Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff

The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to strengthening New York City's vibrant cultural life by providing funding and support to New York City's cultural community. This constituency represents a diverse array of organizations that are central to the life of communities in every corner of New York City. The Chief of Staff at the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs will have a broad scope of responsibilities that require exercising discretion, taking independent initiative, partnering with DCLA business units, City Hall and other city agencies, and stakeholders in the cultural field to implement special projects and to streamline operational processes so they are more efficient and effective. The Chief of Staff will play a key role in inter-city and intra-agency coordination, collaboration, and relationship management. As part of the Senior Leadership team, candidate will help to manage, devise and implement the agency's strategic planning initiatives and related management protocols.

Diverse responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Working closely with Senior Leadership to develop and implement special and long-term priority projects, including strategic planning, policy initiatives, technical programs and fiscal support for the not-for-profit cultural field.
• Assisting in the coordination and management of the agency's administrative operations, and staff compliance with the City's fiscal policies and procedures, including coordinating agency-wide communication, management development and professional support.
• Representing the Agency in oversight of and relationships with constituent organizations and providing support and guidance in management and board governance issues.
• Serving as a liaison with City Hall, city agencies, internal, and external stakeholders.
• Executing discrete projects which include drafting memos, background documents, presentation materials, reports, and policy recommendations for complex issues.
• Coordinating the activities of units within the Agency, working with managers to set goals and priorities for the units and ensuring the best utilization of existing resources.
• Working with Agency managers to strategize on issues related to intra- and inter-agency operations.

Minimum Qualifications

A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and three years full-time satisfactory professional experience related to the projects and policies to be studied in the particular position including eighteen months of experience in a managerial, consultative, administrative or supervisory capacity.

Preferred Skills

The preferred candidate must have excellent writing, analytical and research abilities, along with solid organizational, computer and communication skills. The ability to efficiently handle and prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously while meeting deadlines and changing priorities is critical as is attention to detail. Knowledge of and experience working in City government and with the not-for-profit cultural field is essential. Knowledge of policy analysis and relationship management skills preferred. Administrative, development or public affairs experience, preferably in a government or not-for-profit context, is important. The ability to deal with a diverse constituency both independently and as a team member is essential. A working knowledge of, and interest or experience in, the City's arts and cultural community is a plus, as is a general knowledge of City government. Candidate will contribute to agency vision alongside Senior Leadership and will be able to execute from concept to implementation and evaluation, including delegation, cross-agency management, stakeholder engagement, public release and impact tracking.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

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

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is required.

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.