Senior Manager, External and Government Relations

City Year • New York, NY

3d • $75,000 - $80,000

About The Position

The Senior Manager of External and Government Relations plays a key role on City Year New York’s Strategy team, reporting to the Chief of Staff. This role is grant funded by the Arthur Blank Foundation for an 18-month position. This position strengthens CYNY’s relationships with New York City and New York State elected officials, public agencies, higher education leaders, and nonprofit partners to advance policies and secure public funding that expands service opportunities for young adults across NYC. Please note that this is a grant funded position with an anticipated start date of winter 2026 and an anticipated end date of June 2027. This is an exempt position, with an expected annual salary of $75,000-80,000, commensurate with experience. A major priority for this role is driving strategies to secure state line‑item appropriations that: Expand the Student Success Coach model across New York State, Build partnerships with SUNY and Service Year Alliance, and Fund a New York Student Success Coach Learning Network (SSCLN) that elevates high‑quality training, learning communities, and nonprofit implementation of near‑peer coaching. This role also supports identifying and pursuing emerging city-level public funding opportunities, strengthens relationships with champions in NYC Council, city agencies, and the State Legislature, and manages components of the public funding application and reporting cycle. This role collaborates with the Chief of Staff, the CYNY Strategy Team, Communications, and Analytics & Evaluation to ensure aligned messaging, advocacy, and external engagement.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of experience in government relations, public policy, public affairs, advocacy, or related nonprofit/government roles.
• Knowledge of New York City and New York State government structures, legislative calendars, and public funding processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; experience preparing briefing materials, testimony, or legislative correspondence preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and community partners.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines, track shifting legislative timelines, and maintain excellent organizational systems.
• Collaborative and team-oriented, with comfort working across departments and engaging senior leaders.
• Commitment to educational equity, national service, and improving pathways for young adults.

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing or supporting public grant applications, government contracts, or public funding cycles is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Government & External Relations Strategy (35%): Support execution of CYNY’s government relations strategy with a focus on securing new city and state public funding, including potential state line item funding for Student Success Coaches and the Student Success Coach Learning Network. Build and maintain relationships with NYC Council, the NY State Assembly and Senate, relevant committees, and policy staff. Support development of CYNY’s annual policy agenda, stakeholder map, and external engagement strategy. Coordinate legislative meetings, school visits, and external briefings to elevate the impact of CYNY’s Student Success Coaches.
• Public Funding & Grant Management (25%): Assist in drafting and submitting applications for public funding: NYC Council discretionary funds, Borough President allocations, city agency contracts, and state-level grants. Help manage reporting requirements tied to AmeriCorps and other government-funded initiatives. Track public funding cycles, deadlines, documents, and compliance needs.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships (20%): Cultivate and steward partnerships with NYC agencies (NYCPS, DYCD, NYC Service, etc.), higher education partners (especially SUNY and CUNY campuses), and nonprofit and workforce organizations that intersect with near‑peer coaching. Support cross-sector roundtables, convenings, and listening tours tied to the launch and development of the Student Success Coach Learning Network. Strengthen relationships with CBOs that engage or influence 18–25-year-olds to support AmeriCorps recruitment and post-service pathways.
• Communications, Events & Advocacy (10%): Draft talking points, letters, testimony, and briefing documents for senior leaders in collaboration with Communications. Support elected official engagement at CYNY public events (MLK Day, Graduation, school visits). Prepare materials that communicate the value of the Student Success Coach model and the Learning Network initiative.
• Internal Collaboration & Special Projects (10%): Partner with Development, Program, and Service Year teams to align advocacy and external engagement with programmatic needs. Assist with special projects including corps member talent pathways, school-based grants, workforce partnerships, and strategies related to corps recruitment and retention. Provide light guidance and project support for interns or temporary team members as needed.

Benefits

• Benefits for full time employees include health insurance with Flexible Spending Account, paid vacation, holidays, parental leave, 401K, and more.
• Full-time employees will be eligible for all benefits including vacation, sick days and organization holidays.
• You may participate in all benefit programs that City Year establishes and makes available to eligible employees, under (and subject to all provisions of) the plan documents that govern those programs.
• Currently, City Year offers medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and other benefits including 401(k) plan(s) pursuant to the terms and conditions of company policy and the 401(k) plan document.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed