Director, Data Requests & Governance Unit

The Bureau of Vital Statistics is responsible for registering and certifying all birth, deaths, spontaneous and induced terminations of pregnancy in NYC. The bureau issues, analyzes and reports on 285,000 vital events each year. The bureau is a very large customer service operation, providing death certification services on a 24/7 basis, issuing more than 900,000 certified copies of birth and death records, and fulfilling hundreds of data requests annually.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
Routine Statistical File Production and Surveillance
Lead the production of standard mortality and natality statistics, including tabulations, indicators, and trend analyses used for agency reporting and public dissemination. Oversee and contribute directly to rapid surveillance reporting, including timely analyses used to monitor emerging trends, anomalies, and public health concerns.
Ensure analytic outputs meet established standards for methodological rigor, accuracy, and interpretability.
Data Requests and Analytic Products.
Manage and fulfill internal and external data requests, including requests from other programs, leadership, researchers, and partner agencies.
Develop analytic products for agency and public use, including tables, briefs, reports, dashboards, and data files.
Serve as a senior reviewer for analytic outputs produced by other staff, ensuring consistency, quality, and appropriate interpretation.
Data Quality and Validation.
With Office of Quality Improvement team, perform routine data checks and quality assurance processes for vital records data, including completeness, consistency, timeliness, and validity. Identify data quality issues, investigate root causes, and coordinate with operational and systems partners to resolve issues.
Document quality standards and validation procedures and ensure they are applied consistently.
Data Governance and Data Sharing Serve as a senior technical lead for data governance related to vital event data.
Support internal and external data sharing processes, including reviewing requests for appropriateness and feasibility, applying governance rules and disclosure protections, and documenting data use agreements and conditions.
Work closely with legal, privacy, and governance partners to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
Maintain documentation of data definitions, metadata, and governance rules.
Technical Leadership and Mentorship.
Provide technical guidance and mentorship to analysts and research scientists within the unit and across BVS.
Support cross-unit collaboration with operational, systems, and governance teams to ensure analytic needs are aligned with data collection and system capabilities. Contribute subject-matter expertise to agency workgroups related to surveillance, reporting, and data governance.

PREFERRED SKILLS:
Advanced expertise in vital statistics, population health data, or epidemiologic analysis
Strong experience producing routine statistical outputs and rapid surveillance analyses
Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize high-volume data requests
Deep understanding of data quality assurance and validation practices
Experience with data governance, data sharing, and disclosure control
Proficiency in statistical programming languages (e.g., SAS, R, Python, SQL)
Ability to communicate complex analytic findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
Experience working in government, public health agencies, or similarly regulated data environments

Why you should work for us:

- Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as:
o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment.
o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund.
o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement.
o a tax-deferred savings program and
o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
- Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
- Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

Established in 1805, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health Department) is the oldest and largest health department in the U.S., dedicated to protecting and improving the health of NYC. Our mission is to safeguard the health of every resident and cultivate a city where everyone, regardless of age, background, or location, can achieve their optimal health. We provide a wide array of programs and services focused on food and nutrition, anti-tobacco support, chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment, family and child health, environmental health, mental health, and social justice initiatives. As the primary population health strategist and policy authority for NYC, with a rich history of public health initiatives and scientific advancements, from addressing the 1822 yellow fever outbreak to the COVID-19 pandemic, we serve as a global leader in public health innovation and expertise.

Come join us and help to continue our efforts in making a difference in the lives of all New Yorkers!

The NYC Health Department is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation to all individuals. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Sye-Eun Ahn, Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, at [email protected] or 347-396-6549.

CITY RESEARCH SCIENTIST - 21744

1. For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:
1. A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
2. A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above. Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

NOTE:
Probationary Period
Appointments to this position are subject to a minimum probationary period of one year.

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.