Director of Data Communication

City of New York • New York City, NY

17h

About The Position

The Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy (BESP) in EH works to ground Health Department programs and policy in science and law to support a healthy and equitable natural, built, and occupational environment for all New Yorkers. We promote environmental health through legal and data-driven program support, using innovative methods to track environmental determinants of health with a focus on New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by environmental risk. We share data and research findings to encourage evidence-based decision-making, and partner with communities in community science and outreach to address stakeholder concerns and empower residents. The Director of Data Communications will oversee management and development of The NYC Environment and Health Data Portal (EHDP). EHDP is an essential resource for NYC Health to share data and other important environmental and public health communications with the public, regardless of their numeracy skills. It is one of the DOHMH’s marquee data communication platforms, and receives significant traffic from public, professional, and media audiences. The incumbent will report to the Executive Director of Informatics and will be responsible for overseeing a team consisting of 3 employees.

Requirements

• For Assignment Level I (only physical, biological and environmental sciences and public health) A master's degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological or environmental science or in public health.
• To be appointed to Assignment Level II and above, candidates must have:
• A doctorate degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and one year of full-time experience in a responsible supervisory, administrative or research capacity in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with specialization in an appropriate field of physical, biological, environmental or social science and three years of responsible full-time research experience in the appropriate field of specialization; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least a master's degree in an appropriate field of specialization and at least two years of experience described in "2" above.
• Two years as a City Research Scientist Level I can be substituted for the experience required in "1" and "2" above.

Nice To Haves

• UX/UI Enthusiast: Direct experience with user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, A/B testing, surveys).
• Public Health Knowledge: Familiarity with public and environmental health and equity issues and the unique challenges of communicating risk and indicator data.
• Web Development: Familiarity and experience with web development technologies including JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Hugo (static site generation) and version control (git).
• Government Experience: Experience working in the public sector or a similarly regulated environment.
• Writing and Editing: Experience writing and editing for a wide range of audiences.

Responsibilities

• Set the Vision: Define and execute the overarching strategy, vision, and long-term workplan for the Environment and Health Data Portal, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of the city.
• Be the Translator: Collaborate directly with Environmental Health subject matter experts (SMEs), translating complex program needs and data into compelling, user-friendly digital content and features.
• Lead the Product: Direct and oversee all aspects of portal development and maintenance, acting as the product manager to ensure quality, performance, and timely delivery.
• Support Development: Provide hands on coding and development support where needed.
• Champion the User: Design and execute user and usability research to gather critical feedback, rigorously guiding site improvements and feature rollouts to maximize impact and adoption.
• Build the Team: Supervise and mentor the dedicated EH Data Portal team of 2 staff members, fostering a culture of innovation, excellence, and collaboration.

Benefits

• Loan Forgiveness: As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal/state loan forgiveness and repayment assistance programs that lessen your payments or even fully forgive your full balance. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website (https://studentaid.gov/pslf/)
• Benefits: City employees are entitled to unmatched benefits such as: o a premium-free health insurance plan that saves employees over $10K annually, per a 2024 assessment. o additional health, fitness, and financial benefits may be available based on the position’s associated union/benefit fund. o a public sector defined benefit pension plan with steady monthly payments in retirement. o a tax-deferred savings program and o a robust Worksite Wellness Program that offers resources and opportunities to keep you healthy while serving New Yorkers.
• Work From Home Policy: Depending on your position, you may be able to work up to two days during the week from home.
• Job Security - you could enjoy more job security compared to private sector employment and be able to contribute to making NYC a healthy place to live and work.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director