Communications Writer

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) oversees housing standards across all 3.7 million homes in New York City. As the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, HPD is responsible for building and preserving affordable housing, protecting tenants from harassment and displacement, and holding landlords accountable across the five boroughs. Under Commissioner Dina Levy and the Mamdani Administration, HPD is pursuing an ambitious housing agenda focused on the needs of New York’s tenants. With a broad set of tools including standards enforcement, tenant resources, and the creation of new affordable housing, HPD is committed to making New York City a more affordable place for renters and homeowners alike. The Division of Communications oversees all public relations for the agency and is responsible for crafting a proactive strategy to promote agency initiatives, programs, and accomplishments to the media, our partners, our staff, and the public. The division manages interactions with the press, social media channels, the agency’s website, internal communications, and digital and print materials. The Communications Writer will support HPD’s Communications team by drafting, editing, and preparing written content for internal and external audiences. Reporting to the Press Secretary, the Communications Writer will prepare remarks, talking points, testimony, briefing documents, internal staff communications, public statements, and other materials that help explain HPD’s work clearly and persuasively. This role requires a strong writer who can translate complex housing policy, program, budget, operational, and legislative issues into clear, accurate, and compelling language. The Communications Writer will work closely with the Press Secretary, Deputy Press Secretaries, program teams, senior staff, and other agency partners to ensure communications are timely, accurate, well-organized, and aligned with agency priorities.

Requirements

3+ years of experience in communications, speechwriting, journalism, public affairs, government or political communications, advocacy, or another writing-forward role.
Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and research skills, with strong attention to accuracy, tone, and detail.
Experience drafting written materials for public officials, senior executives, campaigns, or public-facing institutions.
Ability to write clearly and quickly under deadline pressure while managing multiple assignments, edits, and approvals.
Strong judgment and discretion when handling sensitive, confidential, or time-sensitive information.
Ability to synthesize complex policy, program, operational, legislative, or budget information for different audiences.
Ability to work collaboratively with communications staff, senior leadership, program teams, and subject-matter experts.
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with New York City government, public-sector communications, housing policy, local media, or the city’s political landscape.
Ability to work outside business hours when needed to support time-sensitive agency needs.
Demonstrated interest in city government, public service, or affordable housing.

Responsibilities

Draft and edit remarks, speeches, talking points, testimony, briefing documents, statements, quotes, internal messages, and other written content for agency leadership and the Communications team.
Support planning and coordination for internal communications, including all-staff messages, leadership updates, town hall materials, newsletters, and employee announcements.
Support communications preparation for public events, press conferences, legislative hearings, stakeholder meetings, internal briefings, and other high-priority agency engagements.
Translate complex policy, program, budget, operational, and legislative information into clear and accessible language for internal and external audiences.
Work with program, budget, government affairs, communications, and other agency teams to gather information, verify facts, and ensure written content is accurate and complete.
Collaborate with external partners, other agencies, and internal teams to align messaging and develop joint communications, including press releases, quotes, talking points, and announcement content.
Support proactive press work by conducting background research, drafting press materials, and identifying story opportunities related to agency announcements and initiatives.
Ensure written content is clear, accurate, consistent, and aligned with agency voice, tone, and priorities.
Help maintain version control, approval tracking, and internal systems for talking points, testimony, briefing documents, and other communications products.
Support the Press Secretary and Deputy Press Secretaries with time-sensitive writing assignments and special projects, as assigned.