Intergovernmental Outreach Specialist

City of New York • Brooklyn, NY

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) helps New Yorkers before, during, and after emergencies through preparedness, education, and response. NYCEM is responsible for coordinating citywide emergency planning and response for all types and scales of emergencies. The External Affairs division works to engage with New Yorkers, elected officials, community organizations, private businesses and regional partners to inform them about the agency’s and the City’s efforts before, during, and after an emergency. The Government Relations unit serves as the interface for NYCEM with elected officials. This unit, which is within the External Affairs Division, handles a high volume of constituent and policy-related inquiries from elected officials and other stakeholders. The unit is responsible for directing NYCEM’s role in the City, State, and Federal legislative process and for managing the preparation of the Commissioner and other senior leaders’ participation in oversight and budgetary hearings. The Intergovernmental Outreach Specialist supports the agency by providing high-level outreach, policy coordination, and tactical communications to elected officials and key stakeholders within New York City. Operating within the External Affairs Division’s Government Relations Unit, this role handles complex elected official and international interactions, in-depth legislative research, and strategic preparation for pressing legislative issues impacting citywide emergency management operations. The Specialist is responsible for ensuring smooth coordination and situational awareness between the agency and political stakeholders during both routine operations and active crisis situations. This role requires frequent attendance at and active participation in high-level briefings, legislative hearings, and events organized by borough presidents, City Council members, as well as state and federal elected officials.

Requirements

• A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a state's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and six years of satisfactory full-time professional experience in one or a combination of the following: emergency management, fire, police, or military service, public safety, public health, public administration, urban planning, engineering, or another specialized area to which the appointment is to be made; or
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of satisfactory full time professional experience in the areas listed in "1" above; or
• A master's degree from an accredited college in emergency management, public administration, urban planning, engineering, economics, political science, the physical sciences ,or related field and one year of satisfactory full-time professional experience in the areas listed “1" above, at least two years of which must have been in one of those areas, or another specialized area to which the appointment is to be made.
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above. However, all candidates must have a four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer support to be eligible for selection.
• The selected candidate will be required to be in person in the office location three days per week, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances.

Nice To Haves

• Responsive and familiar with an on-call environment.
• Strong communication abilities and policy analysis.
• Understanding of New York City, state, and federal legislative processes.
• Knowledge of budget management and public safety policy.
• Familiarity with National Incident Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS), or Citywide Incident Management System (CIMS).
• Master’s degree in public administration or other public policy related field.
• Proven ability in the following areas: Knowledge – possesses appropriate subject matter expertise.
• Proven ability in the following areas: Work Ethic and Productivity – produces consistently high quality, accurate, and on-time deliverables; takes responsibility, is dependable, and accountable, and follows through; is responsive to requests from leadership.
• Proven ability in the following areas: Strategic Problem Solving and Innovation – is thoughtful and deliberate in approach to solving problems; demonstrates innovation and creative thinking.
• Proven ability in the following areas: Effective Communication – communication is clear, precise, and timely; understands their audience and display confidence in delivering their message.
• Proven ability in the following areas: Teamwork – encourage collaboration and motivate others; is able to both lead and follow when necessary; is an active listener and consider a broad range of perspectives.
• Studies have shown that women, people of color, and other under-represented groups are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are interested in finding the best candidate for the job and will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education and experience to meet qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate strategic outreach and maintain real-time communication with elected officials and agency partners during emergency activations, non-emergency periods, and recovery operations.
• Monitor, analyze, and research legislation at local, state, and federal levels that impacts emergency management, public safety, and disaster response; prepare comprehensive impact summaries for agency leadership.
• Draft policy briefs and briefing books for executive leadership to use during City Council, State Legislature, and Federal oversight hearings.
• Develop and implement specialized operational tools, training programs, and briefings designed to empower elected officials and their staff to effectively communicate accurate crisis information and emergency alerts to their constituents.
• Formulate strategic talking points, briefing memos, and policy positions for agency leadership in preparation for engagements with international delegations, consulates, and high-ranking government executives.
• Leverage relationships with City Council members, Borough Presidents, and state and federal representatives to integrate emergency preparedness, mitigation, and resiliency programs directly into community frameworks (such as civic associations and town halls).
• Provide technical guidance, protocol support, and strategic counsel to agency responders, Incident Commanders, and internal units regarding interactions with elected officials during field operations and emergency scenes.
• Oversee the collection, tracking, and analysis of intergovernmental inquiries and legislative requests, producing data-driven reports for review by executive leadership.

Benefits

• The selected candidate will be assigned to an on-call Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team and will be expected to work non-business hours during some emergencies.
• These non-business hours include nights, weekends, holidays, and extended week hours outside of a 9AM-5PM schedule.
• The selected candidate will also participate in trainings to build skills and competencies in emergency response; will participate in drills and exercises associated with the on-call EOC team; and may volunteer to assist with Ready NY emergency preparedness presentations to external groups.
• Funding – This position is supported with a federal Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant funding through 8/31/2027 with the possibility of an extension.

What This Job Offers

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