Client Services Call Center Team Leader for the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources

About HPD, the Office of Housing Access and Stability:

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.

HPD is entrusted with fulfilling these objectives through the goals and strategies of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness, Mayor Adams’ comprehensive housing framework. HPD is committed to reducing administrative and regulatory barriers and make investments to tackle New York City’s complex housing crisis, by addressing homelessness and housing instability, promoting economic stability and mobility, increasing homeownership opportunities, improving health and safety, and increasing opportunities for equitable growth.

The Office of Housing Access and Stability (“HAS”) consists of the divisions of Housing Opportunity, Tenant and Owner Resources, Housing Stability, Budget and Program Operations, and Program Policy and Innovation. The mission of the office is to ensure fair, efficient, and transparent access to affordable housing. The Office provides subsidies, placement services, and tools that connect New Yorkers to affordable housing and ensures vulnerable households in subsidized housing have the support they need to be safely housed. Housing Access is committed to expanding housing choices, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and stabilizing the financial health of buildings.

Your Team:

At HPD, rent subsidy programs are administered by the Division of Tenant & Owner Resources (DTOR). HPD’s rental subsidies, including Section 8 or the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, provide funding to eligible low-income families for rental assistance toward decent, safe, and affordable housing in a neighborhood of their choice. Families pay approximately 30% of their income toward rent, and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) pays the difference, directly to the owner. The unit must have a rent that is determined reasonable and affordable by HPD and must meet federal Housing Quality Standards (HQS) to be approved. The Client Services team manages the Client Services office located at 100 Gold Steet. In this office, staff facilitate in person interactions, a call center, and handle various digital document submission systems to route submissions and inquiries to the appropriate departments throughout the division.

Your Impact:

Team Leaders in the Division of Tenant and Owner Resources (DTOR) report directly to the coordinator. Team Leaders are responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating unit-level operations that deliver critical services to Section 8 participants and stakeholders within the communities served. Team Leaders analyze and run operational reports to monitor productivity, efficiency, and service outcomes, and use data to inform workflow adjustments and performance improvements. They regularly engage with landlords, tenants, and other internal and external stakeholders to address programmatic issues, clarify policies, and support effective service delivery.

Team Leaders work closely with Client Service Specialists, providing guidance and support to ensure accurate and consistent communication of Section 8 policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. In addition to ongoing operational responsibilities, Team Leaders complete special projects and assignments as needed to support divisional priorities.

The Client Services Unit manages a high-volume call center, an in-person service center, and multiple virtual mail streams. Team Leaders assigned to Client Services ensure that service teams are effectively supporting stakeholders across all service channels and that service standards are consistently met.

The Client Services Call Center Team Leader supports the full Client Services team, with a primary focus on the success and performance of the Call Center. This role emphasizes staff engagement, real-time oversight, and accountability for service expectations. The Call Center Team Leader actively monitors staff interactions, provides hands-on coaching and training, and ensures effective call management practices to maintain high-quality, responsive customer service.

Your Role:

- Provide day-to-day leadership and on-floor supervision for call center staff handling high-volume inbound and outbound calls.

- Monitor real-time call activity, queues, and wait times to ensure service levels are met.

- Assign, reassign, and prioritize workloads based on call volume, staffing availability, and urgent client needs.

- Serve as the first point of escalation for complex or sensitive calls requiring supervisory intervention.

- Train, manage and ensure that staff is working within federal regulatory and local policy guidelines.

- Responsible for public communication, ensuring that accurate information is relayed to landlords, tenants and general public as well as community leaders and other governmental entities.

- Respond to inquiries; and working with the senior management team to implement and maintain best practice operations

- Attend meetings, conferences and trainings as required.

- Have full understanding of the various steps of the Section 8 programs to best assist clients and stakeholders in engaging with the program.

- Track and report on key call center metrics, including:

Call volume

Average wait time

Abandoned calls

Resolution rates

- Provide regular updates to management on staffing needs, service gaps, and operational challenges.

- Assist in developing strategies to improve efficiency and reduce backlogs.

- Work on special projects and initiatives as determined by management.

- May be required to work evenings and weekends.

Preferred skills

- Excellent communication skills (both written and oral)

- Computer knowledge (Word, Excel and Access)

- Strong analytical and interpersonal Skill

- Strong organizational Skills

- Knowledge of rental subsidies or Section 8 subsidy preferred

- Bilingual a plus

- A NYS Driver’s License is preferred

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATE - 56057

Qualification Requirements
1. High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.