Senior Manager, External Affairs

• Job Category:
  Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
• Salary Band: $125,000 to $150,000
• Compensation: USD 140,000 - USD 150,000

The Agency You’ll Join:
The New York City Mayor’s Office is responsible for overseeing city services throughout the five boroughs, coordinating public agencies and departments, and managing public property. The administration is leading the fight to make the city more affordable, reduce inequality, improve public safety, ensure delivery of efficient and effective services, and strengthen New York City’s economy. We value leadership, transparency, fairness, and efficiency and actively seek diverse talents from various sectors to join our team.

The Team You’ll Work With:
The Mayor’s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education (OCCECE) delivers on the Mayor’s Universal Child Care priority. It sets the Administration’s child care strategy, coordinates work across City agencies, and engages with the public, serving as a central hub for citywide policy implementation and coordination with over a dozen agencies, including New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), Administration of Children’s Services (ACS), Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and Department of Social Services (DSS).

The Office fosters strategic partnerships with all levels of government, private entities, nonprofits, and foundations and works closely with families and providers to ensure their voices are represented in policy design and implementation.

The Problems You’ll Solve:
The Senior Manager, External Affairs, will report to the Executive Director and work in close partnership with other senior leaders on the team.

• Partner with City Hall and agency communications teams to set the child care communications strategy and collaborate on all public statements, press, and media related to child care matters.
• Develop and maintain messaging materials for the Office, including talking points and standard presentation materials for public appearances.
• Coordinate with partner agencies on communications and marketing strategy for the City’s early childhood programs and initiatives.
• Manage the Office’s social media presence.
• Collaborate with the Intergovernmental Affairs team to set the child care engagement strategy and engage with city, state, and federal elected officials on child care matters.
• Oversee public reporting on behalf of the Office.
• Prepare the Office for engagement with elected officials, including City Council hearings and meetings with relevant Council Committees and Sub-Committees.
• Maintain ongoing communications with community, civic, and media organizations related to childcare & early education policy and service delivery.
• Manage discrete special projects related to communications and external affairs.
• Perform other duties incidental to the work listed above.

• Knowledge of and experience with New York City and State government.
• Ability to thrive in rapid-response, fast-paced work.
• Excellent communication skills: public speaking, presentations, interpersonal communication, and both formal and informal writing.
• Capability to navigate policy and political differences among key stakeholders.
• Leadership ability and engagement with government, the public, industry leaders, stakeholders, and high-level policy decision makers.
• Empathy, understanding, and tactfulness in engaging community members in difficult conversation topics.
• Ability to work well under pressure and maintain an enthusiastic work ethic, embracing different work styles.
• Attention to discretion, sensitivity, and detail.
• Commitment to equity and public service.
• Cultural competency to effectively work with diverse populations.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5–7+ years of work experience in communications, external affairs, intergovernmental affairs, policy advocacy, or a combination thereof.

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 on any legally protected status or characteristic, including but not limited to sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.