Senior Advisor, Programs

About the role

The Senior Advisor, Programs will report to the Chief Policy and Programs Officer and serve as an advisor and manager for a range of NYC Talent priorities, including leveraging City and partner resources to build an integrated, equitable, and efficient workforce system that connects New Yorkers to good jobs and supports a strong local economy. The role emphasizes measurable results while working within strict funding rules and advancing systems change.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior advisor to the Executive Director and Chief Policy and Programs Officer on talent and workforce priorities, vision, goals, and programmatic initiatives.
• Supervise internal staff responsible for key programmatic portfolios serving priority populations and the City’s workforce and systems change goals, monitoring progress and ensuring goals and timelines are met.
• Lead initiatives including Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion, Youth Employment, and Agency Liaison efforts to support City Hall workforce development initiatives, RFP development, and feedback.
• Convene agency partners to align City workforce development initiatives with employer demand, jobseeker needs, and the WDB WIOA Local Plan priorities (e.g., Veterans, public assistance recipients, out-of-school youth, immigrants, older adults, justice-impacted individuals, and single parents).
• Coordinate with internal teams—Office of Community Hiring, Industry Partnerships, NYC Workforce Development Board, Apprenticeship Accelerator, Data & Impact, and External Affairs—to ensure consistent programmatic and policy priorities across the NYC Talent portfolio.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on career pathways development, referrals, and resource sharing to support WIOA programs including youth, adult education, vocational rehabilitation, and local education institutions.
• Provide expert technical assistance to Industry Partnerships and employer engagement intermediaries to maximize use of City programs by NYC businesses.
• Support City efforts to source new city, state, and federal funding streams through public grants, private partnerships, and philanthropic funding.
• Act as spokesperson and ambassador for NYC Talent in public forums, advocate for initiatives, and prepare written materials (memos, decks) for executive presentations and public speaking engagements.
• Interact with senior staff across the team and externally; implement new programs or policies across agencies; review legislation, studies, and reports; produce background and position memos and fact sheets; draft talking points; and support interagency collaboration to advance systems change.
• Supervise a current team of at least two staff.

About You

• Demonstrated commitment to NYC Talent’s mission and goals with integrity and credibility.
• Extensive knowledge of New York City’s workforce development landscape, including youth and adult learning best practices, skills training, and culturally competent, industry-specific curricula development and program design.
• Commitment to increasing equitable job access to growing sectors for New Yorkers.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including formal presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and prioritize to meet deadlines.
• Confidence representing NYC Talent with senior-level public and private sector partners.
• Self-starter who contributes positively to a learning culture and collaborative team, willing to perform the full range of tasks in a dynamic, rapidly responsive organization.
• Ability to quickly absorb complex, technical concepts and brief staff and senior external stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical and creative problem-solving skills.
• Thorough knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience working within workforce development preferred.
• Preferred knowledge of the NYC labor market and in-demand occupations.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and 8+ years in government, non-profit, education, human resources, or intergovernmental affairs, with at least three years in a managerial capacity; or
• 10+ years of related work experience, with at least three years in a managerial capacity.
• Master’s degree in Public Administration or a related field preferred.

In addition to the resume, a cover letter is required to apply.