Director, Communications

Cultural-Affairs; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) in New York City seeks a Director of Communications to lead the agency’s public voice on culture, equity, and civic life, shaping long‑term strategy and day‑to‑day messaging across press, digital, and events.

You will supervise staff, align communications with the administration’s values, and expand reach to diverse New Yorkers and community media across the five boroughs.

Qualifications

• Seven years of experience in communications, PR, journalism, or related field with supervisory responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a bold, equity‑driven communications strategy for NYC culture and public life.
• Oversee press relations, media inquiries, releases, and crisis communications.
• Coordinate messaging with City Hall and agency leadership; manage digital and events content.

Skills

Strategic communications

Media relations

Crisis communications

Job description

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, including the 39 institutions that comprise the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) and more than 1,100 non-profit cultural organizations that receive regular annual support. DCLA also manages a significant portfolio of cultural capital projects; provides free donated materials and supplies for arts programs and arts educators through its Materials for the Arts program; provides capacity building and technical assistance support to cultural groups; and commissions works of permanent public art through the City’s Public Art Program. This constituency represents a diverse array of organizations - including performing arts groups, museums, theaters, zoos, botanical gardens, visual arts and film centers, community-based organizations, and arts education programs – that are central to the life of communities in every corner of New York City.

The Director of Communications role at DCLA is responsible for leading all aspects of the agency’s long-term strategic communications plan as well as day-to-day communications operations including press, digital media, marketing, ensuring all public-facing messaging is aligned with the administration’s voice and values. The Director of Communications works in close coordination with City Hall, unit heads and staff across the agency, and colleagues across the cultural field. They oversee one full-time coordinator and report to the Deputy Commissioner. This position comes at a pivotal moment to revamp the agency’s public presence to speak to all New Yorkers about the agency’s work and its role in supporting the vibrancy of cultural life across every community in New York City. This is a role for a seasoned, resourceful communications professional with a forward-thinking creative vision for digital communications to generate citywide momentum around - and a deeper understanding of - our city’s public infrastructure for arts and culture.

The role requires hands‑on execution, sound judgement, sharp editorial instincts, a strong press network, a genuine love of New York City, and the ability to speak to audiences far beyond the traditional arts world everyday New Yorkers, neighborhood media, lifestyle audiences, and civic communities who may not yet know that culture is already part of their lives.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and drive a bold, coherent communications strategy that positions DCLA as a forward-thinking, equity-driven agency serving all New Yorkers
• Craft compelling narratives about arts and culture as civic infrastructure connecting DCLA's work to housing, workforce, public space, community well‑being, and everyday life
• Advise the Commissioner and agency leadership on messaging, positioning, and communications strategy across policy and public-facing initiatives
• Serve as a trusted partner to City Hall’s communications team, proactively surfacing DCLA stories and aligning on joint priorities

Digital & Content

• Lead a comprehensive overhaul of DCLA’s digital presence website, social media, email, and emerging platforms with a focus on reaching audiences beyond the arts sector
• Develop a content strategy that is visually compelling, platform-native, and rooted in the real stories of artists and cultural workers across the five boroughs
• Identify and cultivate relationships with content creators, influencers, and digital storytellers whose audiences reflect the full diversity of New York City
• Oversee production of creative assets, video, graphics, and written content often hands‑on, in partnership with the Communications Coordinator

Press & Media Relations

• Manage day-to-day press relations, including pitching, responding to media inquiries, drafting press releases and statements, and coordinating interviews and press events
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with journalists covering arts, culture, lifestyle, politics, housing, and civic affairs from major outlets to borough-based and ethnic press
• Proactively generate coverage of DCLA’s grantees, programs, and policy priorities, with particular attention to underrepresented communities and outer-borough stories
• Oversee crisis communications response for acute challenges across the cultural sector
• Develop and maintain a robust media list that reflects New York City’s full media landscape

Events & Visibility

• Lead planning and/or communications for major agency events, announcements, and public programs, including press coordination and social amplification
• Prepare the Commissioner and agency leadership for media appearances, speeches, and public events with talking points, briefings, and messaging guidance
• Identify high-visibility moments cultural events, city milestones, news hooks to amplify DCLA’s voice and relevance

Preferred Skills:

• Seven years of experience in communications, PR, journalism, or a related field, with meaningful work in arts, culture, or creative industries, including managerial supervision of staff and oversight of organizational strategy
• Deep knowledge of New York City’s cultural sector, including both major institutions and grassroots organizations across the five boroughs
• Demonstrated experience in digital communications strategy you understand how platforms work, how audiences behave, and how to build reach without paid media
• An established network of journalists, editors, and media contacts across news, arts and culture, lifestyle, civic, and general interest
• Exceptional writing skills across registers from a tight press release to a long-form narrative pitch to a newsletter and an Instagram caption
• A track record of doing more with less: creative problem-solving, resourcefulness, and adaptability
• Ability to create and execute engaging, timely and relevant social media campaigns, series, and content
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust quickly with City Hall counterparts, agency leadership, grantees, and press
• Existing relationships with or interest in borough-based, ethnic, and neighborhood media in New York City
• Familiarity with DCLA's grantee community and the broader NYC cultural nonprofit ecosystem
• Experience with content creator partnerships, influencer outreach, or community-based digital storytelling
• Experience working in or with government, advocacy organizations, or mission-driven institutions, with an understanding of the political and institutional dynamics of public-sector communications
• Background in or genuine curiosity about issues at the intersection of culture, housing, economic justice, and public space
• Ability to build trust, foster collaboration, and manage relationships across a diverse set of stakeholders
• High level of initiative, adaptability, and an all-in approach to team-based work; and
• Multilingual skills a plus

Additional Information:

Only those candidates under consideration will be contacted. For more information about DCLA, visit us at: www.nyc.gov/culture

All appointments are subject to OMB approval

Director of Communications - 05156

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.