Director of Legal Affairs

New York City Emergency Management Department; New York (NY); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York City Emergency Management Department is seeking a skilled Attorney with expertise in privacy law, data protection, and information technology. This role, reporting to the Deputy Chief Counsel, provides legal guidance on privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, drafts technology agreements, and supports incident response. The selected candidate will also be an on-call member of the Emergency Operations Center team, engaging in non-business hour work as necessary. This position requires physical presence in the office three days a week, with possibility of remote work under certain circumstances.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in privacy law and data protection.
• Proficient in drafting and negotiating technology agreements.
• Ability to provide legal guidance in compliance and privacy regulations.

Responsibilities

• Attend meetings and workshops related to agency initiatives.
• Supervise legal and administrative staff for quality assurance.
• Provide legal advice on contracting and compliance matters.
• Advise on global and federal privacy regulations.
• Draft and negotiate IT agreements for agency projects.

Skills

Privacy law expertise

Data protection knowledge

Information technology law

Compliance regulations

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) helps New Yorkers before, during, and after emergencies through preparedness, education, and response. NYCEM is responsible for coordinating citywide emergency planning and response for all types and scales of emergencies. We are staffed by more than 200 dedicated professionals with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including individuals assigned from other City agencies.

The Office of the Chief Counsel provides legal advice to the agency regarding critical, strategic, legal and policy issues facing the agency, engages in transactional work in support of the NYCEM mission and coordinates with the NYC Law Department, Office of the Counsel to the Mayor, and other local, state and federal counsels regarding various legal issues ranging from emergency events to litigation, which impact the agency. The Office of Chief Counsel is comprised of the Legal Affairs Unit, Disability, Access, and Functional Needs (DAFN) Legal Unit, and the Records Management Unit.

The Legal Affairs unit within the Office of the Chief Counsel provides legal advice to NYCEM executives and staff regarding critical, strategic, legal and policy issues facing the agency which impact the public, engages in transactional work in support of the NYCEM mission and coordinates with the NYC Law Department, Office of the Counsel to the Mayor and City Hall, and other local, state and federal counsels regarding various legal issues ranging from emergency events to litigation, which impact the agency.

We are seeking a skilled and forward-thinking Attorney with expertise in privacy law, data protection, and information technology to join our dynamic legal team. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Counsel, this role provides strategic legal guidance at the intersection of law and technology. The selected candidate will provide Agency units and bureaus with support and legal advice with respect to agency initiatives, policies and programs. Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Counsel, with wide latitude for independent judgment and un-reviewed action, areas of responsibility will include:

• Attend meetings, conferences, and workshops as required or needed.
• Supervise legal and administrative staff to ensure quality, completeness, and compliance with agency policies and standards.
• Provide timely, accurate legal advice on compliance, contracting, procurement, and related matters.
• Advise on global, federal, and state privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA).
• Draft, review, and negotiate technology, SaaS, data processing, and other complex IT agreements.
• Collaborate with IT/MIS, security, and agency units to implement privacy-by-design practices.
• Monitor emerging privacy laws, cybersecurity regulations, and industry best practices.
• Support incident response and data breach investigations.
• Develop and review processes to ensure compliance with local laws, rules, and codes.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external agencies on legal issues, emergency events, and litigation.
• Promote interagency cooperation and maintain timely, accurate correspondence.
• Prepare and review legal documents, research applicable laws, and draft explanatory materials for agency and public use.
• Lead special projects and perform administrative duties as directed.
• Serve as acting supervisor during temporary absences.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING

The selected candidate will be assigned to an on-call Emergency Operations Center (EOC) team and will be expected to work non-business hours during some emergencies. These non-business hours include nights, weekends, holidays, and extended week hours outside of a 9AM-5PM schedule. The selected candidate will also participate in trainings to build skills and competencies in emergency response; will participate in drills and exercises associated with the on-call EOC team; and may volunteer to assist with Ready NY emergency preparedness presentations to external groups. EOC teams are on call for three weeks at a time, with six weeks off in between.

Funding – This position is supported with a federal Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) through 9/30/2026 with the possibility of an extension; the employee will be responsible for training requirements associated with this grant.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without employer support to be eligible for selection. Note that NYCEM does not participate in eVerify, which is required for the reauthorization of some visas.

The selected candidate will be required to be in person in the office location three days per week, with exceptions for extenuating circumstances.

IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS JOB, PLEASE SUBMIT A SEPARATE COVER LETTER IN THE ATTACHMENTS SECTION OF THE APPLICATION PORTAL.