Special Assistant to Assist. Commissioner-DOH

Company Overview

With an annual budget of $2.3 billion and more than 7,000 employees throughout the five boroughs, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) is one of the largest public health agencies in the world, serving 8 million New Yorkers from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We're tackling a broad range of public health issues with innovative policies and programs and getting exceptional results, but our work is never finished. The breadth of our innovative programs provides the widest range of choices for every member of our team.

With grant funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), DOHMH is undertaking a new initiative that will meet critical infrastructure needs and make possible strategic investments that will have lasting effects on public health. Investments and improvements through this initiative will help modernize DOHMH’s foundational capabilities and data infrastructure, enabling it to partner in complex health and health care environments and, in turn, support better public health outcomes, including COVID-19. This initiative supports larger efforts to rebalance investments in public health and more equitably serve communities and populations.

The selected candidate will be an employee of Public Health Solutions, a nonprofit organization which is the fiscal and administrative manager of the grant, but the work will be supervised by DOHMH. This is a grant-funded position ending in November 2027.

Division Overview

The Office of External Affairs is comprised of the government and community relations, marketing, publications, language access, media, public affairs, customer support, and administration units. OEA communicates with City Hall, city agencies, elected officials and other external stakeholders about the Health Department’s priorities and projects. Our mission is to advocate for and promote the Health Department's wide range of initiatives and accomplishments and share the agency’s goals for the future.

Bureau Overview

The Bureau of Government Affairs is looking to hire a Special Assistant who will report to the Assistant Commissioner for Government Affairs. The Bureau of Government Affairs oversees both Community Affairs and Legislative Affairs to channel public health information to and from elected officials, community-based organizations, community boards, and the general public. As the point person on all public facing outreach initiatives, the Special Assistant provides conceptual and grassroots level support to programs by planning and executing community outreach plans. The Special Assistant will help the Department maintain good relationships with elected officials, community boards, civic organizations, and other stakeholders by responding quickly and accurately to requests for information, organizing speakers for community events, problem solving and informing members of the Department initiatives. The Special Assistant will also actively participate in agency emergency preparedness and response work bearing upon public health emergencies and emergencies that have a public health component, such as communicable disease threats, outbreaks and pandemics, extreme weather, explosions, and fire, and cyber-attack.

Job Description

Assist with day-to-day operations as it relates to addressing city-wide quality of life concerns in direct correlation with the NYC Covid recovery efforts. Lead agency coordination of walkthroughs and information gathering sessions with elected, community boards, community-based organizations, dignitaries, and international groups. Staff will report directly to the Executive Director of Community Affairs

Duties

• Assist the government affairs bureau in build and maintain relationships with community stakeholders to provide subject matter expertise, support, and direct community engagement in response to quality-of-life concerns and other inquiries.
• Collect agenda and notes while monitoring briefings for town halls, public meetings, and other community events in response to day-to-day operations and public health emergencies.
• Work closely with the Community Affairs team on as needed attendance of community board meetings, town halls, public meetings, and City council meetings and day to day inquiries from elected officials and community boards.
• Monitor and schedule meeting for the AC with community board, City Council, and other elected officials.
• Provide staffing and support to the government affairs bureau as needed.
• Participates in public health emergency trainings.
• Other special projects or duties as assigned by the Assistant Commissioner for Government Affairs
  
  

Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above
• Excellent communication (verbal & written) and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate complex message clearly and simply to diverse New York City audiences
• Available to work after hours, weekends, and during emergencies as needed
  
  

Additional Desired Qualities

• Experience with stakeholder engagement and project management.
• Proficiency in languages other than English is a plus
• Positive attitude and team oriented
• Strong analytical skills and ability to manage and report complex information.
• Desire to grow professionally, develop new skills and willingness to work outside of comfort zone.
• Experience working with the public health sector and coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to prioritize and work in fast-paced environment with hard deadlines.
• Fluency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
  
  

Benefits

• Hybrid Work Schedule.
• Generous Paid Time Off and Holidays.
• An attractive and comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental and Vision.
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Commuter Benefits.
• Company Paid Life Insurance and Disability Coverage.
• 403 (b) employer matching and discretionary company contributions.
• College Savings Plan.
• Ongoing training and continuous opportunities for professional growth and development.
  
  

Additional Information

• This is a temporary grant-funded position ending in November 2027.
• This individual must reside in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT) by their confirmed start date.
• Preference may be given to individuals residing in New York City (5 boroughs) or surrounding New York State counties.
• This individual will be expected to work non-business hours during emergencies.
  
  

At PHS, we place immense value on diversity within our teams, understanding that varied backgrounds and experiences significantly enhance our community and propel us toward our goals. If you find you don’t have experience in all the areas listed above, we still encourage you to apply and share your background and experiences in your application. We are eager to discover how your unique perspective can bring positive transformations to our team and help advance our mission of creating healthier, more equitable communities. We look forward to learning more about you!

PHS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, people of color, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA individuals, and veterans.

Monday-Friday

35 Hours Per Week