The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City healthy, safe, and clean by collecting, recycling, and disposing of waste, cleaning City streets and vacant lots, and clearing snow and ice. DSNY is the nation's largest municipal sanitation agency, with nearly 10,000 employees, 59 district garages, and a fleet of more than 5,000 trucks, cars, and other types of equipment. The Department clears litter, snow, and ice from approximately 6,500 miles of City streets and removes debris from vacant lots as well as abandoned vehicles from City streets.

As a major part of the New Era for NYC, DSNY is engaged in a complete overhaul of its operations, touching nearly every part of the Department’s work and the lives of every New Yorker. This ongoing Trash Revolution requires substantial public engagement to ensure success, and the Department is seeking an Assistant Commissioner of Communications to help guide and execute this effort. Reporting to the Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs & Customer Experience, and with significant interaction with other senior agency leadership, the Assistant Commissioner of Communications will ensure that all New Yorkers are partners in this important work.

The responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

- Strategic Communications: DSNY has a highly visible public profile that the Assistant Commissioner of Communications will be responsible for managing. This includes long-term strategic communications planning and direct execution of day-to-day customer-facing communications. The ideal candidate has experience developing thoughtful communications plans for large organizations and putting those plans into action through a combination of social/digital, in-person engagement, and traditional media.

- Media Relations: This position will provide key support and oversight to the existing press team, managing the Department’s substantial amount of incoming press requests as well as developing and delivering proactive press.

- Briefing & Documentation: As part of the two items listed above, the Assistant Commissioner must be prepared to brief and prep agency leadership for media or other public events.

- Staff Management: This is a managerial role, with oversight of an experienced and specialized staff.

- Special Projects: Manage special projects around agency priorities.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER (DSNY) - 05041

Minimum Qualifications

1. A Master’s Degree from an accredited college in Public Administration, Personnel Administration, Business Administration, Human Services, Political Science or a related field, plus three years of satisfactory experience of a nature to qualify for the duties and responsibilities of the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity or supervising personnel performing activities related to the duties of the position; or
2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college and five years of satisfactory experience of a nature to qualify for the duties and responsibilities of the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity or supervising personnel performing activities related to the duties of the position; or
3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and nine years of satisfactory, full-time progressively responsible experience as described in "1" above, 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, managerial, executive, or supervisory capacity.

Preferred Skills

- Significant experience with the NYC press corps, deep familiarity with multiple forms of public communications, and a commitment to the mission of the New York City Department of Sanitation. - 8 years of experience in strategic communications, media relations, public affairs, or a related field. - Demonstrated success leading high-profile communications campaigns, particularly across diverse communities, preferably in New York City, including immigrants, people of color, people with limited English proficiency, and people with disabilities. - Demonstrated managerial experience and effectiveness, including team and project management, process improvement, the development of short- and long-term plans and initiatives, setting organizational goals and priorities, and developing high-quality and impactful work product on schedule. - Experience managing media relations for both an organization and specific principals. - Proven track record of building trust with historically underserved or hard-to-reach communities. - Experience designing and executing strategic communications and media relations plans with measurable outcomes. - Strong judgment and ability to navigate press interactions. - Experience managing teams of 8-10 staff is a strong plus. - Ability to pivot around priorities and external realities quickly. - Significant experience developing written and in-person communication strategies for diverse stakeholders and members of the public. - Experience messaging policy initiatives through written communications, marketing strategies, public presentations, and the creation of promotional materials. - Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including briefing and supporting executive-level staff for external engagement. - Experience in similar outreach and community affairs roles within New York City government is a significant plus. - A sense of wonder and excitement regarding the Trash Revolution.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

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 individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.