The office of Government and Community Affairs (GOVREL) is responsible for all NYPL interaction with government officials and agencies.

Its primary functions are to:

• Work with elected and governmental officials at the City, State and Federal levels to preserve and expand public funding (expense and capital).
• Organize, implement and support all advocacy activities, including contacts with and outreach to elected officials and staff on all levels of government – City of New York (Mayor’s Office, City Council, Community Boards, etc.), New York State (Governor’s Office, Senate, Assembly, etc.) and Federal (Senate, Congress, etc.).
• Track and monitor proposed legislation and provide legislative and policy analysis.
• Liaise with government officials regarding the process and progress of Library capital projects.

• Project manage City initiatives and partnerships, including liasing with the City and engaging appropriate NYPL staff
• Liaison with Capital Planning on capital needs requests, project status and overall communication of capital and technology for the Library. Coordinate capital request meetings with elected officials
• Coordinate the Library’s NYS legislative affairs
• Assist in the coordination of the Library’s annual budget advocacy campaign
• Manage the Library’s involvement in the City’s Participatory Budgeting process, including identification and development of projects, branch training and engagement, and voter outreach
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with local community boards and other organizations
• Serve as point of contact for branch staff for all government affairs related issues at the branch level
• Performing miscellaneous job related duties as assigned

Accountability and Professionalism – Demonstrates enthusiasm for and commitment to the position and accepts responsibility for personal actions.

Customer Service – Commits to meeting the expectations of internal and external customers.Listens and responds effectively to customer questions; resolves customer problems to the customer’s satisfaction; respects all internal and external customers.

Collaboration and Teamwork – Supports a positive team environment in which members participate, respect and cooperate with each other to receive desired results.

Job-Specific Knowledge and Skills – Plans, prioritizes, and organizes work effectively to produce measurable results; keeps current with and effectively applies new work methods, skills and technologies to complete work.

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.)
• 3-5 years experience in relevant field
• Demonstrated knowledge of  government budget, legislative and agency processes
• Demonstrated project management ability
• Results oriented and possess the ability to multitask while meeting deadlines
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse and decentralized staff
• Valid drivers license and ability to attend evening/weekend meetings and events
• Strong computer skills
• Understanding of non-profit organizations and public libraries strongly preferred