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

Cannabis NYC, located within the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), is a developing interagency hub of citywide resources and services organized intentionally and strategically to execute the mission to develop a thriving, sustainable and equitable cannabis industry in New York. The Executive Office team supports SBS’s overarching program strategy, operations, and public affairs, including the Cannabis NYC and Black Entrepreneurs NYC initiatives.

Job Description:

The Special Assistant to Cannabis NYC will support the Founding Director’s day-to-day executive duties, while gaining a unique view of the initiative and SBS’ diverse economic development portfolio of business-, workforce-, and neighborhood-development initiatives. The qualified candidate will be meticulously detail-oriented, excel in verbal and written communication, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment. The Special Assistant will work primarily with the Founding Director of Cannabis NYC and support with special projects.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Scheduling and Preparing Founding Director for Events, Meetings, and Briefings: The Special Assistant will schedule and attend meetings and events with the Founding Director and Cannabis NYC staff; coordinate with outside entities and Agency staff around meetings and events attended or hosted by Cannabis NYC; research, analyze and synthesize information presented to and by internal and external stakeholders; draft presentations, talking points, remarks, and briefings; and track follow-up items and deliverables. The Special Assistant will also be the point person for the Cannabis NYC shared calendar and email inbox.

Managing Administrative Requirements: The Special Assistant will organize, track, and manage official correspondence for the Founding Director and Cannabis NYC team, including drafting emails, letters, and other communications. In addition, the Special Assistant will be responsible for key administrative needs of Cannabis NYC including maintaining an organized office space, coordinating arrangements and approvals for travel, managing procurements to ensure timeliness and compliance with all required approvals, internal record-keeping including photocopying and shredding, and providing assistance to the Founding Director to ensure that all Cannabis NYC program and administrative activities are in compliance with agency and citywide policies.

Assisting Community Engagement Efforts: The Special Assistant will also support community engagement efforts in a variety of ways, including working with Cannabis NYC and other agency teams to help route and troubleshoot inquiries and responses to various constituent and stakeholder inquiries and track status. The Special Assistant will also staff community engagement events, and other events attended by the Founding Director and Cannabis NYC staff.

Assist on Special Initiatives: The Special Assistant will assist with other initiatives and duties identified by the Founding Director, as assigned.

The ideal candidate must possess the following:

-Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
-Excellent organizational and time management skills;
-Strong project management skills, including ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize assignments;
-Meticulous attention to detail;
-Ability to liaise with all levels of staff and external stakeholders;
-Excellent research, analytical and problem-solving skills;
-Discretion and excellent judgment to handle sensitive and confidential matters;
-Demonstrated ability to remain calm under pressure in a fast-paced environment;
-An enthusiastic and positive individual with good interpersonal skills and willingness to take initiative;
-Excellent MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and WebEx skills;
-Experience with video conferencing platforms and virtual event management (e.g., WebEx).

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 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.