Assistant Director of Communications

Do you have an interest in law enforcement, have sound news judgment and know how to turn a complex set of facts into compelling, creative content? Then this may be the job for you.

DOI is seeking an Assistant Director of Communications to further the agency's public information and communications mission. Reporting to the Director of Communications / Senior Advisor, the chosen candidate will assist in day-to-day communication operations, including fielding media inquiries, culling information for and drafting press releases and talking points, developing multimedia posts for social media, and assisting in updating DOI's public and internal websites. The position requires strong writing skills and an ability to create multimedia content for all major social media channels - including posts about DOI's investigative work, public appearances and evergreen content.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: obtaining and fact-checking information for and drafting of social media, press releases, talking points, and other related communication materials; assisting in monitoring, updating and keeping current DOI's social media accounts and websites; helping to coordinate and prepare for press conferences and other events; preparing agency executives for media interviews; accurately and professionally responding to media, inter-agency, and internal inquiries; and working on special projects. The individual must have a high-level of comfort speaking with reporters, investigators and agency executives and the ability to balance several different inquiries and projects simultaneously without missing deadlines. In addition, the individual must demonstrate discretion and critical thinking in handling fast-breaking and highly-sensitive communication matters. The position occasionally requires availability to respond to media inquiries after work hours and on weekends.

If selected, the candidate will be fingerprinted and undergo a background investigation. In addition, because the position has a law enforcement and/or investigative function, the candidate's consumer credit history will be reviewed during the background investigation, as permitted by NYC Administrative Code 8-107(24)(b)(2)(A).


Preferred Skills
- Strong writing, editing, speaking and organizational skills (writing sample required). Journalism experience a major plus.
- Experience in social media management and presenting information in an engaging manner through multimedia.
- Experience writing and editing press releases and related communication materials.
- Experience with graphic design software (such as Canva). Video editing ability a plus..
- Strong understanding of the New York City media and government landscape and a comfort dealing with key players in both areas.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work as part of a team to achieve the goals of the office.

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/ .

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with at least four (4) years of experience in communications, journalism, social media management, or a position utilizing similar skills; excellent writing skills and the ability to think creatively and produce accurate, engaging work product.

2. Comfortable asking probing questions to get at the facts for releases and statements; excellent project management, interpersonal, and leadership skills; strong attention to detail and ability to meet frequent and changing deadlines; the ability to synthesize complex information and communicate it in easy-to-understand, plain language that is accessible to non-subject matter experts; highly-motivated, hard-working, and possessing a strong desire to learn and grow.

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.