Associate Commissioner External Affairs

About the Agency:
The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants.

With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike.
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROJECT DIRECTO - 95566

The Office of External Affairs advances and promotes the agency's priorities in support of HPD's mission. It is comprised of two divisions: the Division of Government Affairs and the Division of Communications. The Division of Government Affairs works with City, State, and federal elected officials, as well as agencies, policy makers, advocates, and other stakeholders to assess, craft, and secure legislative changes needed to implement HPD’s goals of creating and preserving affordable housing and protecting the quality and safety of the City’s housing stock.
The Division of Communications oversees all public relations for the agency and is responsible for crafting a proactive strategy to promote agency initiatives, programs, and accomplishments to the media, our partners, our staff, and the public. The division manages interactions with the press, social media channels, the agency’s website, internal communications, and digital and print materials.

As a senior official within the agency, you will be responsible for making sure your office and senior leadership work together to execute the Commissioner’s, Deputy Mayor’s, and Mayor’s initiatives and policy objectives. In close coordination with external agency partners, you will also be responsible for facilitating improved communication, coordination, and collaboration within your team, among other teams at the agency, and with external stakeholders.

In coordination with leadership from the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs, the Associate Commissioner will:

• Develop and execute robust external affairs and communications strategies for the agency, including for public events, brand building, press relations, digital media, issue-based campaigns, and legislator and general stakeholder relationship management.
• Manage creative production and message consistency of the launch of any advertising, traditional media coverage, web content, and social media efforts.
• Oversee all public relations activities and formal communications materials generated by the agency, including press releases.
• Ensure the Commissioner is fully prepared for meetings, speaking engagements, and other public appearances and/or represent the Commissioner at external meetings and events as required, fostering positive relationships with key stakeholders.
• Manage New York City’s affordable housing legislative agenda at the city, state, and federal levels. Identify hearings and bills that relate and impact the agency’s ability to deliver on our agenda.
• Collaborate with policy makers, advocates, and planners to assess and craft housing policies for managing the agency’s external positioning on any relevant non-housing legislation or policies.
• Ensure the agency is adequately prepared for public hearings and respond to inquiries from the general public and elected…