Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer

About DYCD
The New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) invests in a network of community-based organizations and programs to alleviate the effects of poverty and provide opportunities for young people, families, and communities to thrive. DYCD supports New Yorkers through a broad portfolio of youth development, workforce, and community programs delivered in partnership with providers across the city.

Position Overview
DYCD is seeking a Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer to shape how the agency is represented and understood across New York City. This role leads the agency’s communications, media, intergovernmental affairs and public-facing engagement, ensuring that messaging is clear, consistent, and grounded in the agency’s work. Key audiences include youth and families, community-based organizations, City agency partners, policymakers, and DYCD staff.

This is not a traditional communications role. It sits at the intersection of strategy, communications, and external engagement, translating complex programs, policy priorities, political intelligence and lived experiences into messaging that resonates across the agency’s full ecosystem.

The CCEAO ensures that all outward-facing communications and intergovernmental engagement reflect a coherent and aligned agency voice. This role works in close partnership with the Commissioner, Chief of Staff, and Senior Advisor to ensure that the way that the agency shows up externally is aligned with internal priorities and citywide direction. The CCEAO develops and implements communications strategies that elevate awareness of DYCD’s work and ensures clear, accurate, and accessible information about services and initiatives affecting young New Yorkers and their families.

The Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer oversee press and media engagement, public messaging, digital communications, the information and referral call center, and strategic outreach efforts, ensuring that communications effectively support the agency’s mission and respond to emerging issues affecting young people.
Key Responsibilities include:

Agency Narrative and Positioning
- Define and guide DYCD’s overarching narrative, ensuring clarity and consistency across initiatives,
audiences, and platforms
- Establish standards for messaging, tone, and visual identity across the agency
- Ensure alignment with mayoral priorities and citywide messaging

Strategic Communications Leadership
- Lead internal and external communications strategy, including media, digital, speechwriting, and
public messaging
- Oversee development and execution of communications plans for major initiatives and agency
priorities
- Direct crisis communications and high-profile responses

Media and Public Relations
- Oversee press, media relations, and public-facing engagement
- Ensure timely, accurate, and strategic responses to media inquiries
- Support press events, public appearances, and external engagements

Intergovernmental Affairs
- Align communications related to engagement with City Hall, elected officials, and agency partners
- Ensure consistency and coordination in how the agency communicates across government
- Partner with intergovernmental affairs staff to support briefing materials, testimony, and external
coordination

External Relations
- Oversee Community Connect Call Center
- A contact center and information and referral hub that connects youth and families to services,
benefits and local resources

Equity in Communications
- Ensure communications are accessible, inclusive, and reflective of the communities served
- Oversee language access and equitable communication practices
- Partner with equity leadership to align messaging with broader equity priorities
- Translate agency work for diverse audiences, including young people, providers, community-based
organizations, elected officials, and city leadership
- Ensure messaging reflects both policy intent and lived experience

Leadership Coordination
- Provide direct counsel to the Commissioner on messaging, positioning, and external engagement
- Work closely with the Chief of Staff to ensure alignment between messaging and execution
- Partner with the Senior Advisor to align communications with strategic, initiative-based
intergovernmental and cross-sector efforts

DIRECTOR OF PLANNING (DYCD) - 06866