Policy Director, Housing

Office of the New York City Comptroller; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of the New York City Comptroller, a citywide fiscal authority, seeks a Policy Director for Housing to lead the housing policy and oversight agenda. You will shape the Office's housing priorities, advance equity, and coordinate with Budget, Audit, Legal, Contracts, and Asset Management to strengthen accountability across City government.

You will independently lead policy initiatives, advise the Comptroller and senior leadership, and represent the Office before agencies, stakeholders,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of housing policy or related public policy experience, in government, nonprofit, or academia.
• Graduate degree in public policy, urban planning, law, or related field is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to develop policy recommendations and communicate with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Office's housing policy research and oversight on affordability, production, and protections.
• Independently manage complex policy projects from conception to publication and implementation.
• Develop strategic policy recommendations and advise the Comptroller and senior leadership.
• Produce major policy reports, testimony, public statements, briefing materials, and analyses.
• Coordinate housing initiatives across Budget, Audit, Legal, Contracts, and Asset Management bureaus.
• Represent the Office before government agencies, stakeholders, and the public.

Skills

Housing policy

Public policy research

Stakeholder engagement

Policy analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The Office of the New York City Comptroller serves as the City's chief fiscal steward, responsible for auditing City agencies, managing pension funds, overseeing contracts, and advancing policy solutions that promote equity, transparency, and effective government. Under Comptroller Mark Levine's leadership, the Office is focused on strengthening public systems, improving affordability, and delivering effective and equitable outcomes for all New Yorkers.

The Policy Director for Housing will lead the Comptroller's housing policy and oversight agenda, helping shape the Office's work to address New York City's housing affordability crisis.

Working as part of the Office's Policy Bureau, the Policy Director will independently lead complex policy initiatives, advise the Comptroller and senior leadership, develop innovative policy recommendations, and represent the Office before government agencies, stakeholders, and the public. The position will coordinate closely with Budget, Audit, Legal, Contracts, and the Bureau of Asset Management to advance the Office's housing priorities and strengthen accountability across City government.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Office's policy research and oversight on housing affordability, housing production and preservation, tenant protections, homelessness, land use, and related issues.
• Independently manage complex research and policy projects from conception through publication and implementation.
• Develop strategic policy recommendations and advise the Comptroller and senior leadership on emerging housing issues.
• Produce major policy reports, testimony, public statements, briefing materials, and legislative analyses.
• Coordinate housing initiatives across Budget, Audit, Legal, Contracts, Bureau of Asset Management, and other bureaus.
• Work closely with the Bureau of Asset Management, which leads the Comptroller's housing investment initiatives, to ensure coordination across the Office's broader housing agenda.
• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, government agencies, housing providers, advocates, researchers, philanthropic organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Represent the Office in public meetings, conferences, legislative hearings, working groups, media briefings, and stakeholder convenings.
• Perform other related duties as may be required.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and five (5) or more years of professional experience in housing policy, urban planning, public policy research and analysis in government, nonprofit organization, academia, or a related area; or a satisfactory combination of education and experience equivalent to the above.

RESEARCH AND LIAISON COORDINAT - 13198

Minimum Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college with major in accounting, business administration, public relations, city planning, urban renewal, law, or a related field and three (3) years of satisfactory, full-time, responsible experience in housing, education, health services, planning, state-federal-city relations, or community relations involving administration or program development and evaluation; or
• A satisfactory equivalent.

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated expertise in housing policy and a track record of developing policy recommendations that have influenced decision-making.
• Experience independently managing complex policy projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leadership and represent an organization externally.
• Graduate degree in public policy, public administration, urban planning, law, or a related field.
• Deep knowledge of New York City's housing agencies, land use process, housing finance, and affordability policy landscape.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills, including analysis of administrative and public datasets.
• Experience supervising or mentoring staff or managing project teams.
• Experience developing policy reports, legislative testimony, and public-facing communications.
• Ability to build consensus across government, nonprofit, academic, and community stakeholders.
• Commitment to advancing equitable housing opportunities and strengthening public institutions.
• Excellent writing, analytical, strategic thinking, and project management skills.

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.