Staff Designer – Civic Engagement

City of New York•New York, NY

7h•$68,377 - $78,633

About The Position

The Community Planning and Engagement division of the New York City Department of City Planning seeks a Staff Designer to make urban planning processes accessible, inclusive, and engaging. The position works with DCP divisions, agency partners, and New Yorkers to increase understanding of city planning topics, internal and public processes, and ways to shape neighborhood and citywide planning initiatives. The role supports community engagement plans, develops visual materials that explain DCP tools and processes and expand opportunities to participate, and builds DCP staff capacity to create clear and engaging public materials. Work includes print materials such as reports, posters, display boards, and activity organizers, as well as potential digital design, motion graphics, and animation. The designer applies design principles and civic engagement practices with an equity lens and helps ensure materials respond to end-user needs. The position also develops staff templates and provides training, guidance, and feedback to project teams. It requires collaboration across the Department, including coordination with Communications for externally facing materials. This position may be eligible for remote work up to two days per week under the City/DC37 Remote Work Pilot Program.

Requirements

Design background, such as graphic design, urban design, or architecture.
Skill in creating illustrations and tools for engagement.
Experience engaging and facilitating communities in design processes.
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office.
Excellent interpersonal, project management, and communication skills.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Candidates must have permanent Civil Service status in the Graphic Artist title, be reachable on the Graphic Artist active list (exam #4123), or serve in a comparable civil service title.
Authorization to work in the United States is required.
Applicants must meet the stated minimum qualifying requirements for the Graphic Artist title, including 18 months of supervisory experience planning or directing artwork, along with qualifying education and/or experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with video editing software such as Adobe Premiere and After Effects.
Experience with teaching, curriculum development, and/or workshop development.
Experience creating motion graphics, animations, or digital design.

Responsibilities

Support the development and implementation of visual design strategies within engagement plans for neighborhood and citywide initiatives.
Work with teams across DCP to identify design goals and strategies and support the development of project visual identities; coordinate with Communications when materials are externally facing.
Create illustrations, maps, display boards, graphic organizers, tools, and activities.
Recommend new approaches to civic engagement and collaborate with agency staff to advance civic engagement principles with an equity lens.
Develop materials that explain DCP planning tools and processes and opportunities to participate in neighborhood planning and citywide policy development.
Facilitate user research, prototyping, and usability testing to ensure materials meet end-user needs.
Create explainer materials, including illustrations, infographics, presentations, and/or short videos, in coordination with Communications for web and social channels.
Work with teams across DCP to create reports, brochures, and one-pagers, primarily for engagement settings.
Facilitate professional development workshops and trainings for DCP staff on design principles and best practices.
Create and maintain templates for standard materials such as presentations and reports aligned with DCP standards.
Provide design guidance and feedback to project teams to support continuous improvement.