Deputy Director Of Govt & Community Relations

Department: Strategy

Location: New York, NY

Reports to: Chief Strategy Officer

Salary: $85,000-$100,000, commensurate with experience, plus Excellent Benefits

Full/Part-time: Full-time

Date: March 2024

Want to join a dynamic public affairs and strategy focused team working towards a more just New York? Do you believe it’s important that New Yorkers live with dignity? If so, apply on our website or LinkedIn for this position!

Grand St. Settlement empowers low-income and immigrant New Yorkers with services that help them strengthen and thrive. We have been doing this for over 100 years. Since 2015, we have grown to become a $45 million organization, serving over 17,500 New York families at 39 community centers and school-based sites across Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Our 500 employees advocate for the Grand Street model: we meet community needs by building community strengths.

Job Summary: The Deputy Director of Government and Community Relations will develop, create, and maintain partnerships across the agency and with outside stakeholders.

You will report to the Chief Strategy Officer and work closely with him and the Strategy team to forge and strengthen community partnerships. You will partner with the operations team as well as Grand St.’s programmatic teams focused on early childhood, youth, and senior programming. You will interface internally with staff and serve as a representative of the organization with consultants, contractors, government agencies, community organizations, and elected officials. You will support advocacy efforts and policy analysis related to NYC city and state budget and early childhood education. You will assist with day-to-day administrative needs of the team as well as special projects.

The ideal candidate lives within the New York City area, is deeply familiar with the City, and will be based out of our 175 Delancey Street New York, NY 10002 location. The position will be an onsite work: requirements to be in the office and work is based on the project and needs of the team.

Your Day-to-Day Duties and Responsibilities:

Community Affairs

• Coordinate with our Executive Team to identify and develop strategic partnerships that result in enhanced services, funding, and resources
• Cultivate and maintain a portfolio of current and potential strategic partners
• Proactively establish strong working relationships and lines of communication with nonprofits, NYCHA and other landlords, developers, corporations, elected official staff, government agencies, the local NYPD precinct, and other neighborhood stakeholders
• Represent GSS at events, community meetings, and conferences to promote our programs and services
• Serve as a contact for government relations consultants and lobbyists towards the goal of moving GSS interests forward and lead follow up actions related to NYCHA, city agencies, and elected officials.
• Work with the Deputy Director of Communications to leverage social media to increase visibility and enrollment for GSS programs and services
• Conceptualize and execute community and partner cultivation events such as community forums, civic campaigns, book fairs, readings, and holiday events at 80 Pitt Street and 175 Delancey.
• Facilitate community center and school site visits for elected officials in coordination with site directors
• Enter community partners, elected officials, and city agency public servants contact info into our Salesforce database for tracking and cultivation purposes

Advocacy and Policy

• Analyze policy reports and data to pull out key talking points that can be shared with elected officials, the Board, and in our external communications
• Propose public policy solutions related to early childhood education and child care
• Partner with programmatic advocacy captains to turn out staff for rallies, get out the vote efforts, and other civic minded actions
• Draft membership applications, submit lobbying reports to City and State officials, and organize membership review documents for the umbrella organizations for which Grand Street is a member
• Proactively establish strong working relationships and lines of communication with other settlement houses
• Draft testimony for Grand Street to advocate for our priorities in City Council Committees
• Coordinate civic engagements including but not limited to get out the vote campaigns, preparing for rallies

Your Skills & Knowledge:

• You’re passionate about serving low-income and immigrant communities in New York
• Strong work ethic
• You take ownership of your work, are thoughtful, and proactive
• You are self-motivated but also coachable
• You anticipate the needs of your supervisor and teammates
• You are flexible
• You understand how to build and strengthen relationships with external partners.
• You’re a good listener with high emotional intelligence
• You’re a strong writer
• You may have experience with community organizing, advocacy work, social services programming, or knowledge of government-funded programs
• Event planning experience is preferred
• 5-10 years work experience preferred but not required
• Experience working at, or with, NYCHA a plus
• Graduates of public administration, policy schools, and humanities programs encouraged to apply

If selected for this position, background clearance and fingerprint will be conducted for employment

Equal Opportunity Employer ( EOE)