Community Relations and Communications Associate

The Downtown Poughkeepsie Business Improvement District (DTPK BID) supports and uplifts local businesses while enhancing quality of life for downtown residents, workers, and visitors. Our work focuses on four key areas: beautification, public safety and security, business climate, and downtown identity.

Our vision is to establish Downtown Poughkeepsie as the Hudson Valley’s premier commercial and cultural hub - a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible urban center where people gather and businesses prosper.

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The Community Relations and Communications Associate is one of the BID’s most visible connections to the downtown community.

This person spends significant time in the district building relationships with businesses, property owners, residents, and community partners; communicating BID programs and initiatives; identifying issues and opportunities; and helping tell the story of Downtown Poughkeepsie through social media and other communications.

The role combines community outreach, content creation, district monitoring, and event support. A successful candidate will be equally comfortable introducing themselves to a new business owner, capturing a great photo or short video, writing an engaging social post, reporting a streetscape issue, and helping coordinate activity at a downtown event.

The Associate reports to the BID Administrator and works closely with BID leadership, Board members, contractors, volunteers, businesses, and community partners.

• Maintain a regular, visible presence throughout the district and build strong working relationships with business owners, property owners, employees, residents, and community partners.
• Explain BID programs, priorities, services, and impact in clear, accessible language.
• Welcome new businesses, introduce them to BID services and resources, and help connect them to the downtown community.
• Promote BID and City programs available to downtown businesses, including grants, events, services, and other opportunities.
• Help distribute BID updates, materials, and information directly to downtown stakeholders.
• Attend community, neighborhood, and public meetings as assigned and report relevant information back to BID leadership.
• Listen to stakeholder concerns, complaints, ideas, and opportunities; document them; route them to the appropriate person; and follow up as needed.

• Manage the BID’s day-to-day social media presence, creating and publishing timely, engaging content that showcases downtown businesses, events, people, projects, and progress.
• Capture original photos, short-form video, interviews, and other content throughout the district.
• Identify and develop stories that highlight Downtown Poughkeepsie and demonstrate the BID’s work and impact.
• Write clear, engaging copy for social media, email communications, website updates, stakeholder materials, and other BID channels.
• Promote BID events, programs, business openings, grants, public improvements, and other downtown news and opportunities through appropriate channels.
• Maintain a content calendar aligned with BID priorities, events, campaigns, and downtown activity.
• Monitor BID social media channels and respond to or appropriately route questions, comments, and messages.
• Track basic communications and social media performance and use results to help improve future content.

• Monitor downtown conditions, including trash, graffiti, lighting, sidewalks, landscaping, vacant storefronts, and other quality-of-life issues.
• Report problems through the appropriate City, DPW, or 311 channels and follow significant issues through resolution.
• Identify recurring safety or quality-of-life concerns and bring them to…