Executive Director - Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement - Mayor's Office of Talent and Appointments (MOTA)

POSITION:                                                   Executive Director

DEPARTMENT/AGENCY:                          Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) 

OPEN:                                                          July 10, 2023

CLOSE:                                                       Open Until Filled

SALARY/GRADE:                                       E2  ($119,869 to $175,723)

The Safer, Stronger DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) was created to address violence in the District while assisting families dealing with the grief and trauma caused by these occurrences. As part of Mayor Bowser’s FY2018 Budget, and in compliance with the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results (NEAR) Act (PDF), ONSE created to consolidate the work being done by the Safer, Stronger DC Community Partnerships Office (SSDCCP) and the Community Stabilization Program (CSP) under one mission.  This position is located in the Executive Office of the Mayor, Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice and reports to the Deputy Mayor. The Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) is responsible for the coordination of violence prevention strategy and programs in the District of Columbia with a focus on utilizing public health approaches to respond to and prevent violence. The mission is to foster community-based strategies to help prevent violence and increase public safety. Our strategy is rooted in a public health approach to violence prevention, recognizing that reducing crime is not accomplished through law enforcement alone.  For more information about the ONSE office and programs, please visit here.

Executive Director

This position functions as Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. The Executive Director is responsible for the overall planning, organizing, promotion, direction, and implementation of the management and administration of the Office.

The mission of the DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) is to build a community-oriented model for violence prevention and public safety. ONSE employs a strategy rooted in public health, recognizing that crime reduction is not accomplished through law enforcement alone. ONSE programs consolidate violence prevention efforts across agencies to create a comprehensive violence prevention strategy throughout the District.

ONSE was created to address violence in the District while assisting families dealing with the grief and trauma caused by these occurrences. In addition to serving as coordinator for citywide prevention efforts, ONSE is responsible for playing an “on the ground” role in deterring negative activity in local communities, while serving individuals and families affected by violence.

The ONSE Executive Director, works under the general supervision of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, who provides broad policy direction, and assists the Executive Director in setting major policy and priority guidance for solving complex public safety issues.

The Executive Director will:

• Administer the Office’s operations and budget to determine and advance priorities, target resources, prioritize staff efforts, and execute plans to reduce gun-related violence in the District of Columbia.
• Implement violence intervention policy strategies and programs in the District of Columbia with a focus on utilizing public health approaches for responding to and preventing and combating gang/crew/crew violence and violent crime.
• Direct development of violence intervention and prevention programs for individuals residing in priority neighborhoods or who are most at risk of participating in, or being a victim of, violent crime.
• Oversee ONSE’s violence interruption program of violence interrupters, case managers, and community navigators that use evidence-based informal counseling techniques and trauma-informed care and restorative justice principles in communities experiencing sustained levels of gun violence.
• Ensure wrap-around services are provided for victims and families affected by homicide.
• Serve as a liaison to Federal, state, and local agencies, professional boards, task force groups, churches, and non-profit organizations. Represent the Department and Bowser Administration in public and private sector forums.
• Engage with the Office of the City Administrator and the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice and other partners to respond to issues, enhance coordination, and advance policy priorities.
• Ensure effective engagement with residents and other key stakeholder groups.
• Provide leadership and direction to ONSE staff, assess the adequacy of existing programs, and identify the problems and plan accordingly. Meet frequently with staff to discuss progress and problems encountered in their activities.
• Oversee the management of grant applications and awards.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of ten (10) years in senior leadership of a large public or private organization, with direct experience in criminal justice and public health-based approaches to violence, including matters affecting the deterrence of violent criminal behavior preferred.
• Prior executive level experience with planning, evaluating, organizing, and implementing best practices, policies, and procedures.
• Track record of managing organizational performance through developing, tracking, and reporting on performance metrics.
• Experience in managing large, complex budgets.
• Knowledge of the District of Columbia neighborhoods, demographics, and community issues that can contribute to violent crime.
• Knowledge of strategies aimed at mitigating community-based or gang/crew violence.
• Ability to develop positive business relationships, and to promote the acceptance and achievement of ONSE’s goals and objectives.
• Mastery of the principles and best practices related to effective community and youth engagement that empower neighborhoods to become partners in addressing neighborhood/community issues.
• Extensive knowledge of the principles, techniques, and methods of community program development and administration.
• Mastery of management principles, procedures and techniques of analysis and evaluation.
• Ability to perform multiple tasks and responsibilities with minimal oversight. 
• Demonstrated skills and experience in providing leadership in a supervisory/managerial capacity.
• Demonstrated expertise in providing leadership in a team-based environment in securing the support and cooperation of internal and external government officials, stakeholders, and partners as necessary.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to communicate ideas clearly and concisely, developing and sustaining positive relationships.

DOMICILE REQUIREMENT

There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted and Executive Service either: (1) be domiciled in the District of Columbia at the time of appointment; or (2) establish District domicile within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment. The law also requires that Excepted and Executive Service employees maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment. Failure to maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.

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