Agency Description

The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building a fairer economy in neighborhoods across the five boroughs.


Division Description

The SBS Communications Office provides the public and the press with information about Agency programs and initiatives as well as events and accomplishments, using marketing materials and traditional, social, and online media. The Creative Communications Specialist will be responsible for reaching multiple audiences using tools like Hootsuite, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and assist with SBS’s external website by creating engaging written and designed content.


Job Description:

This position requires strong design and writing skills, attention to detail, the ability to excel in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment. The Specialist will collaborate with a variety of stakeholders within and outside of SBS to execute on their tasks, including SBS vendors.

The Creative Communications Specialist will report to the Senior Marketing Manager.

The Creative Communications Specialist’s duties will include, but not be limited to:

Designing and coordinating the end-to-end production of various marketing materials, such as: print collateral (flyers, postcards, etc.), PowerPoint presentations, reports, print/digital advertisements, social media, and website content

Creating short videos for social media that include titles (i.e., Instagram stories)

Assist with creating, editing, and scheduling imaginative editorial content for NYC Small Business Services’ social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok

Assist with daily management of the agency’s social media channels, including responding to questions and comments from the public, promoting public agency events and press mentions, and managing social media campaigns

Assist with development of partner toolkits to ensure on-brand messaging among partners/cross-promoters

Managing photographic coverage and digital posting of quality photos showcasing SBS outreach and events

Creating, organizing, and maintaining all images, videos, and electronic files in shared folders on OneDrive/SharePoint

Review and edit external email outreach content and prepare for Constant Contact distribution

Working with outside vendors such as printing and advertising firms to ensure all creative adheres to the agency’s branding guidelines

Producing turnkey solutions such as templates on PowerPoint, PDF, Canva, etc.

Studying information and materials to become well informed about the agency’s programs and services

Reviewing program/service information to extract key selling points

Proofreading materials to ensure information is accurate

Other special projects and ad-hoc tasks as assigned to support the SBS Communications Office and the SBS Commissioner

(1) A baccalaureate degree, with a major in fine or graphic arts, from an accredited college and one year of full-time paid experience as a commercial or graphic artist; or
(2) A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent plus two years of training in a technical school approved by a state’s Department of Education or comparable governmental agency, in oils, water colors, painting, design, black and white, layout, computer graphics, and other art media, and three years of acceptable full-time paid experience as a commercial or graphic artist.
To be qualified for assignment to Assignment Level II, individuals must have:
(a) at least one year of experience as a Graphic Artist, Assignment Level I; or
(b) the Qualification Requirements described in "1" or "2" above, plus two additional years of acceptable specialized paid experience conceptualizing and initiating graphic art projects.

Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, graphic, and visual) Ability to implement and manage social media campaigns Ability to capture the voice and tone of the brand and suggest improvements Proven ability to organize large quantities of information into clear and concise copy Strong sense of design principles and eye for taking interesting photos Good storyteller (both verbal and visually) Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), WordPress (or similar CMS program), and Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Illustrator and Photoshop knowledge of Premiere Pro and After Effects a plus Strong organizational skills and the ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines independently Self-starter, detail-oriented, extremely organized, and both an analytical and creative thinker Positive attitude and strong interpersonal skills Ability to work independently Ability to excel in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment

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.

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.