Director of Digital + New Media Communications

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 Communications oversees all public relations for the agency and is responsible for crafting a proactive strategy to promote agency initiatives, programs, and accomplishments to the media, our partners, our staff, and the public. The division manages interactions with the press, social media channels, the agency’s website, internal communications, and digital and print materials. Your Role The Director of Digital + New Media Communications will lead HPD’s digital, creative content, and new media strategy. Reporting to the Assistant Commissioner for Communications, the Director will oversee HPD’s digital presence and develop new ways to reach New Yorkers. This role sits at the intersection of press, partnerships, creative strategy, and high-visibility public communications. The Director will help shape how HPD tells its story online, informs the public about the agency’s work, and builds engagement around New York City’s housing future. Your Responsibilities - Develop and lead HPD’s digital and new media communications strategy across social media, digital campaigns, creator partnerships, and emerging platforms. - Supervise the Digital + Creative Communications Coordinator and Digital Strategist, including setting priorities, managing workflows, reviewing content, and supporting professional development. - Oversee HPD’s social media calendar, digital content planning, and digital coverage of press events, public announcements, community events, and major initiatives. - Develop creative messaging and platform-specific content strategies that translate HPD policies, programs, and accomplishments into clear and engaging public-facing content. - Identify and build relationships with creators, influencers, digital-first outlets, community platforms, and other nontraditional media partners. - Coordinate with the press office to integrate digital and new media into communications plans, press rollouts, and rapid-response moments. - Provide creative direction for multimedia content, digital toolkits, web content, and other creative assets. - Track digital trends, audience behavior, and campaign performance, using data to improve reach, engagement, and impact. - Support time-sensitive digital communications needs and special projects, as assigned. Preferred Skills & Experience - 5+ years of experience in digital communications, social media, public affairs, marketing, or a related field ideally in a government agency, political campaign, advocacy organization, or digital media environment. - Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines in a fast-paced environment. - Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate complex policy or program information into clear public-facing content. - Experience providing creative direction for social media channels, digital campaigns, content calendars, digital toolkits, and multimedia content. - Experience developing relationships in the creator, influencer, and new media space. - Experience using analytics to evaluate digital performance and improve reach, engagement, and impact. - Familiarity with New York City media, local government, or public-sector communications. - Ability to work outside business hours to support time-sensitive agency needs. - Demonstrated interest in city government or affordable housing. CONFIDENTIAL STRATEGY PLANNER - 54746 A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of satisfactory, full time experience related to the projects and policies to be studied in the particular position. 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.