Senior Candidate Services Liaison

Company Description

Job Description

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE BOARD


The Campaign Finance Board is a nonpartisan, independent city agency that empowers New Yorkers to have a greater impact on their elections. Our mission is to make local democracy more open, transparent, and equitable by removing barriers to participation.


We make it easier for New Yorkers to vote, meaningfully support candidates for city office, and run for office themselves. NYC Votes, our voter engagement initiative, meets people where they are to share trustworthy election information and help New Yorkers make a plan to vote. We publish the citywide Voter Guide, which delivers information about candidates directly to voters' doors. Our public matching funds program ensures small contributions can make a big difference, allowing regular people to run for office by relying on the support of other regular people, not just wealthy donors and special interests. And we lift the veil on how candidates raise and spend money, increasing transparency and accountability in local government.


We believe that when every New Yorker is empowered to participate meaningfully in elections, candidates will better reflect the communities they serve, elected leaders will be more accountable to the public, and New Yorkers will have a democracy they can truly trust.


ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT


Campaign Affairs (CA) is comprised of the Candidate & Committee Services and Records, Data & Information units. Together, these units are responsible for the CFB's direct engagement with the regulated community - candidates, campaigns, independent spenders, and non-candidate committees - as well as the agency's records, data, and information management and responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).


We help candidates and campaign staff navigate the campaign finance program through trainings, published guidance, and one-on-one support. We monitor and communicate candidate compliance with public funds eligibility requirements such as the Certification and training deadlines, Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB) financial disclosure requirement, and the submission of Statements of Need and Active Candidacy. We obtain and track ballot status information from the NYC Board of Elections, review and process candidate-related documentation, and maintain agency records.


The Candidate & Committee Services Unit consists of a Senior Director of Candidate & Committee Services, a Director of Candidate & Committee Services, a Candidate Guidance Manager, a Candidate Program Manager, a Candidate Services Manager, two Senior Candidate Services Liaisons and six Candidate Services Liaisons. The Senior Candidate Services Liaisons will report to the Candidate Services Manager.


JOB DESCRIPTION


Candidate & Committee Services is dedicated to helping municipal candidates in New York City navigate the law and rules administered by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB). We are seeking two Senior Candidate Services Liaisons.


As a Senior Candidate Services Liaison, you will serve as a senior compliance expert on our team. In this role, you will work directly with a team of three Candidate Services Liaisons to review guidance on non-routine candidate inquiries, serve as an experienced point of contact for campaigns navigating difficult or sensitive compliance matters, and help maintain consistent, high-quality guidance across the unit's portfolio of candidate assignments.


The ideal candidate will bring expertise in campaign finance compliance, strong relationship-building skills, and sound professional judgment. You are comfortable managing high-stakes conversations with campaigns directly and adept at supporting and coaching Candidate Services Liaisons to handle their own candidate interactions with confidence. You will make a direct impact on the CFB's ability to run a fair and accessible public matching funds program by ensuring that every campaign receives accurate, timely guidance. This makes campaigns better positioned to comply with the CFB's requirements. You are passionate about local government and civic participation and understand that effective compliance support is itself a form of public service.


Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

- Manage and develop a team of three Candidate Services Liaisons, setting performance expectations, conducting performance evaluations, and providing continuous feedback and career development support.

- Serve as a senior liaison between candidates running for New York City office and the CFB, with a focus on complex disclosure or compliance matters.

- Provide clear, timely, and accurate guidance to candidates, campaign representatives, and members of the public on Campaign Finance Act compliance, including public funds eligibility, audit procedures, and ongoing disclosure requirements.

- Review and oversee guidance issued to campaigns by team members, including draft responses to non-routine questions requiring specialized knowledge or coordination with agency subject matter experts.

- Conduct and assist with Compliance, Statement Review, Post-Election and other trainings for candidates, treasurers, campaign staff, and the public.

- Provide technical assistance to candidates, treasurers, and campaign staff on CFB applications including the CFB Portal, C-SMART, and Contribute; troubleshoot user issues and escalate complex problems as needed.

- Conduct research, data collection, and analysis to support unit operations, candidate-facing guidance and resources, and policy implementation.

- Contribute to cross-unit initiatives, agency projects, and stakeholder meetings, bringing the candidate perspective into discussions that shape CFB policy, tools, and procedures.


ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES & OTHER BEHAVIORS (KSAOs)


We're seeking individuals eager to make an impact, even if they don't tick every box on our job description. We believe in the power of diverse perspectives and the unique blend of lived experiences, non-traditional education pathways, practical know-how, and a variety of skills and abilities that each candidate brings to the table. If you're ready to learn and grow with us, we encourage you to apply and be part of our dynamic team.


Knowledge

- Knowledge of and/or demonstrated interest in New York City government and politics.

- Knowledge and understanding of city campaign finance laws and compliance requirements including disclosure, contribution limits, and reporting.

- Familiarity with the structure and functions of New York City government agencies, especially those related to elections and campaign finance.

- Awareness of best practices for clear and consistent communication within a team and with external stakeholders.

- Knowledge and understanding of motivational theories and leadership styles and approaches.

- Knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.


Skills

- Superior time management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects.

- Effective communication skills to interact with internal partners, external partners, and the public.

- Ability to conduct trainings and presentations clearly and effectively to various audiences, including candidates, campaign staff, and the general public.

- Customer-focused approach to answering questions and solving problems.

- Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.


Abilities

- Ability to serve as a liaison between the CFB, candidates and their campaigns, effectively managing relationships and addressing inquiries or issues.

- Ability to ensure that candidates and their campaigns have the necessary resources and information to comply with all relevant campaign finance regulations and policies.

- Ability to adapt to changing priorities and requirements, especially in a regulatory environment.

- Ability to facilitate teamwork and ensure coordination on assignments and project deliverables.


Other

- Other characteristics are traits that do not fit into the other categories, including values, work style, and personality like accountability and being able to adapt to change and easily consider new approaches.

- High attention to detail in reviewing compliance documents and ensuring all information is correct and up to date.

- Willingness to take the lead on projects and tasks and proactively identify and address potential issues.

- Ability to work well with others, including internal teams and external stakeholders, fostering a cooperative work environment.

- Demonstrated dedication to performing duties at a high standard and ensuring that the agency's mission is met effectively.


PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Prior work experience in the elections, ethics, or campaign finance policy space.

- Experience managing direct reports.


While completing the application candidates are invited to provide a cover letter via attachment or the 'Message to the Hiring Team' field on SmartRecruiters.

ANALYST CFB AL 2&3 ONLY - 0660A

Qualifications

- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college including or supplemented by at least twelve-semester credits (or the equivalent of twelve-semester credits) in accounting, auditing, business or public administration, computer science, economics, finance, statistics, graphic design, personnel or human resources administration, user experience design, or a closely related area of study and one year of satisfactory full-time experience in accounting, auditing (including compliance or investigative auditing), business or public administration, business analysis, computer science, database administration, economics, finance, fiscal or economic management or research, statistics, graphic design, personnel or human resources administration, user experience design, or a closely related field; or

- A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and five years of experience as described in "1" above; or

- Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above.

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.