PRESS SECRETARY

The New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) works every day to implement the city’s Human Rights Law through enforcement, education, and outreach. The Commission seeks to address historic and contemporary inequities to cultivate a city where everyone can live, work, and thrive free from discrimination.

Through training, education, and policy initiatives, the Commission aims to root out discrimination. The Commission proactively identifies patterns of discrimination through testing employers, housing providers, and providers of public accommodation. The Commission also uses investigations, litigation, and other enforcement tools to address allegations of discrimination.

The Commission is seeking a Press Secretary to help execute the agency’s day-to-day and long-term media and public relations strategy. The Press Secretary will manage CCHR’s day-to-day press operations, high profile events, and project manage key initiatives.

This role is a part of the communications and marketing team, reporting directly to the agency’s Chief of Staff. This role will collaborate closely with all units in the agency, the CCHR Chair/Commissioner, and Senior Leadership Team on message coordination and other communications initiatives. The role also serves as the liaison to City Hall’s press and communications offices and ensures that City Hall is up to date on all CCHR press and communications matters.

Job Duties

• Develop press pitches, op-eds, letters to the editor, speeches, talking points, events, and other creative strategies for media exposure.
• Independently draft, edit, and ensure approval of accurate, timely, and compelling press materials that enhance public awareness of the Commission, the NYC Human Rights Law, and Commission priorities and programs.
• Manage media inquiries, disseminate press releases, follow up on pitches, ensure accuracy in reporting and work with the Commission’s senior staff to formulate statements ensuring approval from agency representatives and coordination with City Hall’s, when necessary.
• Train and prepare spokespeople and independently oversee interviews with local, regional, and major national media outlets to ensure accuracy of information and delivery of key messages as well as appropriate agency tone.
• Coordinate press/public events which may include coaching speakers and arranging logistics.
• Develop and execute creative strategies to cultivate relationships with reporters with particular emphasis on community and ethnic media.
• Track press coverage and create news roundup of media mentions and relevant news.
• Ensure City Hall Press and Communications has awareness of Commission’s priorities.
• Secure media partnerships and press opportunities for special events and campaigns.
• Assist in the definition of project scope and objectives, involving all relevant internal stakeholders and ensuring that projects are delivered on-time and within scope.
• Serve as agency’s copywriter producing engaging, clear content for different channels such as websites, emails, reports, one pagers, and more.
• Coordinating with cross-discipline team members to ensure projects are on track to meet objectives and deadlines.
• Monitor and track project progress, while measuring performance to escalate issues and risks.
• Other duties as assigned
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or
• High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.
  
  

Preferred Skills

• Excellent writing, editing, and communications skills plus excellent analytical and persuasive written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to shape the story and manage the message in media communications. - Proven experience writing and editing top notch communications materials including press releases, advisories, press briefings, op-eds, and letter to the editors. - Possess experience and understanding of writing for various modalities, audiences, voices, and platforms. - Savvy media expertise with strong media contacts in New York City and national news. - A strong track record of pitching and securing positive coverage in leading local and national outlets for legal, public, or nonprofit sectors. - Experience creating long- and short-term communications plans. - Strong analytical and organizational skills and attention to detail. - Candidate must know how to work well independently and as a team member and be able to handle multiple deadline assignments in a fast-paced and quickly changing environment. - Ability to fact-check, synthesize, and translate complex legislation and policy on a range of human rights topics into media pitches or announcements. - Candidate must have a positive team approach to working with internal and external partners. - Experience in media training and spokesperson mentoring. - Proven experience working in New York City media market - An interest in understanding the New York City Human Rights Law, or a commitment to human rights, social justice and equity issues. - Proficiency in languages other than English (esp. Spanish and/or Chinese) as well as experience with social media as a tool for press strategy a plus. - Familiarity with Microsoft Office, media databases and press tools (such as Cision, Muck Rack, or Meltwater). - Familiarity with AP style. - Discretion in handling sensitive and confidential matters.
  
  

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

, $60,889.00 – $82,000.00