APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ASSOCIATE PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST CIVIL SERVICE TITLE OR BE IMMEDIATELY REACHABLE ON EXAM NO. 4205.

The Office of Communications and Marketing manages overall communications for DSS-HRA-DHS, including program messaging, new initiative launches, key milestone announcements, emergency messaging, internal communications, and agency paid advertising campaigns. In addition, OCM manages Graphics/Digital Team, which is responsible for the creation of agency collateral materials including print, digital assets, and social media.

Under the direction of the Senior Director of Communications at the DSS Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM), with wide latitude for independent initiative and judgment, the Marketing Specialist performs work in the planning, budgeting, implementation, coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of important public communications. This work includes 1) ensuring that accessible and supportive language, images, and media channels are used in DSS messaging to reach low-income ethnic and community populations, 2) checking messaging for plain language to reach low-literacy constituents, and 3) processing and tracking payments for paid advertising campaigns.

OCM is looking to hire one (1) Associate Public Information Specialist II to function as the Marketing Specialist.

The Marketing Specialist coordinates communication and marketing responses in areas such as housing, transportation, health, and food to meet the needs of poverty area residents by brainstorming ideas, drafting messaging, testing clients’ message preferences, and reviewing marketing, advertising, and outreach formats and options for DSS program areas that include Cash Assistance, Fair Fares, rental assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, and HEAP.

The Marketing Specialist will:

- Work with the Senior Director of Communications to plan, implement, coordinate, monitor, and
evaluate marketing plans related to Agency programs, initiatives, and projects. Develop
messaging and media plan with OCM team for public service announcements, social media posts
and comments, videos, advertising, emails, mailings, and collateral. Brainstorm, drafts, and
reviews ideas, language, images, and channels that appeal to and communicate effectively
with low-income New York City residents to expand their access to social services.

- Coordinate and research media channels for the Agency, including requesting vendor quotes.
Communicate with community and ethnic media outlets to create messaging that promotes
effective community relations. Prepare and process documents, such as quotes, contracts,
justification memos, and payment orders required for funding. Perform analysis and review
program advertising plans, budgets, and performance, providing OCM with authoritative
interpretation of complex options – among numerous and ever-increasing marketing and advertising
channels – for reaching low-income New York City residents.

- Plan marketing by clients’ ZIP codes provided by the program areas, locating ethnic communities
to target translated messaging, and analyzing clients’ responsiveness to Agency messaging to
tailor future outreach content, budget, and format.

- Prepare complex planning documents required for marketing initiatives, including campaign plans
and budgets. Provide authoritative interpretation of complex problems, such as when, what,
where, and how to market to low-income New York City residents. Draft the initial budget
recommendations for the scope, messaging, format, branded materials, timeline, and quantity,
as a starting point to meeting the communities’ needs.

- Research and communicate with Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs)
on the NYC Online Directory of Certified Businesses and the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and
Community Media to leverage their expertise in effectively communicating with diverse ethnic
communities and reach New York City communities in languages other than English.

- Prepare evaluation reports, perform analyses, and reviews plans, funding, and performance of
marketing initiatives. Prepares reporting, including the Ethnic and Community Media Quarterly
Report for the Mayor’s Management Report (MMR), tracking the percentage of ethnic and
community media buys to expand access to social services in the City’s diverse ethnic
communities as required by local law.

- Complete administrative tasks as assigned by OCM Deputy Commissioner, for example, greeting
and registering clients for events at 4 World Trade Center


Salary Range:
$61,354.00 - $ $69,330.00

Work Location:
4 World Trade Center, New York, NY

Hours/Schedule:
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Qualification Requirements
1. A master's degree in journalism or public relations from an accredited college; or

2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and one year of full-time satisfactory experience in public relations, journalism or advertising; or

3. An associate degree or completion of 60 credits from an accredited college and two years of full-time satisfactory experience in public relations, journalism or advertising; or

4. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2" or "3" above. However, all candidates must have at least 60 credits from an accredited college.

For Assignment Level II
To be eligible for placement in Assignment Level II, individuals must have, after meeting the minimum requirements described above for Assignment Level I, at least one additional year of the full-time experience in public relations, journalism, or advertising.

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.

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

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.