Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer

About DYCD

The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) invests in a network of community-based organizations and programs to alleviate the effects of poverty and provide opportunities for young people, families, and communities to thrive. DYCD supports New Yorkers through a broad portfolio of youth development, workforce, and community programs delivered in partnership with providers across the city.

Position Overview

DYCD is seeking a Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer to shape how the agency is represented and understood across New York City. This role leads the agency’s communications, media, intergovernmental affairs and public-facing engagement, ensuring that messaging is clear, consistent, and grounded in the agency’s work. Key audiences include youth and families, community-based organizations, City agency partners, policymakers, and DYCD staff.

Key Responsibilities

• Agency Narrative and Positioning
• Define and guide DYCD’s overarching narrative, ensuring clarity and consistency across initiatives, audiences, and platforms
• Establish standards for messaging, tone, and visual identity across the agency
• Ensure alignment with mayoral priorities and citywide messaging
• Strategic Communications Leadership
• Lead internal and external communications strategy, including media, digital, speechwriting, and public messaging
• Oversee development and execution of communications plans for major initiatives and agency priorities
• Direct crisis communications and high-profile responses
• Media and Public Relations
• Oversee press, media relations, and public-facing engagement
• Ensure timely, accurate, and strategic responses to media inquiries
• Support press events, public appearances, and external engagements
• Intergovernmental Affairs
• Align communications related to engagement with City Hall, elected officials, and agency partners
• Ensure consistency and coordination in how the agency communicates across government
• Partner with intergovernmental affairs staff to support briefing materials, testimony, and external coordination
• External Relations
• Oversee Community Connect Call Center
• A contact center and information and referral hub that connects youth and families to services, benefits, and local resources
• Equity in Communications
• Ensure communications are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of the communities served
• Oversee language access and equitable communication practices
• Partner with equity leadership to align messaging with broader equity priorities
• Translate agency work for diverse audiences, including young people, providers, community-based organizations, elected officials, and city leadership
• Ensure messaging reflects both policy intent and lived experience
• Leadership Coordination
• Provide direct counsel to the Commissioner on messaging, positioning, and external engagement
• Work closely with the Chief of Staff to ensure alignment between messaging and execution
• Partner with the Senior Advisor to align communications with strategic, initiative-based intergovernmental and cross-sector efforts

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and four (4) years of satisfactory, relevant, full-time, experience in community planning, community relations, development and organization including one (1) year in a supervisory, administrative, consultative, managerial or executive capacity; or
• A satisfactory combination of education and experience equivalent to â 1 â above.
• However, all candidates must have one (1) year of specialized experience as described in â 1 â above.

Preferred Skills

• Deep experience in communications, public affairs, or policy translation in government or mission-driven settings
• Strong understanding of New York City government and intergovernmental dynamics
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex systems, programs, and policies into clear, compelling messaging
• Experience managing communications, media, and stakeholder engagement functions
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to align and elevate teams
• Ability to operate at both strategic and relational levels
• Commitment to equity and inclusive communication practices

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

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.