Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs Agency Chief of Staff

About the Agency:

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the citys housing and diversity and strength in the citys neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.

- We maintain building and resident safety and health
- We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability
- We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity.


Your Team:

The Office of External Affairs advances and promotes the agencys priorities in support of HPDs 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 policymakers advocates and other stakeholders to assess craft and secure legislative changes needed to implement HPDs goals of creating and preserving affordable housing and protecting the quality and safety of the Citys housing stock.
The Division of Communications crafts shapes and distributes content across various media platforms to promote the agencys programs efforts and mission to the public.

Your Impact:

As Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs / Agency Chief of Staff you will lead the agencys external affairs and communications strategy ensuring alignment with the priorities of the Commissioner Deputy Mayor and Mayor.

The Chief of Staff to the Commissioner acts as a key liaison between HPD and City Hall cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with external stakeholders while managing the flow of information between the Executive Office and agency leadership. This role is also critical to ensuring Mayoral housing priorities outlined in the Housing Our Neighbors Blueprint are tracked coordinated across agencies and effectively implemented.

Your Role:

You will oversee the Government Affairs and Communications divisions and provide strategic leadership for the agencys engagement with elected officials government partners advocates media and the public.

The Deputy Commissioner will exercise direct supervisory authority over the Assistant Commissioners for Intergovernmental Affairs and Communications and oversee high-profile initiatives requiring coordination across city state and federal partners.

Your Responsibilities:

- Develop and execute external affairs and communications strategies to advance agency priorities.
- Oversee Government Affairs and Communications teams to ensure coordinated messaging and stakeholder engagement.
- Manage public relations media strategy and agency communications.
- Advance the agencys legislative agenda and coordinate engagement with City State and federal policymakers.
- Prepare and represent the Commissioner at meetings hearings and public events as needed.
- Ensure agency readiness for legislative hearings and external inquiries.
- Strengthen coordination across agency leadership internal teams and City Hall.
- Foster a collaborative team culture grounded in equity inclusion and accountability.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position. The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development does not provide sponsorship for international employees for visa applications extensions or status changes including H-1B visas. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all qualifying requirements for this position at the time of application.

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER (HOUSING P - 95532

Qualifications :

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of experience in one or more of the following areas: community organization social work urban development projects real estate public administration or a related field of which two years must have been in a field directly related to neighborhood improvement such as housing community organization urban renewal or planning or real estate. A Law Degree or graduate work in an appropriate field may be substituted for up to two years of the general experience required; or

2. Education and/or experience equivalent to 1 including part-time and/or volunteer experience.

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 individuals sex race color ethnicity national origin age religion disability sexual orientation veteran status gender identity or pregnancy.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time