support process improvement and executive decision-making.
• Ensure communication of strategic goals and objectives in support of organizational priorities throughout OCMO.
• Coordinate with human resources and oversee all aspects of personnel management, inclusive of staffing strategy, succession planning, and performance management.
• Foster and maintain executive-level partnerships with government agencies, healthcare systems, research institutions, community organizations, and other external stakeholders to advance collaborative initiatives and system-wide improvements.
• Oversee administrative processes within OCMO and ensure transparent communication and staff engagement.

Minimum Qualifications This is an exempt class position; there are no established minimum qualifications. However, in order to be successful, candidates must hold a Master’s or Doctorate degree in public health, public administration, or other health or human services-related field, plus at least ten years of experience in mental health, public health, or healthcare, at least five years of which must have been in program management and large-scale operations.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exceptional skills needed include the following: Organizational; meeting facilitation; communication (written and oral); dynamic, high-level interpersonal relationship management; meticulous attention to detail; synthesis of large volume of information and ability to focus on key points.
• Demonstrated experience in the foundational principles of developing, implementing, and managing behavioral health and human services programs, with the ability to rapidly assess new initiatives, understand their strategic and operational context, and quickly acquire subject matter knowledge to advance implementation. Combines strong administrative and operational expertise with substantive content knowledge to develop high-quality materials, anticipate and address potential challenges, identify practical solutions, and support successful execution of complex initiatives.
• Ability to be highly flexible, including both being able to pivot rapidly to ad…