Director of City Government Affairs

Job description

About the Agency: The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike. Your Team The Division of Government Affairs works with City, State, and federal elected officials, as well as agencies, policy makers, advocates, and other stakeholders to assess, craft, and secure legislative changes needed to implement HPD’s goals of creating and preserving affordable housing and protecting the quality and safety of the City’s housing stock. Your Role The Director of City Government Affairs will lead HPD’s engagement with the New York City Council and oversee the agency’s response to City legislation, hearings, and elected-official inquiries. Reporting to the Assistant Commissioner for Government Affairs, the Director will work with senior leadership, program teams, City Hall, and other City agencies to advance HPD’s legislative and policy priorities. Your Responsibilities - Monitor and analyze proposed City legislation, coordinate HPD’s analysis and response, and lead engagement with the New York City Council. - Work with senior staff to develop, draft, advocate for, and implement HPD’s City legislative and policy agenda. - Provide political analysis and strategic advice to the Commissioner and senior agency leadership. - Manage inquiries from City Hall, City agencies, elected officials, and constituents, coordinating responses with staff across HPD. - Cultivate and maintain relationships with elected officials, advocates, and other external partners. - Draft and edit public testimony and prepare the Commissioner and senior staff for City Council hearings. - Develop briefing materials that explain HPD’s legislative priorities and prepare senior staff for meetings with elected officials, advocates, and other stakeholders. - Provide the Commissioner and agency leadership with regular updates on City legislative activity and engagement. - Represent HPD at public hearings, public forums, meetings with elected officials, and other housing events. - Coordinate with City Hall and other City agencies on legislative and policy matters. Preferred Skills & Experience - 5+ years of experience working on City legislative issues or intergovernmental affairs at the local level. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills. - Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex assignments and meet deadlines. - Flexibility, creativity, and the ability to work effectively under pressure. - Knowledge of affordable housing, HPD programs and services, and housing policy broadly. - Experience building and maintaining relationships with elected officials and relevant stakeholders. - Ability to analyze and solve problems across a wide range of legislative, policy, and housing issues. LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT (HPD) - 95570 A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of responsible full-time paid experience developing government-subsidized housing programs or performing responsible staff work in the field of housing for a legislative body. Graduate work in an appropriate field may be substituted for up to two years of the required experience on a year-for-year basis. An equivalent combination of education and experience may also be accepted. However, all candidates must have at least one year of the qualifying experience described above. 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.