Policy Director

City of New York•New York City, NY

22h

About The Position

The Policy Director will oversee initiatives critical to the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT), which advances policies and programs to strengthen tenant protections, promote housing stability, and ensure equitable access to safe and affordable housing for New Yorkers. MOPT works with City agencies, community-based organizations, advocates, and the private sector to implement the City’s housing agenda. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Policy Director will act as a strategic thought partner, help determine MOPT’s priority issues, supervise Policy Advisors, and maintain high-level relationships across New York City’s housing and tenant protection landscape. The position also supports the Executive Director as MOPT’s public representative. The role leads policy and strategy, oversees cross-agency tenant protection initiatives, coordinates engagement with stakeholders, and manages staff and team operations. The Policy Director develops policy recommendations and briefing materials, advances housing maintenance policy work, oversees preservation and eviction-diversion initiatives, tracks projects and budgets, and prepares the Executive Director for legislative hearings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
At least 4 years of relevant experience in housing policy, government, or a related field.
Strong relational skills and problem-solving ability.
Experience with policy analysis and development, including analyzing and drafting legislation, coordinating strategically with elected officials, crafting policy arguments, and supporting coalition-building efforts.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information and present it in a variety of formats.
Experience managing staff to deliver results.
Experience managing projects involving multiple stakeholders and agencies.
Experience managing negotiations between stakeholders with competing objectives and priorities.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in public policy, urban planning, law, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Anticipate major emerging challenges for tenants across New York City and develop MOPT policies and programs to address them.
Lead the development of policy recommendations and briefing materials for senior leadership, including the Deputy Mayor and MOPT Executive Director.
Advance the Housing Maintenance Legislative Task Force convened by MOPT.
Develop and implement tools to track relevant city, state, and federal legislation, regulations, and national best practices in housing policy.
Supervise Policy Advisors working on MOPT priority issues.
Ensure MOPT policy initiatives align with one another and with broader mayoral administration priorities.
Prepare the MOPT Executive Director for legislative hearings in coordination with relevant Intergovernmental Affairs teams.
Oversee cross-agency initiatives from concept through implementation, ensuring alignment with mayoral priorities.
Oversee preservation strategies to stabilize buildings and portfolios in physical and financial distress, in close coordination with tenant associations.
Oversee eviction-diversion and homelessness-prevention initiatives.
Oversee project plans, timelines, and deliverables; track progress and solve or escalate challenges as needed.
Coordinate with City agencies, external partners, and community stakeholders to advance policy initiatives.
Prepare presentations, memos, and reports for internal and external audiences.
Track budget requirements for policy initiatives.
Serve as a liaison between MOPT, City agencies, tenant advocates, and community-based organizations throughout policy development.
Facilitate interagency working groups and stakeholder meetings.
Supervise team members and set clear goals for Policy Advisors and other staff.
Give, receive, and incorporate feedback effectively.
Assist with hiring and training staff.
Help define team priorities and improve internal operations.
Maintain high-level relationships across New York City’s housing and tenant protection landscape and support the Executive Director as MOPT’s public face.