DIRECTOR, LEGAL AFFAIRS

City of New York•New York, NY

3d•$109,538 - $115,919•Hybrid

About The Position

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) seeks an attorney with expertise in privacy law, data protection, and information technology to provide strategic legal guidance at the intersection of law and technology. The position supports agency units and bureaus on initiatives, policies, and programs and reports directly to the Deputy Chief Counsel, with wide latitude for independent judgment and unreviewed action. The Legal Affairs Unit provides legal advice on critical strategic, legal, and policy issues affecting the agency and public; conducts transactional work supporting NYCEM’s mission; and coordinates with the NYC Law Department, the Office of the Counsel to the Mayor and City Hall, and other local, state, and federal counsel on matters ranging from emergency events to litigation. The role supervises legal and administrative staff and may serve as acting supervisor during temporary absences. The selected candidate will join an on-call Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team. EOC duty rotates through three weeks on call followed by six weeks off. During emergencies, the employee may be required to work outside regular business hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and extended workweeks. The employee will also participate in emergency-response training, drills, and exercises, and may volunteer to assist with Ready NY preparedness presentations. The position is supported by a federal Emergency Management Performance Grant through September 30, 2025, with a possible extension, and includes training requirements associated with the grant. The position requires in-person work at the office three days per week, subject to exceptions for extenuating circumstances. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer support. A separate cover letter must be submitted in the application portal. The stated salary band is $100,000–$125,000; listed compensation is USD 109,538–USD 115,919. The high end of the salary range is available to candidates with two or more years in City service.

Requirements

Admission to the New York State Bar.
Four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience after admission to any bar.
Eighteen months of experience supervising other attorneys in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.
Maintain membership in the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of employment.
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer support.
Submit a separate cover letter in the application portal.
Work in person at the office three days per week, subject to exceptions for extenuating circumstances.
Meet training requirements associated with the federal Emergency Management Performance Grant.
Be available for assigned EOC on-call rotations, including work during emergencies outside regular business hours, which may include nights, weekends, holidays, and extended workweeks.

Nice To Haves

Three years of experience in privacy, data protection, and IT law; 12 months of which must have been in attorney supervision, an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity, or highly complex and significant legal work.
Strong understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and technology contracts.
Demonstrated leadership and successful supervision and management of attorneys and legal support staff.
Ability to develop policy and legal analyses supporting emergency planning and initiatives.
Strong organizational, communication, interpersonal, writing, legal research, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
Strong knowledge of relevant city, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations, and ability to interpret and apply them.
Experience in emergency management and/or knowledge of New York State Executive Law and the NYC Charter and Administrative Code.
An informed perspective on applying a racial equity lens in policymaking.
Excellent judgment and ability to work independently with little supervision.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Subject-matter expertise, dependable work ethic, high-quality and timely deliverables, strategic problem-solving, innovation, clear communication, and collaborative teamwork.
For managers: strategic planning, sound and equitable decision-making, relationship-building across cultural differences, constructive feedback, communication of unit and agency goals, coaching and staff development, and team management.

Responsibilities

Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops as required or needed.
Supervise legal and administrative staff to ensure quality, completeness, and compliance with agency policies and standards.
Provide timely, accurate legal advice on compliance, contracting, procurement, and related matters.
Advise on global, federal, and state privacy regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA.
Draft, review, and negotiate technology, SaaS, data-processing, and other complex IT agreements.
Collaborate with IT/MIS, security, and agency units to implement privacy-by-design practices.
Monitor emerging privacy laws, cybersecurity regulations, and industry best practices.
Support incident response and data-breach investigations.
Develop and review processes to ensure compliance with local laws, rules, and codes.
Coordinate with internal teams and external agencies on legal issues, emergency events, and litigation.
Promote interagency cooperation and maintain timely, accurate correspondence.
Prepare and review legal documents, research applicable laws, and draft explanatory materials for agency and public use.
Lead special projects and perform administrative duties as directed.
Serve as acting supervisor during temporary absences.
Participate in assigned EOC on-call rotations, emergency-response training, drills, and exercises.
May volunteer to assist with Ready NY emergency preparedness presentations to external groups.