Assistant Director Public Information

Responsibilities

• Coordinate timely, accurate responses to press inquiries, working with team members, subject‑matter experts and leadership to gather facts, draft statements, and secure necessary approvals (including from the Governor’s Office when required).
• Serve as a liaison between executive staff and the press, providing background information, preparing officials for interviews, and coordinating live or remote opportunities.
• Identify, develop and pitch positive stories to press highlighting staff and providers.
• Accompany the Commissioner or other agency executives when attending press events.
• Interface with news media and ensure media have accurate information about agency involvement and initiatives.
• May photograph or record leadership and staff at public events.
• Provide strategic guidance to executives, assist with event planning, and serve on an on‑call rotation for after‑hours/weekend press inquiries and crisis communications.
• Draft and edit a wide range of external collateral, including press releases, media advisories, statements, letters to the editor, reports, fact sheets, and print/web articles.
• Write internal memos, correspondence, briefing materials, and proofread written collateral developed across the Communications team.
• Partner with leadership to research and draft remarks, talking points, and testimony for the Commissioner and executives, ensuring accuracy, data consistency, and alignment with agency initiatives.
• Create engaging, professional, brand‑compliant social and web copy highlighting agency initiatives, data reports, and events.
• Partner with the Campaigns/Public Awareness and Digital Directors to support public‑awareness initiatives.
• Collaborate with medical directors to draft and distribute public‑health notices across digital channels, provider networks, and the press.
• Manage departmental and agency projects by establishing milestones, defining deliverables, and ensuring timely completion.
• Identify and incorporate new communication mediums ranging from digital to grassroots.
• Collaborate under supervisory direction with state agencies, the Governor’s Office, external partners, and elected officials on events and material development and distribution.
• Coordinate review and approval of all co‑branded materials to ensure accurate agency representation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Minimum of nine (9) years of experience in public relations, journalism, communications, media relations, advertising, or a closely related field.
• At least two (2) years of that experience must have been at a supervisory level.
• Education may substitute for experience:
  • Associate’s degree – substitutes for two (2) years of specialized experience.
  • Bachelor’s degree – substitutes for four (4) years of specialized experience.
  • Master’s degree – substitutes for five (5) years of specialized experience.
  • J.D. – substitutes for six (6) years of specialized experience.
  • Ph.D. – substitutes for seven (7) years of specialized experience.
• Degrees must be in public relations, journalism, communications, media relations, advertising, or a closely related discipline.
• Ideal candidate: a self‑motivated, strong writer and strategist with a journalism or news‑driven PR background, highly proficient in leveraging both traditional and social media.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• NYS Employees Retirement System (pension).
• Optional Deferred Compensation Program.
• Tuition assistance.
• Generous paid leave benefits.
• Compensation for 13 State holidays per year.
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs.
• Flex Spending Accounts.
• Telecommuting may be discussed as part of the interview process.
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on direct loans after 120 qualifying payments while working full‑time for an eligible public‑service employer such as New York State.